Travel – Page 7

Madam Kwan’s

September 11, 2015 Posted in Box Hill, Food Reviews, Malaysian, Restaurant Reviews6 Comments

Madam Kwan’s recently opened its doors in Box Hill, replacing Straits of Malacca which seemed to vanish as soon as it opened. Also, not to be confused by Madam Kwong’s and Kwan’s Dim Sum on Whitehorse Road. It retains the same name as a franchise in Malaysia. Variety-wise, it’s quite similar to PappaRich with a mix of noodle and rice dishes, drinks and desserts (Durian too) although where it falls short is the number of menu options, like Nasi Kandar, Roti Canai but seem to mark its place with a few of their specialties such as Madam Kwan’s Noodle Soup.

Madam Kwan’s Mee Goreng, is probably one of the better ones I’ve tried although it lacks that slight sweet and sourness from the tomato sauce that is frequently used in Mee Goreng. Apart from that, I found it quite filling (portions are generous).

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The Chicken Curry Laksa isn’t like what you’d find in Chef Lagenda or Laksa King where it has this rich, creaminess to the Laksa. Instead, it opts for the fragrance of the spices used to add depth to the soup base. Again, it’s a generous offering with both egg and rice vermicelli noodles.

//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.jsMadam Kwan’s Lobak is one of my favourites I’ve tried in Melbourne and can actually best some of the ones I’ve tried in Malaysia. It has this wonderful balance of pork and the seasoning. Plus, it adds yam/taro that adds texture and fragrance that I didn’t even know I wanted in a Lobak, and yet it works so well together. Yum. Be warned though, their side dishes cost nearly as much as their mains.

I found their Teh Tarik on the other hand to be overly sweet from its excessive use of condensed milk. Tea flavour-wise it’s on the stronger side of things so the balance is a bit off in my books.

Impressions

While I would say, Madam Kwan’s isn’t my favourite Malaysian eatery in Melbourne, it’s probably one of the tastier choices for Malaysian cuisine in the Box Hill and even Doncaster/Blackburn area. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Madam Kwan’s
3/1 Main Street (Box Hill Central)
Box Hill VIC 3128

Scarvelli Cafe

September 4, 2015 Posted in Australian, Balwyn, Food Reviews, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Having been up and down Whitehorse Road nearly everyday for a few years now, I’m still finding new places to try. Scarvelli Cafe is one of the many cafes on this long stretch of road but is located further down from the main hub in Balwyn. Scarvelli prides itself on the Paddock to Plate philosophy, sourcing fresh, seasonal produce from the owner’s farm on the Bellarine Peninsula at Swan Bay for their dishes. This exciting concept, combined with Industry Beans coffee makes for a very appealing visit to Scarvelli.

Dined courtesy of Scarvelli Cafe

Their Tassie Salmon with cous cous, tomatoes and grapefruit makes for a very tasty meal. The salmon is cooked well, and the acidity from the grapefruit adds this beautiful freshness to the entire dish. The crispy salmon skin is also a winner.

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Probably the highlight for me was Scarvelli’s Braised Swan Bay Beef. The slow braised beef cheek has this amazing, bold beef flavour to it. The mushrooms, again, fragrant and complements the beef with the creamy parsnip puree.

The Chilli Eggs and Ham is an interesting breakfast dish with a crumbed potato, sauerkraut and ham croquette and smashed peas. The chilli dressing reminds me of a chilli jam with some sweetness to it. The peas lacked a bit of flavour too. I do applaud them for keeping their menu varied though.

Impressions

The braised beef dish along with their strong, Tanzanian coffee makes for a very delicious trip down to Balwyn. It’s also quite a popular breakfast, brunch spot so please do keep that in mind if wanting to make a visit there. I will definitely make plans to try their other dishes and of course, order another coffee to go with it.

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Scarvelli Cafe
143 Whitehorse Road
Balwyn VIC 3103

RaRamen Box Hill

August 28, 2015 Posted in Box Hill, Chinese, Food Reviews, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

RaRamen is probably my favourite dumpling place in Box Hill. I have tried the popular ones like DC Dumpling, David & Camy and Luyang but RaRamen trumps them all. Their other dishes aren’t too bad too actually, and RaRamen in Box Hill Central also offer free slushies if you so fancy.

Their Shanghai Fried Noodles, like most other restaurants, are on the oilier side of things but flavour-wise it’s pretty tasty.

RaRamen’s Mixed Pork & Vegetable Fried Dumplings were on this occasion fried very crispy but the filling is the one to beat. The Pork Dumplings have that lovely pork flavour and the hint of ginger that complements the pork. The Vegetarian option has become my favourite dumpling (of all time), it has this incredible combination of glass noodles, egg and I believe, chives.

Luckily, you don’t have to dine there to get your dumplings fix. You can also buy frozen dumplings and fry or steam them at home at your own convenience!

RaRamen Box Hill
Box Hill Central
1 Main Street
Box Hill VIC 3128

Two Hands Bar

August 14, 2015 Posted in Abbotsford, American, Australian, Food Reviews, Japanese, Korean, Restaurant Reviews, RichmondLeave a comment

Initially I wanted to try Shizuku Ramen on Victoria Street, Richmond which is just next door. However, my poor eyesight lead me to Two Hands Bar which interestingly also serves Japanese cuisine. Their menu is a mixture of Western and Asian, also offering a breakfast menu for locals and workers in the area, burgers and also even Korean but in addition as the name suggests it’s a bar as well.

Their lunch menu comes with complimentary soft drink or seaweed soup. One of their menu items is their Teriyaki Chicken with rice. The chicken is tender and marinated nicely, and comes with potato salad and interestingly dressed shredded carrots. The seaweed soup has a lovely seaweed flavour that isn’t too bold, but I found it just a tad oily.

Another lunch item is their Deep Fried Chicken (Karage), the chicken is tender and crispy but requires the combination of mayo to accompany it to bring it all together. Otherwise, it’s particularly dry on its own with rice. As with the Teriyaki Chicken, it comes with the potato salad and carrots. Overall, it’s a decent deal with a drink.

Impressions

Two Hands Bar doesn’t set the bar high with its food, however,it is quite decent. I haven’t yet tried their burgers, but will definitely try them sometime in the future just to see how they taste like.

Two Hands Bar
311A Victoria Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067

Gangnam Station

August 7, 2015 Posted in Box Hill, Food Reviews, Korean, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Gangnam Station is one of the few Korean restaurants in Box Hill. Located on Carrington Street, it’s just across the road from Box Hill Central and from the notorious parking lot. They serve your Korean resaurant staples such as Bibimbap, Bulgogi, Korean Pancakes, and of course KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), however most dishes do lean towards the pricier side of things but I believe they also offer a few special dishes for lunch on weekdays.

Gangnam’s Stone Bowl Bibimbap, has all the ingredients for a tasty Bibimbap. I love the stone pot cooked rice, with it’s crispy and crunchy exterior. Flavourwise, it was severely lacking and the chilli sauce accompaniment was much needed to bring it all together. Don-Udon’s Stone Pot Bibimbap is excellent in comparison, with just enough seasoning and flavour.

I haven’t found a Korean restaurant that can do a Jap Chae like Don-Udon, or even close. Here it lacks the that certain “wok flavour” that is much needed for the potato noodles, otherwise it tastes just like a simple soy sauce stir fry. This was probably one of the more disappointing versions (the overpriced Guhng is another) I’ve tried.

Their Spicy Chicken Broth was probably one of the better soups I’ve had. However, haven’t come across a bad one yet! On a cold winters day, this will be very satisfying.

Impressions
Gangnam Station is probably not one of the best Korean restaurants but I’ve had a few decent meals here apart from their Jap Chae and Bibimbap. However, there are a few other Korean restaurants in Box Hill that are more bang for the buck and tastier like Don-Udon and Yami Yami.

Gangnam Station
5 Carrington Road
Box Hill VIC 3128

Binh Minh

July 24, 2015 Posted in Food Reviews, Malaysian, Restaurant Reviews, Richmond, VietnameseLeave a comment

I’ve been to Binh Minh a couple times now, but I have trouble understanding the sheer popularity of it all. Located just by North Richmond Station on Victoria Street, they serve Vietnamese & Malaysian cuisine.

They offer your standard Vietnamese dishes like Pho, and Diced Beef & Tomato Rice and in addition they offer Laksa (!) on their menu too. I’ve tried their Salmon with vegetables, and their Tomato Rice but in both occasions I found it to be quite oily, and although flavour isn’t lacking, it isn’t anything great that can set it apart from the rest.

Impressions

For cheap lunchtime meals, Binh Minh might be a good place to go but I wouldn’t go there thinking it’s one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Richmond.

Binh Minh
40 Victoria Street
Richmond VIC 3121

Hakata Gensuke

July 17, 2015 Posted in Food Reviews, Japanese, Melbourne, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

The ramen at Hakata Gensuke on Russell St, Melbourne CBD is very reminiscent of what you’d find in a ramen restaurant in Japan. Signature & Black Tonkotsu are a few of their soup bases, but they also offer a red hot spicy soup to go with your ramen. What sets Hakata Gensuke apart from other Japanese noodle restaurants, is its add-ons. Pretty much all ingredients are add-on such as the Japanese style cooked eggs, Bean Shoots, Cha-Shu, Bamboo Shoots and Seaweed. You can also select the amount of noodles and even their softness if you like noodles with a bit more bite or etc, which is a first I’ve seen appear on their order menu.

Their Signature Tonkotsu is quite pleasant, their pork soup seems creamy yet its still light. Cha-Shu and eggs are the perfect additions to the Tonkotsu, and I do feel like I’m in Tokyo.

If you want the lot, a meal can set you back $20 plus, though it is very appetising. It has all the ingredients you’d want in a ramen, but just for a bit extra.

Impressions

You can see why Hakata Gensuke is so popular, commonly with queues at the front and it is justified. You don’t frequently find Tonkotsu on many menus, however value for money for me is still Momotaro Rahmen in Richmond.

Hakata Gensuke
168 Russell Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Penang Flavours

July 3, 2015 Posted in Doncaster, Food Reviews, Malaysian, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Penang Flavours on Doncaster Road, minutes drive from Doncaster Shopping Town used to be under the same name as the Malaysian eatery in Wantirna, Straits Cafe. Although under a new name, the food remains just as good as before.

Their Har Mee has a lovely prawn soup base flavour, and the sambal mixed in gives it a nice chilli aroma. My only downside I found is the oiliness in the dish, as is apparent in the picture above but I guess that comes with eating out.

The Wattan Hor (Combination Hor Fun) is one of the better ones I’ve had around town. The wok flavour of the hor fun is noticeable and adds that little bit extra that is needed to balance the creaminess of the egg sauce. Delicious

Penang Flavour’s Assam Laksa wasn’t anything special. Assam Laksa really needs that sweet, sour combination to soup base but also with that subtle fish flavour. Not to say it was bad, it isn’t. Not many Malaysian restaurants can actually do it well actually.

Impressions

Malaysian Kitchen also is located close by to Penang Flavours, but if I were to choose, I’d definitely go with Penang Flavours. Their Char Kway Teow is one of the better ones in Melbourne too.

Penang Flavours
694 Doncaster Road
Doncaster Melbourne VIC

Oppa Kitchen

June 26, 2015 Posted in Food Reviews, Korean, Melbourne, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Oppa Kitchen minutes from Melbourne Central is one of the many Korean eateries popping up all over Victoria. Located on Swanston Street, it offers a range of dishes such as Bibimbap, Bulgogi and of course KFC (Korean Fried Chicken). Stylistically, I like Oppa Kitchen with the wooden tables and bright colours but of course it’s the taste that counts.

Their Sweet and Spicy Boneless Chicken is quite tender and moist, and the slightly spicy coleslaw is probably one of my favourites, the dressing is delicious.

Original Korean Fried Chicken (Gong Dak) on the other hand, I found to be crunchy but dry and deep fried too long. A miss

The Spicy Pork Bulgogi Dorisak comes in this cute Meal Bucket with salad and potato croquette, with a very spicy pork bulgogi which I loved. Great combination!

Impressions

Taste wise it has its positives and negatives, I probably like the venue more than the food though. However, I find their meal buckets to be great value and would definitely try their other offerings when I get a chance.

Oppa Kitchen

271 Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Nishikian

June 12, 2015 Posted in Food Reviews, Forest Hill, Japanese, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Nishikian is situated in a previously operated petrol station and now it has been converted into a spacious Japanese restaurant. Located in Forest Hill on Springvale Rd, it’s serves authentic Japanese food for Lunch and Dinner. Their menu has a small selection of rice and noodle dishes, but their main attraction for dinner is their tapas menu including fish, sushi and tempura.

There’s a lot to like about Nishikian, their Shoyu Ramen which is a Soy Sauce soup base, is very clean tasting and yet packed of flavour. The Japanese style eggs is a rare occurrence, but here you receive the oozy yolk inside with the hard boiled white. It’s one of life’s greatest food treats, slightly running yolk and hard boiled and pretty much served at any ramen shop in Japan.

Nishikian’s Chicken Teriyaki Don isn’t how I usually find it, here it’s served crispy with a teriyaki marinade and Miso soup. Interesting choice, but I do prefer the grilled style Teriyaki.

If you’re undecided, during lunch hours you can select the Nishiki Lunch Box, where you can choose from a selection of menu items and served with rice. It’s a great way to try a bit of a few different things. Their Potato Croquette is quite tasty, moist inside and nice and crispy. The Takoyaki wasn’t slightly crispy outside as that’s how I like it, but I found a couple of places in Tokyo that served it slightly soft. The beef I found actually was on the dry side, it needed a lot more sauce, and less cooking time as the beef cuts were very thin.

The Beef Udon has a very subtle flavour but again, clean tasting and fresh. Two for two with their noodle dishes.

Nishikian’s Mochi Potato Croquette is similar to the normal Potato Croquette and it’s everything you’d want in a croquette. Delicious, smooth potato inside and a beautiful crunchy coating.

The Ebi Mayo Nigiri is another great dish, fresh and you can never have too much of Togarashi powder on the side.

Lastly, the Tonkotsu Ramen (Pork Bone Broth) is very reminiscent of my travels in Japan. It has the taste of being rich of cream but yet there is none in a Tonkotsu. Delicious.

Impressions

While there are a couple of authentic Japanese places around these parts of town, Nishikian comes up top in terms of flavour and value. Their noodle dishes have all been winners in my book and I’d go straight back to those on my next visit.

Nishikian
425 Springvale Road
Forest Hill & Vermont VIC
T: 03 9877 4999

ohdenny

Category: Travel

Madam Kwan’s

Scarvelli Cafe

RaRamen Box Hill

Two Hands Bar

Gangnam Station

Binh Minh

Hakata Gensuke

Penang Flavours

Oppa Kitchen

Nishikian