On It Burgers Abbotsford

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Richmond has recently become more vibrant with the ever increasing amount of apartments being built near the Yarra river and especially so on the traditionally rundown Victoria Street. On It Burgers has two stores, one in Ferntree Gully and the other in Richmond/Abbotsford so their inner city location is conveniently accessible by train and tram.

On It Burgers has around ten burgers to choose from, and for sides you can order onion rings, fries, with dips as extras and variety of milkshake flavours. Being someone that loves trying something a bit different, I ordered the Spicy Chick which is basically deep fried crispy chicken with Sriracha mayo, slaw and lettuce with a black bun. It’s very reminiscent of those KFC burgers but with the added spicy kick. Honestly, there isn’t much excitement from deep fried chicken but the flavours overall work together. On It Burgers also offer burgers with soft shell crab, vegetarian options (mushroom), jalapeno beef, and beef and bacon together, together.

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You can choose Sea Salt or Garlic and Basil as seasoning for your fries. The Garlic and Basil seasoning is nice,  but nothing like my favourite seasoning for fries from Grill’d. 

Last words

On It Burgers don’t reinvent the wheel with their burgers, there’s some interesting fillings but overall it’s your mostly standard burger joint done relatively well.

On It Burgers Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

On It Burgers Abbotsford
349-351 Victoria Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067

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Frozen by A Thousand Blessings – Doncaster

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 I first came across Frozen by a Thousand Blessings in Richmond, after a bowl of ramen next door. I was so happy when I saw that they had opened another outlet in the Doncaster Shopping Centre. What I love about their frozen yoghurts is how creamy they are but taste quite light and fresh. Most of the time I don’t even need the toppings as not to spoil the flavour of the yoghurts.

Frozen have a great variety of flavours and the one that I always go back to is their Coconut flavour, with desiccated coconut shavings to give it that added texture. The popping pearls with mango inside as a topping are something I recommend adding to the coconut one!

The other flavours that I love were the Pomegranate and Almond Milk & Hazelnut. Super delicious.

Last words

One of the best frozen yoghurt places in Melbourne.

Frozen by a Thousand Blessings Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Frozen by a Thousand Blessings
Westfield Doncaster
Ground Floor
619 Doncaster Road
Doncaster VIC 3108

Killiney Kopitiam Richmond

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If you have been to Killiney Kopitiam‘s Lygon St or Bourke St stores you know what to expect from the Richmond outlet. Killiney Kopitiam serve Singaporean cuisine, the word Kopitiam in Malay means coffee shop and as expected they offer an array of drinks and of course a decent selection of rice, noodle and roti dishes. There are a few Malaysian/Singaporean staples such as Laksa, Nasi Lemak, Mee Goreng but there are also some interesting dishes like Mee Rebus and Mee Siam and Durian Pancakes for dessert.

Killiney’s Curry Laksa hits all the right notes for a great Laksa. Just the right amount of creaminess, spice and just the subtle flavour of mint.

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Their Char Kway Teow has that required “wok flavour” but I found they added too much bean sprouts and the choice of thin noodles isn’t to my liking. However, taste wise it’s pretty good.//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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The Richmond store have an all-day everyday $15 menu with a choice of a few entrees such as these Fishball Satay Sticks or Kaya Toast, and with a selection of main dishes like the Laksa, Char Kway Teow and Mee Rebus and a choice of drinks such as Soya Milk and Tea.

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A cold glass of Soya Milk hits the spot. Not too sweet and lovely soya bean flavour.

Last words

Killiney Kopitiam enter the Richmond food scene without much competition. There isn’t many Singaporean or Malaysian eateries around these parts so it is much welcomed, and luckily the food is pretty good too.

Killiney Kopitiam Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Killiney Kopitiam Richmond
Shop 3, 409 Victoria Street
Richmond VIC 3121

Shizuku Ramen & Craft Beer

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Shizuku on Victoria St, is another Ramen place making its mark in Melbourne and spreading out from the CBD. While ramen is their specialty, it also prides itself on the craft beer offerings, with of course, a large range of Japanese beers, local and worldwide varieties. Ramen doesn’t come cheap though, with an average ramen costing $15 plus, however if you are able to dine there during lunch you are able to select one of their lunch specials.

Their Tonkotsu Miso Ramen comes with bamboo shoots, cha shu pork belly, Japanese style eggs with a very flavourful miso pork broth. I found it to be quite reminiscent of the many ramen shops in Japan in terms of flavour but more sparse in ingredients here.

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Shizuku’s Fried Rice also is quite flavourful, and the spring onions add a nice freshness to it.

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The gyoza filling is also tasty with the hint of ginger and pork flavour with crispy skin.

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Shizuku’s Shoyu Ramen with cha shu, bamboo shoots and egg in a lovely clean tasting soy sauce broth again hits the mark. It’s quite a tasty meal and decent for their lunch special.

Last words
Value for money during lunch but questionable for dinner. Delicious Ramen dishes and would be fantastic with a cold one during warmer weather.

Shizuku Ramen & Craft Beer Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Shizuku Ramen & Craft Beer
309 Victoria Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067

Two Hands Bar

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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.

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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.

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Two Hands Bar
311A Victoria Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067

Binh Minh

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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.

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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.

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Binh Minh
40 Victoria Street
Richmond VIC 3121

Arisoo

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Arisoo on Victoria Street, Richmond is one of the few (but increasing) number of Korean restaurants around town. Towards the Hoddle St end of Victoria Street, the type of Korean cuisine is quite similar to many other Korean restaurants such as By Korea or Seoul Soul. One of the things I like about Arisoo is service is great, and definitely value for money with their lunch specials and of course, delicious Korean food.

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Their Spicy Tofu Soup with rice is one of my favourites, it’s not overly spicy and has just enough sweetness to balance. Dishes here are usually served with complimentary side dishes.

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Arisoo’s Chap Chae (Jap Chae) is also a winner in my book. Some restaurants just can’t seem to do it right, but here it comes close to my all time favourite Chap Chae from Don Udon in Box Hill although just lacking that certain kick in flavour.

Impressions
Having dined at Arisoo on numerous occassions, I haven’t actually found something I hadn’t liked! With great tasting dishes, lovely service and often or not seating always available. It’s one of my go-to’s for Korean food in Richmond.

Arisoo on Urbanspoon

Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe

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Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe is one of the now many Thai restaurants in Richmond, located just doors away from Ying Thai and walking distance from Jinda Thai, Jaidee Thai and iSpicy 2. You’re spoilt for choice in this particular part of town.

Tom Toon isn’t a large restaurant, but it does have this unique character about it. I always seem to lean towards the Thai Fried Rice and here flavour-wise it’s fantastic. Delicious, but just as a personal preference I prefer Fried Rice to be drier, but I’ve noticed that most Thai Fried Rice’s are like this as compared with the Chinese or Malaysian Fried Rice.

My favourite is still Jinda Thai, but the rest of the bunch aren’t too far behind in quality.

Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe on Urbanspoon

Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe
241 Victoria Parade
Abbotsford VIC 3067

Momotaro Rahmen

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Momotaro Rahmen on Bridge Road, Richmond is probably one of my favourite Japanese ramen and curry rice places in Victoria. With their generous portions and delicious offerings, I have never been let down by Momotaro after nearly three years of dining there. Some might say that the generous servings are because the prices are higher, and while that is true as their prices are usually $12+, I’m frequently completely full (and then some) by the end of it. It’s not just great tasting Japanese food but also fresh, and a bit health conscious as well as they serve brown rice with their rice dishes.

The Ramen pictured above is their Negi Miso Ramen, which contains leak and pork with hot chilli, and served in a soy bean soup broth. This Ramen is probably one of their more spicier menu items but if you preferred another Ramen such as their Tonkatsu Ramen you can always add chilli flakes (I always do). The Negi Miso Ramen is incredibly tasty, and the soy bean broth adds a subtle flavour to the soup. A winner

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While their Ramens’ are top notch, I do frequently order their Beef Curry Rice with Potato Croquette. It’s served with a salad dressed with sesame oil and a few other ingredients. I love a good Japanese Curry and this one hits the spot, the beef is nice and tender (not tough at all), and the potato croquette freshly served is crispy on the outside, yet fluffy inside. Flavour-wise, the curry is one of the best Japanese curries I’ve tried.

Impressions
Momotaro Rahmen is frequented by many and you can tell why. Tasty dishes at a good price will keep customers coming back for more. I’d definitely recommend Momotaro Rahmen for those looking for delicious Japanese cuisine.

Momotaro Rahmen on Urbanspoon

Momotaro Rahmen
392 Bridge Rd
Richmond VIC 3121

T’relek

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T’relek is another great Vietnamese restaurant in Richmond. T’relek offers a great variety of dishes and delicious nonetheless. What makes T’relek different from the many other Vietnamese restaurants around these parts is cleanliness and service. I find service here to be a step above, friendly and attentive.

The dish pictured above is their Crispy Noodles Seafood Combination. The noodles are indeed crispy and crunchy, and with the generous offering of vegetables, seafood, chicken and beef it all works well together. The sauce is similar to an egg gravy you may find in a Malaysian Char Hor Fun, and whilst not as flavourful it still has a pleasant aroma and flavour to it. Not too salty, and enough sauce to go round.

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T’relek’s Grilled Pork Chop and Egg is another decent dish, with well cooked pork and a runny sunny side up egg, freshly cut vegetables as garnish and shredded pork.. It’s basically a Broken Rice dish but without the commonly added pâté. What this dish needs is a dressing sauce, sweet chilli sauce does complement this dish well actually.

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The Tomato Rice with Diced Beef and Stir Fried Vegetables is another generous dish, with plentiful capsicum, onions and beef. Unfortunately, the stir fry here is a tad over salted. I find the tomato rice needs egg mixed through and a tad more tomato flavour but it’s tasty but not exceptional.

Impressions

Although T’relek’s dishes aren’t the tastiest Vietnamese in Richmond, it does provide a fulfilling meal and with friendly service, you’d be hard to be displeased.

T'relek on Urbanspoon

T’relek
116 Victoria St
Richmond VIC 3121