Top 5 Interesting Venues in Melbourne

I recently discovered some really interesting venues in Melbourne. They weren't the easiest to find as there aren't that many unique one-of-a-kind venues around. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't just about being unique or interesting but to be able to find a niche in what you do and do it really well. Perhaps this is what makes these places so special. Enjoy.

1. City Tiler
115 Bay Street Port Melbourne (03) 9696 0444

Tile shop by day, bar by night. What an awesome concept! Who would've thought a concept like that could exist in a quaint little joint called 'The City Tiler'. Tucked away (in an old courthouse) behind solid iron gates and luscious greens resides a gem of a venue with rustic wooden interiors, a cosy fireplace, a long bar trailing towards the end of the venue, moose heads, gothic paintings, mood lighting and candles; but most importantly the sweet, zesty vodka-infused sangrias fully packed with fresh fruity flavours.  Come here on a friday night and enjoy the melodic tunes of a young, talented live jazz and swing band. Young executives, happy locals and revellers danced animatedly in front of the long bar whilst I inquisitively peered into the drawers located next to my table only to find heavy granite tiles neatly stacked in the drawers! You can imagine what a surprise it was for me. City Tiler serves a small menu of spanish tapas including the punchy and piquant chorizo sausages, spiced chicken wings and lusciously baked meatballs. This is by far the best kept (soon-not-to-be secret) interesting venue in Melbourne. 

 

2. Ponyfish Island
Underneath the Yarra Pedestrian Bridge (on the island!), Southbank

From the creators of St Jerome's Laneway Bar comes Ponyfish Island. Located on an island on the Yarra River under the Yarra Pedestrian Bridge is a bar like no other. Only accessible by a single staircase, this hidden gem could be easily missed as a pontoon of sorts. As you make your way into the venue, it feels strangely familiar and not unlike "Section 8" container bar in the city.  Milk crates, hanging plants, makeshift tables and chairs and boxes line the eclectic bar. Sitting on high wooden chairs under the bridge, you can hear the clomping of footsteps above your head as people walk across the bridge. Looking into the river, watch the boats go by as you sip the flavoursome cinnamon and star anise infused home-brewed mulled wine ladled from a huge black clay pot. Laid back 80s and 90s music blaring off the speakers sets the mood for a casual, unpretentious and relaxed atmosphere. Intriguing, quaint and charming, Ponyfish scores full marks for "interesting" and satisfies the curious bar crawlers "hungry for something new".

 3. Cafe Rosamond
 Rear 191A Smith St (Cnr Charles St) Fitzroy 03 9419 2270

Themed as "Dessert Evenings at Rosamond", Rosamond Cafe packs up a full house every Thursday Evening from 7pm - 11pm for their 3-course dessert degustation.  Would you wait an hour in line for this experience? Well, I did and with no regrets. Where else in Melbourne could you experience such a treat? Set up by Chef Pierre Francois Roelofs, whose training included internships under Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck in London, his delicate, intricately assembled desserts are one thing but the experience in itself is another. Make sure you get there at 6pm to queue up to get a place for the first seating at 7pm. There are only 5 tables within the venue with space for only 20 people at one time so make sure you get there on time to avoid disappointment. There are only 2 seatings (7pm and 8.30pm) so by about 7.30pm, they had "sold out" and had to turn people away. 

So, as you can imagine, we felt very privileged and extremely lucky to get into the first seating. We started with green tea to cleanse our palate (this place is unlicenced). And then moved onto our Bomb Alaska test-tubes - delights of alcohol-infused sponge set on fire - an explosion of flavours as you skull the shot. This followed with the first course - my personal fave - beetroot raspberry chocolate. A delectable mix of chocolate, sweet and sour flavours with the beetroot chips and chards of beetroot meringue wafers that melt in your mouth. A most intriguing blend of textures from soft with the chocolate and raspberry, to crunchy with the beetroot chips and a yin and yang of sweet and sour with the tang of berry infused with the sweetness of chocolate. It was orgasmic and we wanted to savour every morsel slowly. The second course was a wonderful surprise! Hot pop corn crumble and caramel soup! It was warm, with sweet caramel and salty crunchy pop corn and reminded me of a soup version of the Daim (crunchy caramel candy) bars. The third course was macadamia marmalade with golden syrup and semolina. It was elegantly assembled in a row at the side of a plate and resembled a pretty yellow caterpillar. There were bits of honey comb and herbs on the top as an added surprise. The perfect balance of flavours and textures made for a complete end to our Rosamond experience. Highly recommended. The menu changes every week so be bowled over each week. This could perhaps become my new weekly ritual.

 4. St Edmonds
Rear 154 Greville St Prahran (03) 9525 0473

An eclectic hidden gem best describes St Edmonds Cafe. From the outside looking in, St Edmonds appears to be deceivingly closed but stepping into the cafe, it couldn't be further away from the truth as it was buzzing inside with a flurry of people hungry for a good feed. Unpretentious and friendly wait staff greeted and ushered us into a booth inside. Once seated inside, you'll be amazed by the surrounding array of vintage reminiscent of the retro kitchens with vintage weighing scales, rustic old model trucks, hanging plants in denim bags and elements of an old garage and graffiti still at play.  And of course they would keep elements of it, given its history as an old converted garage. Choose from the breaky or lunch specials and menus listed on the chalk boards and in the cardboard menus placed in cute paper pockets. An interesting menu - included the fresh chilli spanner crab fluffy omelette with roti packed with aewsome flavours, a 5-hour braised deer pie, roti pizza, lamb burger and so forth! Perhaps the most grabbing element about the venue is the exterior graffiti which adds a colourful grungy character to the venue. 

 5. Innocent Bystander / White Rabbit Brewery
336 Maroondah Highway Healesville (03) 5962 6111

Imagine a modern winery located right in the heart of Healesville township. Intriguing. Add to that a boutique beer brewery located just behind it and you have a winning formula. A massive sun-trapped balcony overlooks into the village as you enjoy tastings of the proudly onsite-brewed Giant Steps and Innocent Bystander wines. The popular array of gourmet thin-crust wood-fired pizzas, freshly baked breads and sweet desserts are just some reasons why both the locals and tourists flock to this interesting venue. Mostly I enjoyed the wine tasting followed by more beer tasting after at the White Rabbit Brewery. This boutique beer has been gaining popularity in recent times and it is little wonder why when you savour the smoothness and richness of the white and dark ales created by seriously passionate beer brewers. Oh and of course the famous pip squeak ciders for those who prefer a more effervescent beverage option. Keep plenty of space in the boot for your packs of beer and wine.

My Current Hot 5 in Melbourne

Hi folks, I do apologise for being tardy and not writing for a while but I have been busy.. Busy feasting my way through some awesome restaurants in Melbourne, that is. Satiating my mad hunger and big appetite to counter the winter blues.

And so, I bring you my current HOT 5 in Melbourne. It's so hot right now you have to check it out pronto. Take my word for it.

1. Claypots

213 Barkly St St Kilda (03) 9534 1282

Claypots has got to be the best value-for-money joint for Seafood in Melbourne. The only grouse would be the no-bookings policy but so long as you get in early at 6pm you should be able to score yourself a table. Otherwise, hang out at the bar and enjoy the beautiful wines and cocktails whilst you wait for your table. The star of the show is the Shellfish Stirfry. For $60, this glorious platter of fresh crab (mud/swimmer/spanner - depending on the catch of the day), mussels & prawns on a bed of sticky rice feeds 2 ravenous people or even 3 smaller eaters. For the true-crab afficianados, the fresh chilli mud crab with giant crab claws is a must-have. Another signature dish here is the garlic king prawns - @$9 a pop, you need only order 1 per person but it is worth every cent. The freshness of each giant prawn should be slowly relished whilst every drop of flavoursome garlic sauce should be saved for bread dipping throughout the meal.

2. Rainbow restaurant

Lvl 2 / 206 Bourke St Melbourne (03) 9650 2188 

This place markets itself as an "Entertainment Plaza" with a Karaoke facility, a sportsbar and a restaurant all under one roof. Making your way into the plaza, one feels a surreal sense of being in a modern typical Chinese restaurant in Asia. A super-friendly porcelain-skinned petite Asian host at the base of the escalator (wired up with her earphones) comes up to greet you as you are led up the escalator, moving towards clean cool modern bamboos lined out the front; and then into contemporary warm lighting and wooden furniture within the entire "plaza".

We came here specifically for the yumcha and were totally blown away by the excellent service, the high quality fresh ingredients and the massive variety of dishes after dishes of dim sum. For $30 each, we ate like queens with a smiling lady with a push cart (cruising by every 5 minutes) bearing with her a vast array of hot steaming dumplings (with the likes of your siew mai, har gao, scallop dumplings and so on), fried calamari, hot steamed buns (char siew baos & super-soft and sweet custard baos), oyster mornay, black bean pork ribs, egg tarts, sweet soya bean curd, etc etc - you name it they got it. You get the picture. It's just a non-stop crazy food fest so make sure you go with an empty stomach so you get to try as much as you can. Guaranteed to satisfy the ravenous big-eater.

3. Rococo

87 Acland Street, St Kilda (03) 9525 3232

A popular eatery with the St Kilda locals, this modern Italian restaurant bar attracts a young gourmet-savvy crowd every weekend and it's little wonder why when after you make your way past the throngs of foodies and you finally manage to sink your teeth on the bountiful variety of fresh antipasti and thin-crusted pizzas. Expect a little wait on a friday night but sit by the bar and order some snacks whilst waiting. For $26, you could order 5 selected items from the comprehensive antipasti menu - including the eggplant dip with fresh crusty bread, grilled smokey eggplant, crumbed calamari with fennel salt, arancini balls & chargrilled asparagus. Afterwards, make sure you try the authentic wood-fired pizzas with only the freshest ingredients - from the simple but finest margherita to the scrumptious pumpkin, pine nuts and fetta pizza. Something for everyone.

4. Ichi Ni

12 The Esplanade St Kilda (03) 9534 1212

Rumour had it this Modern Japanese restaurant in my neighbourhood wouldn't disappoint with their medley of Izakaya-style snacks and bites. Indeed the grapevine was right as it turns out not only was the food delectable but was also served at lightning speed. No more than 5 minutes into ordering and our wines came out, no more than 15 minutes into arriving, we were served our first entree - thanks to the handy electronic ordering pads the friendly wait staff wield in their hands.  Specialising in yakitori, sushi, sashimi and Japanese tapas, Ichi Ni offers a casual, intimate and unique dining experience next to gorgeous Port Phillip Bay. Some of my personal favourites were the ebi mayo (crispy deep-fried tiger prawns in Japanese Mayonnaise), the tender juicy tsukune skewers (meat ball), luscious pan-fried pork gyoza oozing with broth per bite dipped in soy ponzu sauce, and grilled king fish marinated in orange soy, sprinkled with a touch of sansho pepper. Sip your sake and be entertained by the busy Japanese chefs showing off their knife skills in the open kitchen plating dish after dish off the counter.

5. Giuseppe & Sons

Crown Casino 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank (03) 9694 7400

G.A.S. - short for Guiseppe & Sons, dwells in vibrant Crown Casino. As you push open the heavy laden wooden doors and step into a warm cosy setting, you'll be welcomed as well by gregarious wait staff curiously adorned in butchers coats. Another no-bookings policy applies here but you can wait by the bar or alongside the bar sipping cocktails and snacking on giant-sized peanuts. A word of advice - if in doubt or less adventurous, order the more "traditional" Italian options - for instance, the Braised Veal Shank in Milk (as a twist)! (instead of your usual red wine jus), just make sure you order the crunchy potatoes roasted with fresh whole garlic and rosemary twigs as well to go with it. Another popular favourite and value for money option would be the Spaghetti“Arrabbiata” Crab, Tomato, & Chilli Baked in a Paper Bag ($33). Observe the wait staff showing off their "deli" skills by shaving fresh parmesan over your dishes whilst recommending fine wine to accompany your meal.  For the more adventurous and brave at heart, you might like to try the Parmesan Crumbed Lambs Brains & Spring Onions with G.A.S.' Version of an Italian inspired Tartare Sauce or even the “Zampone” Pigs Trotter filled with G.A.S.' House Made Cotechino, Celery, Marjoram, & Spinach!!  Certainly not for the faint-hearted. :) 

Top 5 Vietnamese in Melbourne

When you think of Vietnamese food what comes to mind? One word - PHO. According to wikepedia, Phở  is a Vietnamese noodle soup, usually served with beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà). The soup includes noodles made from rice and is often served with Thai basil, lime and bean sprouts that are added to the soup by the diner. Pho is the perfect antidote to winter's gloom and a cheap feed for the soul.

Here's my take on Top 5 Vietnamese in Melbourne.

1. Co Do

196 Victoria Street Richmond (03) 9421 2418


My friend San San has a theory - that all the good restaurants are on the right-hand side of Victoria St, Richmond (coming from the city). I think she's right. The most amazing Vietnamese restaurants are situated there! Go there and observe it. Anyway, Co Do is by far my favourite Vietnamese restaurant for beef pho. Why? The sliced rare beef is fresh, thin and tender - not over-cooked and stringy. The soup is flavoursome, with rich beef stock, cooked painstakingly for hours on the stove and extremely comforting on a cold winters day. The noodles are soft, slippery and perfectly cooked. There are some other great dishes there - for instance, make sure you try the crisp Vietnamese pancake with fresh prawn, mixed salad and fish sauce dip - ideal for sharing.

2. Pho Chu The

92 Hopkins Street, Footscray (03) 9687 8265

270 Victoria Street, Richmond (03) 9427 7749

69 Main Road West, St Albans (03) 9356 0188


This Vietnamese restaurant is renowned amongst the true Viet pho lovers. It has 3 locations and they all offer the same top quality beef pho. Fresh ingredients from the sliced rare beef to the crunchy herbs and been shoots, robust beef stock and smooth rice noodles make for a fantastic and cheap feed. I would recommend only going there for the pho and maybe spring rolls as it gets pretty packed and you might feel a little rushed for an extended meal there. Quick, delicious and cheap - in and out you get of PHO CHU THE.

3. Sapa Hills

112 Hopkins Street Footscray (03) 9687 5729


Clean and modern, Sapa Hills is a polished gem in this rustic Footscray area. Named after Sapa Hills - situated in the mountainous region of Vietnam's northwest, this is a welcoming cheap eat offering traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The pho is a star attraction with fresh sliced tender rare beef, rice noodles and aromatic beef soup with a generous serve of spring onion garnish for a touch of freshness. My friend Debbie likes the pho here primarily because she reckons there's minimal MSG in the stock and she doesn't suffer the side effects of MSG laden beef stock afterwards.

4. Thanh Nha Nine

160 Victoria Street Richmond VIC 3121 (03) 9427 7068


My friend James who's a massive foodie recommended this joint and I knew I had to try it. No regrets. The star of the show was the special crab meat noodles with an actual swimmer crab shell in the soup! At $12.50, we were wowed by the dish as the deep flavour of the crab came through in the stock, the actual stuffed crab shell was a surprise and the soup was flooded with crab roe and straw mushrooms. Yummy and exciting at the same time. Another top dish was the mini prawn pancakes - sweet, savoury and unexpected all at once. This dish is apparantly a traditional Vietnamese dish - with tiny crisp round pancakes stuffed with fresh prawn, mung bean paste and served with coconut sauce. It was like nothing I ever had before - simply fabulous.

5. Hien Voung

37 Leeds Street Footscray (03) 9687 1470


Hien Voung is a cheap and cheerful place - from the bright fake flowers, to lucky fat cat decor, to the friendly and personable owners, the pho speaks for itself - delicious beef broth with massive portions too. I should have ordered the small as the medium was a struggle to finish. I like how they have 3 different sizes to suit different levels of hunger - small at $8, medium at $9 and large at $10.  Order the 3 colours drink to complete your meal - featuring sweet red kidney beans, green tapioca strings in shaved ice and sweet coconut milk. I secretly liked how they played my dad's old favourites in the background from "Take me home, country road" by John Denver to Tom Jones' "Green green grass of home".

Top 5 Soft Shell Crab

(As featured in Gram Magazine Issue #3 May 2011)

Few discussions have surrounded soft shell crab. What is it? Is it a type of crab? Guess what? According to Wikipedia, "Soft-shell crab is a culinary term for crabs which has recently molted their old exoskeleton and are still soft". Hence, the name I suppose. Mostly deep-fried in a light batter, this dish is synonymous with Asian cuisine - the Thais, the Japanese, the Chinese, all have their take on it. I don't really know who can make a claim on this dish but I know it's the crispy, crunchy, savoury flavour of it that makes me go back for more. I recently went on a hunt for Melbourne's best soft shell crab and have compiled my list of Top 5 just for you.

1. Khao San Rd
696 Mt Alexandar Rd Moonee Ponds (03) 9372 9113

Named after a famous bustling street in Bangkok, Thailand, this restaurant is an upmarket version of it's namesake. The dark wooden exterior and interior makes this Thai eatery a cosy warm getaway amongst the flurry of pubs, bars and cafes along Mt Rd. Very popular with the locals, this eatery packs up a punch with its spicy curries, zesty freshly baked whole fish and aromatic Tom Yum soups. Most importantly, my personal favourite - the soft shell crab! This dish is ordered as a "soft shell crab salad" comprising of crispy flavoursome lightly battered crab on a garden salad with avocado, vinegar soy sauce and chilli mayo. At $14.50, make sure you order 2 of these to avoid disappointment.

2. Omah's 
136-138 Rouse St Port Melbourne (03) 9676 9918


Omah means "Grandmother" in Malay and what an apt name as Omah's serves up authentic Malaysian cuisine inspired by wholesome traditional Malaysian home-cooking. Some of the must-haves here include the succulent tender beef rendang, the spicy sambal kang kung and of course, the crispy soft shell crab!  At $8.90, the delicately cut up portions of Soft Shell Crab are lightly fried and coated in cracker biscuit crumbs. The wooden tables and bird cages within the restaurant brings you back to the hawker-inspired mamak stalls in Malaysia. Please note that if you go for lunch, they are only open for a short lunch period from 12-2.30pm but are open from 5.30pm to late for dinners 7 days a week.

3. Chocolate Buddha
2 Swanston Street Melbourne (03) 9654 5688

Located in the modern architectural Fed Square, Chocolate Buddha is a fancy Japanese restaurant with a slightly higher price tag - but you pay for top quality ingredients and authentic Japanese cuisine. Try the thinly sliced fresh sashimi with a mix of yellow fin tuna, salmon and yellowtail or the lightly-battered crispy king prawn tempura. But the highlight for me is most definitely the soft shell crab sushi. For $17.50, you get 8 pieces of inside out rolls filled with deep-fried soft shell crab, dusted in potato flour, avocado and cucumber, topped with masago (capelin roe), & served with home-made tartare sauce. Simply delightful.

4. Mahjong
165 Fitzroy Street St Kilda (03) 9534 8833


Modern, cool & clean would be words used to describe this Chinese restaurant in Fitzroy St, St Kilda. Overlooking the Albert Park Lake, whether dining al fresco or within this modish restaurant, guests can enjoy a picturesque view of the lush greenery and clear blue skies. Clean cool concrete flooring complement the row of mahjong tiles displayed across the wall; whilst dark teak tables match the soft grey suede chairs. I was pleasantly surprised by the reasonably priced bites (dim sum) - categorised steam, fried, baked, vegetarian, soups, stir-fried and sweets. Of course, the soft shell crab fell under this category, and at $9.80, you get a whole salt & pepper soft shell crab lightly cooked with finely chopped spring onions, chilli and garlic. Add a dash of soy for perfection! Tip: If you go on weekdays, check out the lunch specials - at $30, you get 2 entrees (chicken san choy bao & assorted dumplings), a main (stir-fried beef on special fried rice) and a glass of wine! Great value considering each of their mains are $30.

 5. Wonton House
181 Russell St Melbourne 03 9662 9882

Located in Chinatown right next to an Asian grocer, Wonton House is a busy cheap eat offering a variety of Chinese dishes from congees to stir-frys to non other than the infamous soft shell crab. The crispy salt and pepper soft shell crab is served in a similar style to Mahjong, but at $6.80 - it offers an even cheaper alternative!  With tasty spring onions, chilli & garlic on a bed of shredded lettuce for a touch of freshness, every bite packs up a crunch. Again, add a touch of soy to complete the experience.