Q Eleven Breakfast Review @ South Melbourne (Market)

Sometimes one just can't decide what to eat for breakfast. Sometimes one is just driving aimlessly up and down the inner suburbs of Melbourne on a Sunday morning. Sometimes, one can't find any good places to eat at.

Sometimes... one does! That's how we found Q Eleven at South Melbourne (Right in front of the market!)...

Melba's Breakfast Review @ Langham Hotel, Southbank

Boss lady (she hates that term) was going away on maternity leave... and we requested to go to Melba's for the breakfast buffet! Yayy! I was being regaled with tales of yonder (last year where they ate so much they had to be wheeled back to work)...

So I wake up in the morning (not feeling at all like P Diddy)... and arrived at Langham Hotel at around 7.00am... this was so that we could eat for a full 2 hours before going into work (indeed, we did not have lunch that day... nor dinner)...

Pope Joan Breakfast Revisited @ Brunswick East

"Can we go to Brunswick please???", I kept asking the Boy... petulantly pouting my lips and doing my best cutesy voice...

The Boy, "Why? Is it because you want to eat at Pope Joan?!"

Me: *blinks innocently*

The Boy: "Oh, alright!"

Me: *smiles mischievously*

Milkwood - Brunswick East - Breakfast Review @ 120 Nicholson Street

The sign for Milkwood is nondescript  

As we were all staying over at Ms Tinymouse's house for our girly weekend, we were asking the boys to come join us for brekkie...

Being near to Brunswick, the Boy suggested we try Milkwood. Milkwood is owned by ex-owners of Cafe Rosamond Diana Korndoffer and Alex Patterson

Il Fornaio Dinner & Dessert Review - Part III @ 2 Acland Street, St Kilda

Third time lucky as they say. Ms Fashionista was down here for a weekend and the Boy and I decided to take her out to try out the dinner and dessert menu at il Fornaio.

She must have been our lucky charm! We got a seating (we were early, 6pm - the person over the phone told us that it is super busy around 8pm --> they don't take bookings either)

We had an absoultely great night, with good food, fantastic dessert, great company and exceptional service! The last was indeed a pleasant surprise given our previous two visits here was a bit... err... how do I say... abrupt and interesting (let's just leave it at that) albeit the food was good.

We put in a few savoury orders to share, but our main purpose for the night was of course to try their dessert menu... my eyes scanned the menu and rested at the "Sweets" section and had an extremely hard time deciding what to order... Between the 3 of us, I decided we could do two appetizers, one main and 3 desserts (all to share of course)...

So for starters we had a Lentil and ham hock terrine with Dijon and cornichons (a type of gherkin)... $18

Whilst the terrine was fabulous and went really well with the crispy toasted bread, the Dijon mustard really didn't add much to the flavouring or the dish

Next we had a serving of Home smoked salmon classically garnished (served with egg, capers & creme fraiche $ 17)


This was delicious, but again it wasn't outstanding or special... and the toasted white bread that came with it was a bit err.. over buttery

For the mains, we tried the special of the day, which was a roast lamb dish with a bean salad (I can't remember the price, but I'm sure it was in the high 20's)

We were quite pleased with the service at this stage, our nice waittress checked on us often enough (but not intrusively) and continuously topped up our water!

A snapshot of dinner

But I was eager to eat my dinner quickly as I knew that dessert was on the way! And what a spectacular round of dessert it was...

Million Dollar Bullet $22

First up was the Million Dollar Bullet and boy did it look a Million BUCKS! The chocolate was really dense and intense.... the licorice ice-cream was an absolute divine pairing with the intensity of the chocolate... just amazing really...

Snow White & Rose Red $18

The Snow White and Rose Red arrived with a pair of beautiful Meringue Wings (I wish I could do that) and sugared rose petals...

Ms Fashionista commented that it reminded her of "Air Bandung" (which directly translated means Bandung Water --> as in the place in Indonesia)... Air (pronounced, ah-ye) Bandung is a rose syrup milk drink...

I didn't think about the similarities until she pointed it out.. I'd rather have this dessert tho :)

SNICKERS $19

And finally, to the Snickers (caramel parfait paired with salted peanut caramel and milk chocolate mousse) ..

The dessert that brought me back here not once, but 3 times!

The dessert that stumped the Masterchef contestants in the second season...

The dessert that has made it into the top 5 most memorable desserts in Victoria...

Is it worthy of all those accolades? Yes, and much much more...

I know quite a lot has been written about this.. but clearly I have to have my say in this as well... A mouthful of this dessert is equivalent to jam-packing a whole Snickers bar into your mouth...

The tempered chocolate snapped with a resounding "crack".

The salted peanut caramel... MmMmmm.... the salted peanut caramel... remembering it almost makes me want to drive over there right now and buy a few...

I asked the Boy (two weeks after this visit), if he would return and pay $19 for another Snickers.. and he immediately replied, "Of course!"... Apparently I was asking a redundant question...

Read more about other visits here:
Tea Time
Breakfast & Lunch

*Disclaimer: All food ratings are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality

Food/ Cuisine: Modern Australian
Dining Style: Cafe/ Restaurant
Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10 (9/10 just for the desserts!!!!)
Restaurant ambiance: 8/10 (it was a lot quieter and less chaotic during dinner time)
Service/ Attitude: 8/10
Value for money: 8/10 (those desserts are hard to make!)

Address:
2 Acland Street
St Kilda, VIC 3182

Tel:(03)

Website: http://www.ilfornaio.net.au

Il Fornaio is open from

Monday - Friday 7am-11pm

Saturday & Sunday 8am - 11pm (closed from 5pm-6pm)

How to get there:

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Il Fornaio Brunch Review - Part II @ 2 Acland Street, St Kilda

The shot I was aiming for in my first post

We returned to il Fornaio the second time, in hopes of catching the ever elusive Snickers dessert. So since we  failed to catch it the last time (due to us arriving when the kitchen closed), we decided that the next visit would be done early! Brunch early!

Breakfast/ Lunch menu

Look! A menu!! This time we had a very charming waiter, who was very pleasant and easy to talk to. Armed with magazines and the Boy's iPad, we were ready for a nice day along the beach (we did take a stroll on the very crowded beach).

We asked the waiter, "Will you have the Snickers dessert today? Now?"

Waiter, "Snickers? Of course! How many would you like? Just one? Excellent"

We placed our orders for our main meal and drinks (a caffe latte and a mocha)

The Boy decided to stick with breakfast and ordered the il Fornaio Benedict (poached eggs, smoked ham and hollandaise $ 15)

Hand rolled potato gnocchi

I decided to go with lunch and ordered the hand rolled potato gnocchi with lamb ragu, marjoram and black olives $21 (also available on the dinner menu $24)

The Boy clearly loved his eggs Benedict and only allowed me a tiny taste... and I absolutely loved the gnocchi and the lamb ragout... oh my.. that Lamb Ragout.. was AMAZING... delicious, with the flavours all working together to bind the sweet sweet gnocchi in the mouth... *sigh*

Now on to the dessert...

Wait a minute, where's the dessert?

Well....

Just before our dishes were served, a rather sheepish waiter came by our table...

"Madam, so sorry. I've just been told that the Snickers will only be ready at 3pm."

I smiled sweetly at him... and vowed to give them another chance... One more time, eh... Third time lucky?

I'll catch them, at DINNER!!!

For my previous encounter and to fully understand the irony, please read Part I.

*Disclaimer: All food ratings are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality

Food/ Cuisine: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Dessert - Australian/Contemporary

Dining Style: Cafe/ Restaurant

Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10 (That ragout sealed my fate and smoothed my temper)

Restaurant ambiance: 7/10

Service/ Attitude: 6/10 (still staying the same)

Value for money: 6/10 (for $21, I was hoping the gnocchi dish would be a lot more)

Address:

2 Acland Street

St Kilda VIC 3182

Tel:(03) 9534 2922

Website:www.ilfornaio.net.au

Il Fornaio is open from

Monday - Friday 7am-11pm

Saturday & Sunday 8am - 11pm (closed from 5pm-6pm)

How to get there:

View Larger Map

il Fornaio Review - Part I @ St Kilda, 2 Acland Street

When we first heard that Phillipa Sibley had taken over il Fornaio in St Kilda, the Boy and I were ecstatic! The QUEEN of desserts had arrived in town and we were just around the corner! Minutes to her famed Snickers dessert! MINUTES! (Yes, I'm a food groupie)

The decoration adorning the wall

So one Sunday afternoon, the Boy and I took a leisurely drive and arrived about 3pm. Walked in, sat down and I eagerly looked around to see what everyone else was eating.

No one was eating any desserts of any kind. I walked up to the cake/bakery counter, and NO famed desserts. Only a few pieces of cakes, sandwiches and some quiche...

The bread and cake counter

Quite depressed, I walked back towards the seated Boy, who had kindly waited for me before putting in an order for tea and coffee (coffee apparently is a must have, since they get their stock from St. Ali)

Cane Sugar

The coffee arrived and I put in my order for the most lively looking cake behind the counter, and the Boy ordered a tea time quiche...

Coffee was good, but still only second best to Brother Baba Budan and Seven Seeds...

Caffe Latte and English Breakfast Tea

The cake arrived, and although not quite the amazing dessert I was looking forward to, it was a really good cake. Moist and full of flavour, the orange and almond was a perfect pair matched in the oven :)

Flourless Orange and Almond Cake

The Boy said that his bacon and pea (Not quite sure if it was a Lorraine), was really good. The quiche had a delicate balance of creamy and rich, which is quite often hard to find at other bakeries and cafes.

Quiche Lorraine

Although quite disappointing that we didn't quite make the try out for the dessert, the Boy and I vowed to return to try our luck again.

We weren't offered any explanations either when we asked the waitress who served us if there was a menu and where were the famed desserts. She just said, "No menu. The kitchen shuts at 3pm", and then walked away.

A bit taken aback with that answer, we did not dare to ask any more questions. We did however return the following week for breakfast...

*Disclaimer: All food ratings are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality

Food/ Cuisine: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Dessert - Australian/Contemporary
Dining Style: Cafe/ Restaurant
Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 7/10 (That cake and that quiche was amazing.. especially that cake)
Restaurant ambiance: 6/10
Service/ Attitude: 6/10
Value for money: 6/10

Address:
2 Acland Street
St Kilda VIC 3182

Tel:(03) 9534 2922

Website:www.ilfornaio.net.au

Il Fornaio is open from
Monday - Friday 7am-11pm
Saturday & Sunday 8am - 11pm (closed from 5pm-6pm)

How to get there:

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Pope Joan @ Brunswick East - Review

When we first heard that Chef Matt Wilkinson had left Circa, the Boy and I were devastated... here we were, planning to go to Circa, because of him and he goes and leaves it!

But then, it was announced that he would be opening up his own restaurant...

Pope Joan was born!

Don't go and Wiki Pope Joan, or you might discover a bit more than you wished for...(or you may wish to, for some light bed time reading), it's quite a depressing story...


As we arrived, there were already a few other groups waiting outside and I was dreading the wait...

However, as I approached indoors to ask for the wait time, one of the nice wait staff apologetically told me that it'd be 25 minutes...

Happily we agreed, with the actual wait time only about 10 minutes (or at least I think so, we were given cute little crates to sit on so I wasn't too bothered)


As we were seated, we were greeted by the wait staff and politely given the menu (and upon receiving one stained menu, was apologised to, and given another one!)

Amazing service... it had the fun and casual feel of a cafe cum bistro partnered with the service of a fine dining establishment


The setting and decor of the restaurant was quaint and quirky...a bit like a mountain cabin lost in the middle of a busy inner city suburb...


From a moose head to a moose inspired clock (above the main doors), there was a sense of humour in the decorators theme...

There was even a random old sports trophy sitting atop a bookshelf which was being used as a teapot/cups/glass cabinet...


Twice we tried to get a picture of the man himself in action, but alas, he works at super sonic speed and it was hard to capture him hard at work...

So we took a break to enjoy our English Breakfast teas....


The Boy tried again the second time, but like before Matt was much too busy (which is a good thing) and thus, we rest assured knowing that we would never successfully become paparazzis...

I had the Not So Full English Breakfast which consisted of Melbourne pantry bacon, Cumberland sausage, baked beans and scrambled eggs $18

This in itself made me extremely happy, as opposed to paying $19.50 the week before for essentially a plate of baked beans and A toast at RHCL...BAH

Tastewise... the sausages and scrambled eggs were absolutely smack bang perfect... the baked beans were good as well (although, *i'm choking to say this*, the baked beans at RHCL were much nicer, but then they did charge $19.50 for just a dollop)...


The Boy, upon persuasion, ordered the Fried egg, Grilled Ox Tongue with Sauce Gribiche $15

And he absolutely loved it! He said it was really quite refreshing to have something other than bacon and eggs (BAH) for brekkie...


Would we ever step foot and return upon this humble establishment?

A DEFINITE YES!!! I speak for myself (but I think the Boy would agree), that I was so full and happy dining on an excellent breakfast that I was almost regretting that we were on the way to Taste of Melbourne... *almost*

I wonder if Matt Wilkinson will grant me an interview? HmMmmmm....

*Disclaimer: All food ratings are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality

Food/ Cuisine: Modern Contemporary Australian (I think)
Dining Style: Bistro/Cafe/Restaurant
Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10
Restaurant ambiance: 9/10 (for what it was, I really loved the atmosphere and the decorations!)
Service/ Attitude: 8/10
Value for money: 8/10 (Typical breakfast fare pricing and you'd be expecting to pay a bit more here anyway because of the fresh produce used in the cooking)

Address:
77-79 Nicholson Street
Brunswick East VIC 3057

Tel:(03) 9388 8858

Website:http://popejoan.com.au/

Pope Joan is open for
breakfast and lunch 7 days a week from
7.30am til "erm about afternoonish" and
soon-ish for dinners

How to get there:

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Cafe Sapore @ Chadstone Shopping Centre

One weekend, I was being an incredible spoiled-brat (it happens quite frequently now... I throw a mean-ass tantrum if I don't get what I want... and what I want usually involves bacon and eggs)

The Boy suggested that we walk around Chaddy to find a new brunch spot (this was not helping my temperament at all)... I really wanted my bacon and eggs...

Tender Trap was not an option (because the point of the walk-about was to find a new place to eat)...


And then I suggested, Cafe Sapore, "Look!", I said. "They do brekkies!"...

However, as luck would have it, it ran out on me. The breakfast menu was only until 11.30am and we literally just missed it by 1 minute... (this was due to no one attending us whilst we waited patiently to be seated).... I was ready to blow-up (funny story... Miranda Kerr is pregnant, right? So... she should name her new-soon-to-be-born baby "Kah"... so it's Kah-BLOOM!!!! GEDDIT?! --> courtesy of Ms.Tinymouse)


Anyway, I digress... the Boy picked my now lunch item... which happened to be a delicious mix grill - open souvlaki $18

Grilled lamb fillet and chicken breast served with pita bread, tzaziki and a greek salad, this was absolutely divine... the meat was tender and the whole open souvlaki concept was just fun!!


The Boy ordered from the Specials board (or pillar)... Blue Eye (Fish) with roast potatoes and beans (no pricing)...

This was really delicious as well, the potatoes were roasted to a "melt-in-the-mouth" feel...

A definite gold found... my mood improved dramatically with each mouthful and the poor Boy heaved a huge sigh of relief!

Note: They also do some vegetarian and gluten free items!

*Disclaimer: All food ratings are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality

Food/ Cuisine: Contemporary
Dining Style: Cafe
Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10
Restaurant ambiance: 7.5/10 (Nice and bright underneath the skylights in Chaddy)
Service/ Attitude: 8/10 (the head waiter knew all his regulars by name!)
Value for money: 7.5/10

Address:
Shop 356a
Ground Level
1341 Chadstone Road
Chadstone Shopping Centre
Chadstone VIC 3148

Tel:(03)9568 8443

Cafe Sapore is open
as per Chadstone Shopping Centre hours (See Chadstone website
for details)

How to get there:

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