Discovered this BBQ joint that wasn’t known to my buddies in Melbourne even! Really love the comfy Ambience, well BBQed foods and craft beers on taps! Love the staff there, super welcoming and efficient!
Friends from abroad driving there is not difficult but do not block any traffic when you park by the side of the roads ya! Reservations highly recommended!
I told myself to complete this write up before my next trip and here I am now compiling all the unique eating places which I’ve been to during my last trip in Aug this year (2016). There are definitely more hidden gems located in this beautiful city which I call my second home. Maybe I can unearth them up during my future trips there to visit my beloved God daughter and buddies.
For those going to Melbourne for the first time, this may not be a good guide for you because first timers usually go to the usual touristy and popular places. Follow a tour if you need to but if you like free and easy like me, maybe you might wanna check out my previous posts of the following:
1. GLADSTONE VIEWS FISH & CHIPS (CAR BONNET EXPERIENCE)
If you’re renting your cars from APEX like I did, you may be hungry after all the documentation. I found this little takeaway store not too far away, just to try some local fish and chips. It was surprisingly good, so was the burger. Just don’t look at how they prepare the food though, hygiene is definitely questionable. But after deep frying, no worries mate! Afterall, how often you get to enjoy lovely weathers and savour your food off your car bonnet? 😉
Storefront
Chinese guy cooking
Lay on your car bonnet and eat away!
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/7fkKQd5uRF12
2. HELLO COFFEE (DOCKYARD EXPERIENCE)
Found this little gem when I was at Apollo Bay. Located amongst a dockyard area, Hello Coffee started less than a year ago. Very self-sufficient by roasting their own beans and getting supplies from the neighbouring farms. Totally envy them on the the freshness of these supplies! A very nice place to chill and would revisit if I have another chance.
Signage
Love the space and simplicity
Lovely fireplace which is a gem during winters
Sourdough bun with bacon. Yums!
Coffee by the fireplace is just so warm at heart
Little roaster is good enough!
Me and the bosses
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/z1kRSjfsiHC2
3. FOCUS COFFEE (RARE COFFEE BEANS EXPERIENCE)
Little do many know that this coffee joint imports their beans from the world renowned Ninety Plus Coffee whose coffees are largely sort after. Coming here you will definitely satisfy your caffeine cravings. You may wanna check out their daily specials as well if you’re feeling peckish, they change their menu frequently.
Cafe front
Love the decor, spot the Slayer!
Lovely cuppa
Me and coffee guru owner Ken
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/eEb9hZDzU9S2
4. LONGRAIN RESTAURANT (HIDDEN GEM EXPERIENCE)
Tucked at the end of Little Burke Street, this restaurant is always crowded with locals mainly and little do they know that the chef there used to work in Michelin starred restaurants. It was recommended by a manager at a whiskey distillery down at Apollo Bay area. The Thai-influenced fusion food was amazing all the way from appetisers to desserts and the wine selection was pretty good as well.
Entering the place was a little dark
As you can see, loads of customers
Fresh Oysters
This tuna salad is really good. Gotta eat with the crackers.
This grilled squid was very well done and the dipping sauce it came with was the bomb.
Can’t remember the name of this egg net thing but it’s a big portion. Best for sharing.
Caramelised figs, aerated white choc, and Thai Milk Tea ice cream… What a way to end the dinner.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/BtEmZaTm7Tw
5. THE VERTUE OF THE COFFEE DRINK (BEHIND PETROL KIOSK EXPERIENCE)
This one’s a winner. Finding this place is half the fun! I circled around a few rounds just to find this place. What’s even better is, they have awesome beans which are roasted in-house and the food is just to die for! Service wise is just excellent. Definitely needs a revisit!
Yeah this is the entrance of the cafe!
Double check, yeah it is!
Shot from the stairway
Their roaster
Crispy Pork Belly ($22), served with soft duck egg, spiced sweet potato puree, black pudding and quince gel. A damn awesome dish!
Love the crackling skin!
Their signature blend, Sabertooth. Love it!
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Y4mStF9jQXS2
6. AUNTY PEG’S (NO MILK EXPERIENCE)
Aunty Peg’s is a spring off of the famous coffee roaster/cafe Proud Mary. This premise not just roast for their own branches but supplies to other cafes as well. so what’s so unique about this place? They only serve black coffee… meaning, they do not have milk at all. So if you love coffee as it is, you can order your filtered coffees and espressos here like I did. Nightmare to milk base coffee drinkers. Heh heh…
Cafe front
Love their interiors!
Spin some music?
The bar. If only I can buy these good machines. Sigh…
Roasters
Tried all 3 Ethiopians!
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Lg1taTM87zy
7. IZAKAYA DEN (UNDERGROUND EXPERIENCE)
Like some of the places listed here, half the fun is finding them. I came across this place by chance and was indeed quite hard to find. Service is excellent, food is damn good. A little pricey though, but the quality is what you are paying for. Check out below how I found the place.
Not a very big signage so quite hard to spot
First flight of stairs downwards is a yoga studio
Second flight of stairs to the restaurant
There it is! An elongated restaurant!
Love sitting at the counter!
Tuna Tataki ($21). Very yummy!
Kingfish Sashimi ($19) is yummy too!
Den Fried Chicken ($14) is nice and juicy… prep and fried on the spot.
Kale Agebidashi ($11). Deep fried, not too bad.
Grilled Cheek Barra ($17). Quite nice and fatty.
Fried Black Rice ($12). Quite a unique dish offered.
Pork Yakiniku ($19). Love the part meat part fats combi. Yums!
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/EgTSuduZkEG2
8. BROTHER BABA BUDAN (CHAIRS OVERHEAD EXPERIENCE)
Ok this place is not exactly hidden but I have not written about it for my previous trips. But the unique thing about this place is that they hanged all the chairs up on the ceiling! But of course their coffee is good as well… Seven Seeds is a little hard to go wrong. 😉
Entrance
Quaint but always busy shop!
Woohoo!
Seven Seeds paper cup.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/xjs4JQ3P8LE2
9. MART 130 (TRAIN STATION EXPERIENCE)
This is another unique place which is introduced by a friend. Love this old train station converted into a cafe. The food here is actually pretty good! Coffee is ok. Best place for brunch but can get super crowded.
View from across
Train arrived!
MART 130
Inside is quaint and crowded
The other side is a park
Brunch. Lovely eggs.
Latte to start the day
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/na5uw1rjXKt
10. EASEY’S (TRAIN CARRIAGE EXPERIENCE)
Easey’s is one of the most unique places I’ve been. From the above train station, to eating in a train carriage. Not a common place for tourists but definitely a great place to satisfy your burger cravings.
Train carriages on rooftop
Entrance
Top floor we go!
Front
Back
Outdoor seating.
Real deal.
Love the graffiti!
Melbourne Madness ($23). Really satisfying!
Beef patties done to perfection.
Chilli Chips ($10). A very yummy side.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/aKHBsFnq47s
Alright that’s all for now, Melbourne never fails to amaze me with new stuffs with every visit. Feel free to ask me about Melbourne if you’re planning a trip there via eatwithroy@gmail.com. I’ll reply as soon as I can. Till my next post, Merry Christmas y’all!
Spotted this place on Google maps and I can’t believe I have not tried this place before from all my previous visits to WA! This place is a little far out from Margaret River town area but the drive is definitely worth it! I was so surprise to see they have such awesome views of the vineyard, pond and greenery, just sets you in the mood for good food and drinks! Check out the many pictures I took.
This is the sign you’ll see on Caves Road
The resident dog of Cheeky Monkey will come and greet you when you park your car at the back. Very friendly dog and loves a good pat! Forgot her name though… ;P Think it’s Louise?
Before you enter the restaurant
Fireplace inside
Many awards
The brewery side
Men at work!
Some ale and cider.
Very nice Chilli Mussels for AUD$29.50! Comes with a 6 inch baguette.
Ok only Buffalo Style Spicy Wings for AUD$14.50. But really spicy, which I like! 🙂
Pretty good King Prawn Tacos for AUD$12.50.
The Gorilla Pizza for AUD$23. Basically it’s vegetarian pizza with mushroom and sun dried tomatoes. Very nice.
The view…
The view on the other side…
Killerby store beside the restaurant
As I was driving out, I took a snap shot of the views and didn’t realise there was a rainbow until I was back in my hotel!
Rating: 5/5. Full marks for everything!
Taste: Really very good. The wings are not seasoned through though, but the blue cheese mayo sauce (I think) it comes with offsets the taste.
Portion: Above average.
Service: Very good. The staff came out to make sure we enjoyed our food.
This is one of the hottest tavern in Margaret River region. My second time here and just love the food and beers. They have ciders on the tap and they are just awesome. Portions are huge, you can order 2 entree and share with 3 pax. I believe the band plays on weekends… but not my type of genre… Nevertheless, this is a place to hang out for dinner and drinks when you’re in Margaret River! Free and ample parking!
Inside the tavern… can be quite warm during winter.
Best business 2012
5% alchohol ciders
Angus beef steak with calamari
Surf & Turf
Rating: 4.5/5.
Taste: Food is nice, but not something I would scream about. The calamari’s batter is not crispy… hence quite disappointing. I should have tried their catch of the day by hand line.
Portion: Above average
Service: Excellent. You get greeted when you enter and they attend to you all the time. Orders will be have to be placed at the counter where the menu board is.
Ambience: Very tavern-like, wooden counters, tables and chairs, a little too warm for me during winter.
Price: AUD20-30 for the entrees, AUD9.50 for the beers/ciders on the tap. Didn’t try anything else cos too full from the meal! You can hold your credit card at the counter if you’re planning to drink loads.
RTE: Yes everytime I’m there!
Location: 114 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River, Western Australia 6285. It’s in the middle of Margaret River, you can’t miss it and that’s how I found it my first time there!
Was here on my second day in Perth after my grueling first day at the coffee school. It was a Sunday so many places were closed. I spotted this place while driving and all really by chance. So I parked the rented car on the side of the road and went into the cafe to place my order. To my surprise, this cafe has many awards for their bakery and also some business of the year for 2012.
Store frontAlfresco sitting on the outsideYeah got steps up to the counter… quite a weird design inside actuallyLook at all the pastries!Our ordersMy latteWebsite
Rating: 4/5.
Taste: Pretty good but could be better if they can heat up for us. The raisin and croissant were good!
Portion: Slightly bigger than normal.
Service: Could have given a 4.5 or 5 rating ‘cos they refuse to slice the organic loaf which we ordered for takeaway. And the pastries were not reheated for us but I understand some bakeries/cafes feel that reheating will spoil the taste and texture of the pastries. But I believe light reheating is ok. Latte also took quite long to brew.
Ambience: Seating for 3 or more mainly on the outside. Inside are catered for 1-2 pax seating mostly. Weird staircase in the middle that leads to a shopping mall I think.
RTE: I would if on a Sunday again. 🙂 Otherwise will try other places.
Location: They have 3 outlets but I went to this one at 878 Hay Street, Perth City. Check out their website see last picture.
Finally I found some time to update this blog as I’ve just started tourwithroy.wordpress.com. Have loads of backlogs to update hence will be juggling this blog, sleepwithroy.wordpress.com and tourwithroy.wordpress.com. So please be patient with me!
Ok Blue Rock Cafe was the first place I had my meals alone on one of the mornings and with my friends for dinner. Quite a gem really ‘cos no one would have thought a cafe at the far ends of Hay Street would serve such good food! I had my brekkie here as well as dinner. Food is really good and compliments to the hard working crew and chef! Check out the favorites which we ordered!
Inside the cafe
Inside the cafe
Me cam-whoring showing the alfresco part of the cafe.
Latte… no art but a good cuppa nevertheless. AUD$3.50
This is called the Full Breakfast. For AUD$18, I believe 2 ladies or small eaters can share this. Just love it and served hot even though the weather was cold.
Fat Yak
Came here for dinner too!
Bulmers
French breads which were very nice
Parmigiana Chicken with mushroom sauce. Nice and juicy!
Sirloin Steak
Chicken Breast with cheese over it. Very large piece.
Not very dry.
Steak cooked to perfection.
Bill for 3 pax
Rating: 5/5.
Taste: We finished every bit of the food. Really good and tasty!
Portion: Above average for some.
Service: Excellent! Very friendly staff and always checked back with us if we were feeling alright.
Ambience: Nice and cosy. Night time was a little chilly but for me it’s aight…
Price: See captions and last pic.
RTE: If I’m staying in the same hotel when back to Perth, I definitely would.
Location: Ground floor of Comfort Hotel Perth City, 200 Hay Street, Perth City.
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