CJ Lunch Bar

Shop 2/ 391 Little Lonsdale St 

Melbourne, VIC 3000

CJ Lunch Bar and their chicken bulgogi with cheese seems to have a cult following. Arriving at the hole-in-a-wall restaurant at 6:20pm, we were faced with a 20 minute wait for seats that were crammed tighter than any restaurant I have ever seen. Everyone had a plate of chicken-cheesiness on their table, and there were some that had nothing but plates of chicken bulgogi, not even bothering with extra rice to go with it. 

With every main meal ordered, there comes a side of banchan and a bowl of generously proportioned rice. The kimchi and sprouts were unremarkable, but I always enjoy the chewy strips of marinated gluten cakes whenever they’re served. 

Cheese Chicken Bulogi ($16.5)

Our Cheese Chicken Bulgogi ($16.5) came out sizzling and engulfed in a cloud, explaining the smoky meatiness that permeated the restaurant. The entire dish was obscured by the strands of mild cheese that melted seductively over the chicken, making each piece sweet, spicy, and creamy. Though I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly makes it so, it is relentlessly addictive. 

Japchae ($10)

We wanted something green on the side, but veggies didn’t seem to be an option. We ended up having to make do with something that contained veggies, so the Japchae ($10) it was. The sweet potato noodles erred on the side of too chewy and too saccharine, but after the chicken, we had no room in our stomachs to care. At any rate, it made for a satisfying lunch the next day.

CJ Lunch Bar is more or less self-serve – you order at the counter and you grab your own cutlery, but the staff are still run off their feet with how busy the tiny shop manages to be. The feeling I get is that it’s a little bit of a case of quantity over quality here, but like everyone else, I don’t really mind.

Rating: 13/20 – protein fest.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Rice Workshop

238 Little Bourke Street 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://riceworkshop.com.au/

Summer makes life difficult. Not only are we temporarily living in a house with inadequate (read: a complete lack of) cooling, our bedrooms are upstairs. For everyone who hasn’t done year 5 science, hot air rises. So between being baked to a shrivelled crisp at night and frozen into a frozen shrivelled crisp at work during the day (chemotherapy gotta be kept cool!), my appetite has become a tad harder to please. I’ve always liked DonDon’s sashimi don on a hot day but, I’ve been having an awful lot of that recently. Combined with an increasing need to churn out another blog post, we ended up at Rice Workshop, a new Japanese restaurant in Chinatown that I’ve been eyeing off for a while. 

Rice Workshop is a lot like DonDon, but all slick and stylish instead of grungy and homely. True to its name, there is definitely a DIY feel to the dining experience here. You order your dish at the counter, and as you slide your tray along the bench towards the register, you have the option of selecting some deep fried munchies to go with your meal, some dessert to finish up your meal, as well as a variety of complimentary pickles and sauces to go on top of your meal. All of a sudden the limited menu doesn’t seem so restrictive anymore. 

Ontama Beef ($7.7, regular)/Takoyaki ($2.8)

Ontama Beef ($7.7, regular)

I was intent on having the sashimi on rice but when I saw the Ontama Beef ($7.7, regular), the simple combination of stewed beef and soft boiled egg took me right back to Japan, and I couldn’t resist. The slices of beef were lean yet tender, marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce that soaked into the bed of rice along with the creamy egg, making it sticky and flavoursome. I completed my dinner with a generous helping of my favourite radish pickles and a side of Takoyaki ($2.8), which were surprisingly crisp and held large pieces of octopus.

Chicken Karaage with Spicy Mayo ($7.9, regular)

Just like how I’ve had way too much sashimi don, Chris wanted a break from his usual curry don. So I talked him into the Chicken Karaage with Spicy Mayo ($7.9, regular). The chicken nuggets were fresh and tasted great when topped with the spicy, tangy mayo, but the meat to rice ratio left a lot to be desired. To put it in Chris’ words, ‘it’s nice, but I wouldn’t really go for it again unless you really like plain rice’

Rice Workshop has definitely achieved what it had set out to do – providing a cheap yet tasty Japanese meal with some pizzazz in the form of self-serve meal customisation. We still like DonDon more, but I do wish that they would crack an egg onto their sukiyaki don like Rice Workshop. 

Rating: 13/20 - Dondon two.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit. 

Royale Brothers

Rear 1 Church St 
Brighton, VIC 3186

http://royalebrothers.com.au/

When did burgers become gourmet? Not that I’m complaining; I think burgers have been given a new lease on life with the birth of wagyu patties, brioche buns, and tomato relish. But sometimes it’s good to go back to basics.

 And whilst Royale Brothers isn’t as basic as the fish and chip shops stuck perpetually in the 60s (such as Andrew’s), it is as close as you’ll get to a neighbourhood burger shop in idyllic Brighton. The pop-up-store is barely an indent in the back of their sister restaurant – Pantry – selling burgers to families with young kids, famished beach-goers, and the school kids in the know. And whilst the menu is quite limited, there is a surprising range of burgers available, such as pulled pork, or fish.

Our burgers were handed to us in a brown paper bag, wrapped endearingly in butcher’s paper. On the side was a serve of Chips with Royale Spiced Seasoning ($3.5), and a tall, green Slushie ($4.5) for the hot weather. 

Royale with Cheese ($12)

The original burger – the Royale with Cheese ($12) – sounded a lot like a Huxtaburger on paper, and it definitely reminded me of one, albeit with more cheese and less guilt. It was a beautiful sandwich with a patty that’s succulent yet chunky, plenty of sauce, oozing cheese, and a whole lot of pickles. I really enjoyed the milk bun, which was fluffy and sweet without being oily. 

Spicy Royale ($12)

In my opinion (though Chris heartily disagrees), adding jalapenos makes a good thing better. My Spicy Royale ($12) was just like the Royale with Cheese, all tender meat and gooey cheese, but with the critical addition of sweet and tangy jalapeno salsa. 

Our sides weren’t as spectacular, but made for a happy accompaniment to the burgers. The chips were crispy with a smoky, spicy seasoning, though it did get quite salty at the bottom. I really liked the slushie – rather than being smooth, it had those moreish ice crystals that crunched with every bite. 

Royale Brothers had what was possibly the best burger I’ve had since Huxtaburger, no joke. Whilst they are less indulgent, they were balanced, finger-licklingly-good, and came in fish and chip shop proportions. They’re rather good value for money in the age of 20 dollar burgers, and I left feeling full and satisfied.

Rating: 14/20 – royals.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Royale Brothers.

Ying Thai

110 Lygon Street 
Carlton, VIC

http://www.yingthai.com.au/Ying_Thai_Restaurant/Entree.html

Sydney has changed me. Whilst I know we’re lucky to have such a gorgeous buffet of restaurants on offer in Melbourne, there’s just one cuisine that Sydney has KO’d us in – Thai food. And whilst it’s been said over and over again by every Melbourne blogger that authentic Thai cuisine just doesn’t exist in this city, it doesn’t stop me from searching for the vibrant flavours I experienced at Chat Thai. Today our search led us to Ying Thai, a Lygon Street restaurant that came with very high recommendations.

I would’ve been less surprised if we had walked in and had confetti thrown over us; the interior of the restaurant was splashed with lurid shades of pink, green and blue, with large cartoons painted on the walls. It’s a little bit overwhelming, but I liked it almost immediately.

Yum Nuer ($12.9)

Just like how I judge a Chinese restaurant on their dumplings, I judge a Thai restaurant on their salads. After all, what better way is there to showcase the signature flavours – fresh, spicy, sour – of Thai food? Well any way is better than with this Yum Nuer ($12.9), a grilled beef salad that was certainly not yum. The dish may have been spicy and sour, but it tasted entirely unauthentic – where were the copious amounts of aromatic mint and coriander? And whilst the chilli was fierce, it wasn’t the least bit aromatic, but more a harsh chemical burn. And worst of all, our beef tasted about 3 days old – I don’t think anything else needs to be said. 

Pud Phong Karee Ta-Lay ($20.9)

Thankfully the Pud Phong Karee Ta-Lay ($20.9) was a lot better than the salad. Though uninspired, the yellow curry was creamy and not overly sweet with a hint of spice, and tasted quite good over bowls of Jasmine Rice ($3pp). The stir-fried seafood that the curry sauce covered was rather lacklustre; aside from a few prawns and mussels, the majority of the dish consisted of imitation crab meat – definitely not worth the money we shelled out for it.   

I try and see the best side of every restaurant I visit, I really do, but I don’t have anything positive to say about Ying Thai. The curry was satisfactory, but I’ve had better ones more often than not. And the salad? It’s the first time a memory of food has made me feel put off. At what would’ve been almost $20 per head (we weren’t charged for the salad as it was off), it just wasn't worth it. 

Rating: 7/20 – melbourne, i give up. 

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Tofu Shop

78 Bridge Rd 
Richmond, VIC

I could never be a vegetarian. That said though, I do enjoy my vegetarian food. You’d think being a food blogger would be all about indulgence, and you would be right, but there’s a lot of joy to be found in the humblest of meals too (no, really!). Being along the tram line that I take every day to work, Tofu Shop’s neon signage is no new sight for me.

For the longest time, I couldn’t decide if it was just a run-of-the-mill health restaurant, or if it was something more. But we don’t live in the 21^st century for nothing, so when I finally got around to googling it, I found out that it is actually a very highly rated vegetarian restaurant that has occupied the premise for over 20 years. There isn’t very much to the place – the interior is as humble as the house-made tofu, but they do have dinosaurs. 

Small Bowl ($11.5)

Whilst we spent our time humming and hawing over the half a dozen dishes of the day, the girl behind the counter helpfully suggested that we do what everyone else does – get a bit of everything. So for $11.5, we each got a Small Bowl of everything on offer, with the only difference being that I said yes to the optional pickled ginger on top. 

Small Bowl ($11.5)

Small Bowl ($11.5)

And then we dug into our bowl of vegetarian goodness. There was ginger tofu, curry tofu, soft tofu, hard tofu, and of course a good selection of veggies – raw, roasted, blanched, marinated – piled on top of a bed of brown rice mixed with dahl. Bonus points to the fluffy piece of deep-fried tempeh on the side. It was every vegetable and soy product served every way imaginable, and I have to admit that the result was wholesome and tasty.

I can see how Tofu Shop got the reputation it has. There’s a great variety of vegetarian dishes that all managed to be tasty in their own right, and I imagine finding an interesting and healthy meal as a vegetarian can be an uphill battle sometimes, so Tofu Shop must be very welcome indeed. But as an omnomnomnivore, I left Tofu Shop feeling a little empty, partially due to the small portions, and partially due to the lack of protein. $11.5 for a small-ish bowl of veggies? Pass the steak thanks.

Rating: 11.5/20 – omnomnomnivore.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Oriental Teahouse (Chapel St)

455 Chapel St 

South Yarra, VIC 3141

http://www.orientalteahouse.com.au/

How do you celebrate Chinese New Year? Asian or not, the tradition of Chinese New Year, or to be politically correct, Lunar New Year, is catching on. Even if you don’t celebrate the holiday, there’s always enjoyment to be gotten out of street festivals, lion dances, and Chinese food. Coming from a traditional mainland Chinese family however, Chinese New Year means one thing to me – dumplings (and red pockets full of money, but I’m a little too old for that now). Appropriately enough, this Chinese New Year coincided with an invite from Oriental Teahouse, so with my tummy still full of dumplings from New Years Eve dinner and New Years Day breakfast, I headed to Oriental Teahouse the same night for a dinner of more – you guessed it – dumplings. 

As most people probably know, Oriental Teahouse is a combination of gourmet tea shop and new-age yum cha. It is definitely feels a lot more westernised – you order from a menu instead of picking your dishes off the trolley, and the forks are already on the table. The interior is a lovely, soothing mix of a teahouse and a cafe. 

Peach Melba ($4.5)/Lemon Iced ($4.5)

It was a hot day, but Oriental Teahouse had us covered. Aside from brewed pots of tea, they also had a fully stocked bar, as well as some ‘pot-tails’ – cocktails served cheekily in a teapot. We ended up with just a glass each of Iced Tea; I had the Peach Melba ($4.5), a sweet, velvety treat that tasted like dessert in a glass, and Chris had the Lemon Iced ($4.5), which was refreshingly tangy with a faint aftertaste of smoky black tea. Neither of them tasted much like tea, but both were delicious.

Cheese and Bacon Spring Rolls ($6.8, 3pcs)

Cheese and Bacon Spring Rolls ($6.8, 3pcs)

When I heard Cheese and Bacon Spring Rolls ($6.8, 3pcs), I expected the aftermath of a party in my mouth. But for once, this is a case of precarious fusion gone right. Wrapped in translucent casing that crackled like cellophane were stretchy mozzarella cheese, bacon cubes, and chopped veggies. It may have been a tad bewildering, but I have to say it was entirely enjoyable to feel like I was alternating between pizza and spring rolls with each bite. Seems like the key to fusion is moderation. 

Prawn Hash Browns ($8.8)

Next up were the Prawn Hash Browns ($8.8), which were really only hash browns in name and appearance. Biting into it, what we got were succulent prawns held by a soft batter – perfect for satisfying that prawn dumpling craving without the prawn dumplings. 

Chicken Dumplings with Quinoa Salad ($10.8)

I was already expecting the unexpected when we were told that the next dish was Chicken Dumplings with Quinoa Salad ($10.8), but the Chinese part of my brain broke when we were served an actual chicken dumpling salad. I was incredibly hesitant about this dish, but it turns out I seem to have a new addition to my lunch salads repertoire. The cushions of dumplings were given a refreshing lift by the garden salad, and whilst it was a bit oily, the ginger dressing added an impressive moreishness to the greens. 

Chilli Wagyu Dumplings ($8.8, 4pcs) 

Chilli Wagyu Dumplings ($8.8, 4pcs) 

The Chilli Wagyu Dumplings ($8.8, 4pcs) were our least favourite dish of the night. I’m suspicious of beef in dumplings on the best of days, and these just didn’t hit the spot for me. To their credit, there was a decent kick to the chilli, but I found the entire dish to be a bit lacklustre in the flavour department. 

Confucius Says, ‘Eat Your Veggies’ ($14.8)

Confucius Says, ‘Eat Your Veggies’ ($14.8), and who are we to argue with Confucius? Fresh and vibrant, this simple plate of stir-fried veggies was a great palate cleanser. There was everything from crisp sugar snap peas, glossy black fungus, and tender shoots of baby corn, tossed in a slick, savoury sauce with barley and goji berries.

China Fried Chicken Ribs ($11.8)

Regardless of whether or not Confucius also said to eat our fried chicken, we ended our savoury dishes with indulgent China Fried Chicken Ribs ($11.8). Chicken ribs are the epitome of the meat-on-a-bone experience – maximum meat and minimum bone. And these chicken ribs were thoroughly delicious, from the crunchy, cracked-pepper-coated exterior all the way to the succulent, piping hot interior. 

Chinese Wonka Dumplings ($9.8, 3pcs)/Signature White Chocolate Dumplings ($7.8, 3pcs) 

‘Finally! An Asian dessert that’s actually dessert!’ Long since fed up with the endless loop of red bean, green tea, and black sesame, Chris embraced the Chinese Wonka Dumplings ($9.8, 3pcs) and Signature White Chocolate Dumplings ($7.8, 3pcs) with all his gut. These were simple yet tasty, the glutinous balls filled with chocolate from two ends of the spectrum, served with coconut peanut praline, and a deep fried sesame exterior respectively.

I have to admit, half the stuff on Oriental Teahouse’s menu I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole if left to my own devices, but I was pleasantly surprised by this meal. If you want stock-standard yum cha, then stay away. But if you’re bored by, or a little too intimidated by all the chicken feet and the ladies pushing the trolleys shouting at you in Cantonese, then give Oriental Teahouse a go – you won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 14/20 – succulent chinese meal.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.

Sweet and Sour Fork dined as a guest of Oriental Teahouse. 

Bomba

103 Lonsdale St 
Melbourne, VIC 3000

http://bombabar.com.au/

Spanish food is my homeboy. From rustic pans of paella to jazzed up tapas, I just can’t get enough of it. After all, what’s not to love about a cuisine that’s centred on the freshest of seafood, the most seasonal of vegetables, and each and every cut of meat an animal has to offer? So when Bomba, a new tapas bar, popped up on my radar a few months back, I was ecstatic. Shame I forgot my DSLR, and couldn’t do the pretty little dishes justice with my photography. Boo.  

I don’t know why I expected otherwise, but Bomba was surprisingly trendy. And of course, packed out at 6:30 on a Friday night, Lucky for us, we were seated at the bar instead, with a prime view of the chefs throwing large prawns onto the grill. The heat from the kitchen did make it a bit warm but, we were glad to have found seats at all.

House-Made Sourdough with Olive Oil

A good first impression was certainly made with House-Made Sourdough served with a small dish of olive oil. These chunky wedges of sourdough rivalled Rockpool for my favourite bread served at a restaurant. Not only was it dense yet fluffy at the same time, the delicate wheaten fragrance of the bread was complimented by a dusting of sea salt on the crust. The olive oil was beautiful. 

Blackmore’s 9+ Marble Score Wagyu Cecina ($12, 20 grams)

I wasn’t too hungry and wanted room for dessert, so we decided to order a parade of tapas instead of more substantial dishes. The first one was an indulgent Blackmore’s 9+ Marble Score Wagyu Cecina ($12, 20 grams). Just as the marbling score promised, the gauzy slices of wagyu were veined with fat, giving the beef a luxuriously silken mouth-feel and a richness that spread across the tongue. 

Gazpacho ($4)

Being a hot day and all, I couldn’t go past the Gazpacho ($4), aka tomato soup served ice cold. Being a tapa, it certainly was not enough gazpacho for all, but it was refreshing nevertheless, the light tomato soup garnished with crunchy diced cucumber. 

Charcoal Grilled Corn with Dried Maize ($4)

Thanks to Mamasita, corn on the cob has become cool once more (has it ever been cool?). The rendition at Bomba – Charcoal Grilled Corn with Dried Maize ($4) – was certainly something different. Instead of being covered with cheese and whatnot, this ear of corn was rolled in sweet, toasty crumbs of dried maize. And whilst it was imaginative, I can’t say I enjoyed it very much. Besides reminding me of popcorn, all the corn crumbs did was to make it a dry, and an even messier dish to eat. 

Chicken, Manchego, and Smoked Paprika Croqueta ($3.5)

The Chicken, Mangecho, and Smoked Paprika Croqueta ($3.5) sounded great on paper, but whilst the shell was light and crisp, the smooth interior lacked character.

Tomato Rubbed Bread with Serrano Jamon ($3.5)/Crushed Pea and Goat’s Curd Toast with House Made Morcilla ($6)

The Montadidos section of the menu was something I had never seen before. The idea is little pieces of toast, topped with various ingredients, designed to be eaten in a bite or two. The first of the two we ordered was the Tomato Rubbed Bread with Serrano Jamon ($3.5). This was exactly what it sounded like, and whilst unremarkable, the combination of summery tomato and soft ribbons of jamon were certainly tasty. The other montadidio we ordered was the Crushed Pea and Goat’s Curd Toast with House Made Morcilla ($6). I don’t know when this happened, but I’ve found a strong affection for black pudding, and this one was great. Soft and spicy, it was a rich morsel that was perfectly accompanied by the sweet peas and tangy cheese. 

Patatas Bravas ($7)

We finished our meal with a couple of more substantial dishes. The Patatas Bravas ($7) was our pick for the night. The pieces of potatoes were soft and fluffy, baked with a coat of spices. Served on top were creamy dollops of aioli, and at the bottom was a bed of smoky tomato chutney. It was simple, but simple is good. 

Grilled Asparagus, Lemon, Egg, and Migas ($9)

Grilled Asparagus, Lemon, Egg, and Migas ($9)

The night ended on a positive note with a dish of Grilled Asparagus, Lemon, Egg, and Migas ($9). The pliant sprigs of asparagus were accompanied with an egg that still wobbled, and shavings of a mild, sweet cheese for a meal that’s as good for breakfast as it is for supper.

Given the hype, I though Bomba would’ve been something a lot more special. I know it’s meant to be a simple and homely tapa affair, but I found a lot of the dishes to be quite bland. Whilst it isn’t all that expensive compared to some other places, the price to satisfaction ratio isn’t all that great. I imagine that the worker’s lunch - $15 for a tapa, a racione, and a side – would be the best way to go here.

Rating: 13.5/20 – bravo potatoes.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.