Little Ramen Bar – Melbourne CBD – Melbourne, Australia

Little Ramen Bar is located on Little Bourke Street in the heart of CBD. My cousin is a fan of the Japanese ramen at this noodle bar and every time she travels to Melbourne she eats here. It has also been mentioned in a number of lists as having the best ramen so we added it to our must eat bucket list.

After arriving in Melbourne, we took the taxi from the airport to the city and stopped across the road from the restaurant. With our luggage in tow, we decided to join the short queue which I hear is much longer on weekdays so try going before or after the lunch hour rush. Luckily the line moved very quickly and we were in within five minutes.

The restaurant is small and cramped inside with only a few tables and chairs. Space is limited but turnover is quick so wait times shouldn't be too long.

The menu is short but there are a number of different ramen varieties to choose from. The main soup bases included shio, shoyu or a mix of both. 

The ‘Classic Tonkotsu Ramen ($10.90)’ is made using a traditional slow cooked pork broth that is simmered over 10 hours. The soup is rich and full of flavor without being too thick.  The chashu melted in the mouth alongside the perfect soft runny egg. Though there was a bit too much seaweed in the bowl for my liking. 

The noodles had a nice bite to it.

'Spicy Miso Ramen ($13.50)' is for those who are after that extra kick. The pork soup is combined with  a homemade spicy miso and topped with cabbage and shallots. A steaming hot bowl of noodles is comforting on a chilly day in Melbourne.

The ramen at Little Ramen Bar was good but I wouldn't say it was the best I've had. Would have liked to try other variants if we were in town for longer.

This is the last post of my Melbourne trip. Till next time!

Where?

5/346 Little Bourke St

Melbourne VIC 3000

Australia

Phone no: 03 9670 5558

Opening Hours

Monday - Thursday

Lunch : 11:30am - 2:30pm

Dinner : 5:30pm - 9:00pm

Friday - Saturday

Lunch : 11:30pm - 3:00pm

Dinner: 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Sunday
Closed

Website

www.littleramenbar.com.au      

Chin Chin Restaurant – Melbourne CBD - Melbourne, Australia

A visit to Melbourne is not complete without going to Chin Chin Restaurant. It’s one of the most famous restaurants in Melbourne and the ‘IT’ place to be. There is a lot of hype surrounding the restaurant, being one of the most reviewed on Zomato. 

Chin Chin Restaurant is a walk in restaurant and only takes reservations for groups of 10-12 people. We arrive on a Saturday night at around 8pm thinking it won’t be too crowded given that its past busy dinner time but no, we were wrong. It’s so busy and fully packed out. We’re told there is approximately a two hour wait for a table. That would mean having dinner at 10pm!

Since we were in no hurry for dinner having just consumed a waffle from Waffee and being rather full from lunch, we decide to wait. Now you may think we’re crazy waiting at those odd hours but since we’re already in town and having heard such rave reviews we had to try it. Our expectations were set high. 

Getting side tracked a bit but the waffles from Waffee are worth a mention. The plain waffle is wonderfully warm and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

You have the choice of waiting at the bar or they can call you once a table is available. We opt for the latter as there is still plenty to see in the CBD including a visit to the Gingerbread House and watching the Christmas lights display.

A hour and a bit in, our phone buzzes and they advise a table is available. That was indeed much quicker than we expected. I’m glad we waited as it wasn’t that long after all. At past 9pm it's still a full house and there are still customers waiting to go in.

Located on Flinders Lane, Chin Chin Restaurant is a casual eatery serving modern Thai street inspired dishes with a South-East Asian twist. It’s dimly lit and rather dark but that gives it the nice ambiance. There is that constant lively buzz from the chatter and 80’s music pumping in the background, giving it a very cool vibe.

We find our neighboring tables extremely friendly. They are locals from Melbourne and they greet us once we take a seat, not something you would expect to see in Sydney.

The menu is elaborate and there are plenty of options to choose from. All sound visually appealing even though there are no pictures. We struggle to pick only a few dishes to share but eventually decide on them after much deliberation.

We start off with the ‘Handmade Crab and Pork Cakes ($15.00)’ served with a salted duck egg and tamarind sauce.An odd sounding combination but flavours worked well. The cakes are deep fried to a lovely golden texture. Wrapped in the leaves and then dipped in the sauce, it was delicious.

The ‘Smashed Green Papaya Salad ($16.00)’ with red chilli, prawn floss, peanuts and black beans is SPICY. For a chilli lover like myself, it was fiery. The sweet, sour and hot balanced well together and the papaya was just so fresh. A simple dish, yet packed with a whole lot of punch.

Next up was the ‘Pad Seuw Beef ($24.00)’ made up of stir fried rice noodles with wagyu beef, gai lan and shallots. A popular dish at regular Thai joints but the version here was superb.  The beef wasn’t chewy and the noodles were wonderfully coated with a dark soy sauce.

The ‘Hot and Sour Steamed White Fish ($29.50)’ was the last dish to arrive. We were expecting a fillet of fish in a lovely sauce. However, it was more like a soup. Pieces of fresh fish in a tom yum style broth with chilies and baby corn. I personally found it a bit sour and compared to the other dishes this was our least favourite.

How could one leave without dessert? The ‘Palm Sugar Ice-cream Sundae ($16.50)’ with salted honeycomb and lime syrup was delightful. A scoop of the honeycomb with the robust flavours of the palm sugar ice-cream was a satisfying way to end the meal.

If you’re in Melbourne do give Chin Chin Restaurant a try as I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. It does live up to its hype. The large portion sizes, fresh ingredients and scrumptious food makes up for the higher prices and long waiting times. A memorable experience.

Next destination is Singapore (again) and Hong Kong. There is so much I want to eat in these countries I don’t think I’ll have time to try everything. I can’t wait!

Look out for upcoming posts after April.

Where

Chin Chin Restaurant

125 Flinders Lane

Melbourne VIC 3000

Australia

Phone no: 03 8663 2000

Waffee

1/77 Swanston St

Melbourne VIC 3000

Australia

Phone no: 03 9041 4594

Opening Hours

Chin Chin Restaurant

7 Days a week

11:00am – 11:30pm

Waffee

7 Days a Week
Monday - Thursday: 7:45am - 7:00pm
Friday: 7:45am - 11:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am - 6:00pm

Websites

http://www.chinchinrestaurant.com.au/

http://www.waffee.com.au/

Shortshop Coffee & Donuts - Melbourne CBD - Melbourne, Australia

I’m back!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

I’ve been on a long hiatus as I found myself lacking the time to write and edit pictures. I also lost the motivation to post but here I am. Hopefully, I can gain back the momentum.

I was in Melbourne a few weeks ago for a short holiday to eat and explore.

Melbourne is a great dining destination as there is so much to try and eat. They have a wonderful cafe culture and shopping is good too, though Sydney is now catching up in these aspects.I got to try a few restaurants that I would definitely recommend such as Chin Chin Restaurant, Little Ramen Bar and Tip00. 

If you read my posts earlier in the year, you would have noticed I was there during the Australian Open for a few days. I decided to go again in December and the weather this time around was much warmer and nicer. I only had three days there but those days were packed from morning till night including a tour to the Great Ocean Road which took the whole day.

If you haven’t been to the Great Ocean Road then you have to go at least once in your life. I was in awe at the amazing views and the 12 Apostles which is really now 8 Apostles (shocking, I know), is just beautiful. I will show you a few photos I took and while it was a bit chilly, the sunshine remained throughout the day which was a bonus.

My best friend showed me some pictures from Instagram of a donut joint in Melbourne called Short Stop Donuts & Coffee. They looked awesomely delicious so we made sure we visited the place.

Short Stop is located in a little lane way off Little Lonsdale Street in the Melbourne CBD and can easily be found on Sutherland St, which is a not too far walk from the free city tram line.

It’s a modern little cafe with a minimalist interior. There are a few tables and a side bench. As seating is limited, it’s not very ideal for larger groups.  

Once you walk in, it smells so good from the donut production taking place on site. Staff are really warm and friendly.

The donut selection available here has a creative spin to it without being over the top. They offer freshly baked donuts in a number of flavours. I hear they sell out early so we ensured that we got there before midday to avoid the chance of them being sold out.

The ‘Cappuccino ($4.00) was a decent cup of coffee albeit a bit bitter. They also offer sparkling water instead of the usual still tap water.

The ‘Australian Honey and Sea Salt ($4.00)’ is a cruller style donut that is crisp on the outside and light on the inside. One bite and the donut melted in the mouth due to its airy structure. It’s dipped in an organic honey and milk glaze and then topped with sea salt flakes to give it that balance of sweet and salty.I really enjoyed eating this donut as it wasn't overly sweet and just right.

The traditional favourite, the ‘Boston Cream ($5.00)’ is a classic donut filled with a vanilla crème patisserie and then topped with dark chocolate icing. The cream was smooth and delectable.

I usually find most doughnuts dry, dense and heavy due to how it is cooked and the abundance of toppings they add to it but the donuts here were delicious. Their flavours are interesting and I wish we had the stomach capacity to try out more flavours. Till next time!

Where?

12 Sutherland St

Melbourne VIC 3000

Australia

Opening Hours

Monday- 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Tuesday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Wednesday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Thursday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Friday - 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM

Saturday - 9:30 AM to 4 PM

Sunday - 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Website

https://www.short-stop.com.au/

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Operator 25 - Melbourne CBD - Melbourne, Australia

Operator 25 is a fairly new cafe in the Melbourne dining scene, having only been open since May last year. It has already garnered a following, seeing a surge in its popularity, witnessed by a myriad of online reviews and publications .

Located near Flagstaff Gardens, this restaurant is tucked away in a little alleyway. It occupies a heritage listed building in the CBD fringe serving breakfast, lunch and everything in between including brunch.

We arrived early on a weekday morning, the week where most have just returned to work following the long weekend and lucky for us it wasn't busy. The customer base was mainly corporates, but when we went past on the weekend it was packed with a diverse group of people.

The interior is modern and rustic, giving off the cool industrial and warehouse vibe.

They appear to have two separate menus, one in summer and one in winter. We tried the dishes from their 'Summer 2015' menu. The selection available is interesting with a creative twist on the traditional dishes, and not like items from the typical standard breakfast menu.

The 'Cappuccino ($3.80)' was spot on. They use the finest beans from a local producer called 'Code Black Coffee Roasters'. The coffee was strong, rich and creamy. A great way to start the morning.

We started off with the 'Coconut Sago Cup ($10.00)', made up of fresh berries, pineapple salsa, coconut chips and mango foam. An interesting option for breakfast as it sounded more like dessert, but it was well received by all of us. The mango mousse was incredibly smooth, and the coconut sago was refreshing. The best way to eat this is by scooping up all the elements together and you'll experience that flavour explosion.  This was our favourite dish as it was so good.

The 'Breakfast Tortilla ($17.00)' is filled with chorizo, scrambled eggs, mixed mushrooms, aged cheddar cheese and green harissa sauce. The mixture of perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, slightly salty chorizo and finely chopped mushroom, all encased in a lightly grilled soft tortilla, was delicious. We would have preferred the grated cheese to be melted.

We were most excited about trying the 'Hot Cakes ($16.00)'. Matcha and white chocolate flavoured hot cakes served with black sesame mascarpone, banana chips, toasted hazelnut and cherry sauce. The hot cakes were chunky and round, but it was still moist with a faint green tea taste. It wasn't too sweet and with the cherry sauce, while an unusual addition, balanced out the sweetness with a slight sourness.

'Smoked Chicken, Vegetable Hash and Tomato Chutney ($16.00)' with a poached egg looked striking with the contrast of different colours. While it was visually appealing and the flavours worked well together, it didn't have that wow factor as compared to the other dishes we had.

Operator 25 surprised us with their food combinations and it actually worked. The food was amazingly good and it surely left a lasting impression. If we're ever in Melbourne again, I would love to try out their lunch menu. The 'Balinese Pulled Pork Burger' sounds very enticing.

Where?
25 Wills Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

Phone no: 03 9670 3278

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Website
www.operator25.com.au