Flying Duck, Prahran, Victoria – a friendly local

The Flying Duck Hotel in Prahan, is a great all rounder.

Relaxed and casual it has a varied and interesting menu that includes dishes like…

Caprese salad – heirloom tomatoes, homemade ricotta and basil

Croquettes – semi dreied tomatoes and goat cheese with broccoli pesto

Salt and Pepper Squid and housemade kimchi salad with sushi

Aromatic grilled focaccia and housemade dips

Spanish-style ratatouille with baked egg, tomato, zucchini and eggplant

Spinach spaghetti with spanner crab, diamond clams and manzanilla wine

Gurnard, green mojo and potatoes cooked in papillote

Duck breast, served with chestnut puree and pine mushrooms

Vegetarian risotto with button mushrooms and parmesan cheese

300gm Porterhouse – grass fed steak with mushroom sauce. roquette slad and hand-cut chips

Side of green beans

Dessert plate!

1565, Kensington, Victoria – great for late night ice-cream @1565gelateria

Open everyday 12pm until late 1565 is excellent for a late night icecream in Kensington.

500ml! Yum to share!

Red Spice Road, Melbourne CBD

Red Spice Road in McKilllop Street has an amazing decor.

Best visited with a group as guests are all seated together, bench-style and it’s noisey.

Wine by the half caraffe is geneous and a good choice for two people, offering four small glasses.

There’s a good early bird express menu….which is when it’s also quiet, …

Mains from the Express Dinner Banquet – $55 per person

Chicken adobo – Filipino style chicken w/ soy, vinegar, black pepper, ginger & green onion
Massaman beef, potato & pineapple curry
Yellow noodle, peanut, coriander, chilli salad

Crispy barramundi, green papaya, toasted coconut, herb salad Pork belly, apple slaw, chilli caramel, black vinegar

…..but for a later supper with a drink good choices to share are….

Steamed bao, lemongrass pork, mint, pickled daikon (2 pce) $14

Hunan style lamb ribs‐twice cooked ribs w/ green onion, chilli, Sichuan pepper, sesame $19

Peanut butter parfait – Salted peanuts, fresh coconut, honeycomb, warm chocolate16*contains nuts $16 – not perhaps as good as other dessert choices

Cookie, Melbourne CBD

Stylish and full of energy, Cookie is a very popular Melbourne eatery on Swanston Street, that does still take bookings.

–
It’s noisy and busy, but the food is truly amazing!

Excellent dishes include…
Taro dumplings with chilli soy $16 – crispy fish salad with green papaya & pickled crab $23.50

Sour pork belly salad with ginger, peanuts & curried rice balls $25.50

Crispy fish salad with green papaya & pickled crab $23.50

Barramundi fillets in banana leaf, red curry with coconut and basil $37

Steamed rice $4

Roti bread $5.50

Not BYO

The Premises, Kensington, Melbourne

The Premises on Macauley Street, Kensington is still as good as ever.

Ideal for coffee, breakfast, brunch or lunch..the menu includes some old favourites and new additions…

Premises Eggs $19.50

BBQ Breakfast Roll $13.50

Fruit Toast $7

Star Hotel, South Melbourne

The Star Hotel has an excellent location on Clarendon Street, which is very convenient if you are staying close by.

It’s open seven days 12 noon until late, has reasonable prices ( wine starts at $7.50 a glass) and a quirky attractive atmosphere.

Book a table upstairs if you have a larger group and want a quieter space.

The menu offers a range of dishes but the pub food is the best choice.

Ancient Grain salad with pomegranate $18
fresh herbs ( quite good)

Warm root vegetable salad with a honey mustard vinegrette $18

Confit Lamb Pappardelle with baked ricotta $24 and Green olives ( good)

Crispy skin Barramundi with flavours of $26 spring salad ( a good choice)

Herb studded porchetta, braised cabbage, $26 caramelised apples and gorgonzola compound butter ( not so great)

House made Gnocchi, heirloom cherry tomatoes, $22 asparagus, broad beans and black garlic ( lacking flavour).

Fish and chips served with fried caper $22 aioli and mushie peas ( good pub dish).

Food lovers’ guide to Rankins Rd, Kensington, Victoria

The wide tree-lined Rankins Road in Kensington is a perfect spot to base some fun, relaxed food-themed exploring close by.

Blessed by a bundle of friendly and interesting eateries on it’s door step, it also has easy access to the culturally diverse and bountiful Footscray Fresh Food Markets and the never-ending choice close in the city.

Two cute, dog-friendly (outside) cafes sit at the corner of Macauley Road…

Cafe on Rankins…

…and Luncheonette…

open 8:00-3:30pm Saturday and Sunday, 7:30am-3:30pm Tuesday to Friday…

and serving breakfast and lunch.

Duck under the railway line through the walkway and you’ll come to the amazing The Premises on Bel Air Street..

…and across Macauley Road, the Joseph Swan Cafe.

If you need more ideas, hop on the train to the City Circle and head to one of the arcades, like The Block Arcade between Little Collins and Collins Streets and Elizabeth and Swanson Streets. The Block Arcade is home to the Haig Chocolate shop, Hopetoun Tea Rooms and the Gewurzhaus Spice House and the narrow walkway buzzes with diners and coffee drinkers enjoying the outdoor tables.

Joseph Swan Deli, Macauley Rd, Kensington, Vic

The Joseph Swan Deli is a new addition to the Macauley Road eateries and an interesting little nook to explore.

Staff are extremely welcoming and accommodating. The feel is casual and relaxed and indeed the deli is aiming to become a community hub for locals. To help this along, it offers filtered coffee for $2.50 with free refills, to go with the blackboard breakfast and lunch specials that include a homemade pie, soup and roll as well as a range of gourmet sandwiches.

The community feel is also reflected in the wooden sculpture wall made from local builds and representing the diversity in the community.

The sweet treats and breads also look delicious and there’s both communal and outdoor seating.

A new venture well worth supporting.
Open Monday to Friday 8-6pm, Saturday 8-5pm and Sunday 8-4pm.

The Premises, Bellair Street, Kensington, Vic

It’s hard not to keep heading back to The Premises with entrances on both Macauley and Bellair.
It has a great décor and atmosphere…..

… friendly service, excellent coffee …

…and an enticing menu and changing specials board.

The sandwiches are especially good, particularly Nana Kath’s Salad Sandwich $14.

The Slow Roasted Pulled Pork $19.50 is open and good to share between two if an extra slice of bread is ordered ($2 extra).

(I’ve also heard the Hot salt Beef Roll $16 is good too).

Breakfast has amazing creations like the Pumpkin Pie French Toast $17.50

…but also an interesting twist on poached eggs in the Bel Air Eggs $18.50

…and some good Poached free range eggs with excellent grain toast for eating light $10.50.

There’s also a cabinet of well-priced sweet treats including a very morish chocolate brownie $4.

Open Monday to Friday 7am-4:40pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am-4pm.

Footscray Fresh Food Markets, Victoria

If you are staying west of the city in Melbourne, it’s well worth heading to Footscray to explore the fresh food market.

The market particularly reflects the style of the local Vietnamese population but it’s a favourite across a range of cultures. It’s a whole sense experience – colours, tastes, smells.