W39 Bistro was something Miss XS mentioned to me a few years ago, but other than one ill-fated attempt to visit at 11pm, was something that slipped from our collective minds.  I'm not sure what was going through my mind when we set off that night; I had a vague notion that I wanted a slice of cake, and it sounded like the sort of place that'll open till the late hours, so off we went.  Luckily, a few birthdays later, I became much wiser,...

One recommendation by a trusted friend is worth ten positive reviews online. Sorry, Zomato; you and I go a long way back, and I love you deep deep, but it's true.  "Baba Sus is my favorite brunch place in Melbourne!" my friend declared exuberantly about this Asian-Brunch fusion restaurant. We have similar taste, but she works with a larger dining budget. (This is the same friend who had sampled some of the best food Shira Nui offers...

A few months ago, I bought a large bag of cornmeal to make a deconstructed mango cheesecake. Afterwards, I promptly lost the bag in the overflowing labyrinths of my cupboard.  I knew it was somewhere amid my collection of jars and the bits and ends of leftover ingredients from other baking projects, but I couldn't get more specific than that. A few days ago, I was digging through my cupboard looking for a bag of azuki beans...

Shira Nui is the kind of place that is just a little out of the usual university student's awareness. I hear about Shyun, Jyu-jyu, and Waya frequently, but no one ever seems to mention Shira Nui. It's a little away from the hotspot in Glen Waverley, and it doesn't have the most appealing appearance from the outside looking in, but when I went with a few friends last year after Miss XS's recommendation, I learnt that you can't judge a restaurant...

Okay, so Gaijin isn't the most convenient restaurant to get to from my place. And looking for nearby parking may be a problem. But if you don't mind these slight inconveniences, you'll find yourself at one of the best, and affordable, Japanese restaurants of Melbourne.   I've been here a couple of years ago for dinner with Miss XS. The dim yellow lighting wasn't conducive for photo-taking, so we kept our camera away and gave the food our...

When a couple of surgeons opened Volume Cafe across the main street from Dandenong Hospital, it caused a bit of a stir. I hear (don't sue!) that up along the food chain, the people in management were concerned whether opening Volume would divert traffic away from Zouki's, the in-hospital cafe chain.  But still, no one was as ecstatic about Volume as the staff and students were, and everybody that I've talked...

The first time I made this fondue, I had an accident. I took my eyes off the water bath for just a minute, and water managed to get into the chocolate and seized the chocolate into an unappetizing glob. Don't be like me. Because my mind seems to wander off more often than a goldfish with ADHD, I took no chance with my second batch a few days later and chucked the chocolate-milk mixture into the microwave, as Alice Medrich recommended.  If...

My first childhood memories of cakes came from prying a slice of Sara Lee's pound cake from the aluminium container. These cakes can be found in the refrigerated section of any supermarket back in those days, and it was a treat to come home to find a box in the fridge. We were probably meant to heat the cake up in the oven, but for some reason, I just never got around to it and often eat it cold from of the fridge.  ...

Jyu-Jyu is a no-frills Japanese place for a quick informal meal, where good Japanese food comes at an affordable price. There is plenty to choose from on the menu, but the only thing I've ordered was the Katsu-Don ($9.80 - above), which comes in my Goldilocks portion- not too big, not too small. It's satisfying for a lunch, and doesn't leave me in a food coma. Which makes it a terrific place for me to pop into for lunch before heading...