Coles Bay is a pretty far drive, though the beachfront apartment makes the long drive worthwhile. You'll be bashing through the country roads for quite a bit, and what I mistook for the sound of raindrops was in fact bugs splattering against the car at 100km/h. Word of warning: Coles Bay is very rural. Don't count on things like having wi-fi or 4G reception. The nearest supermarket is a 30 minutes drive away at 100km/h, and has a small,...

Didn't expect there to be a part 2, did you? Neither did I. I'm surprised by how much there is to do in Tasmania... Richmond A town of just 880, it is about half an hour north of Hobart. The hilly region comprises of several cheesemakers, wine-producers, chocolatiers and ice-creamery, all concentrated in one tidy region. Once in the area, each attraction is within 10 minutes of one another. It's an easy detour if you're heading to Port...

Yes.  It's a glorified jelly.  But calling it a cake makes it that much more fun.  The essence of this recipe is adding a big pinch of agar agar powder to 250ml of water and let simmer for a minute, and let set in the refrigerator. And presto! A colorless, flavorless jelly that crumbles water-like in your mouth. ...

Booya! Our final exams ended 18 hours ago, but already, life on campus already seemed like a distant memory. Did I really spend the last 6 months studying close to 12 hours a day? I can't imagine sitting still at my table for one more moment. We took a 50 minutes flight to Tasmania the very next day. Virgin offers a competitive rate, and came with 20kg of check-in luggage.  Pro-tip! There are travel brochures around the airport. As...

At first, I wasn't at all excited when R told us there was an Asian bakery around Whampoa Food Centre. After all, Polish Rye Bakery had already set the standard so high with its gorgeous rustic loaves of bread (and for such a good price too!). But since we are already in the area, I thought it'll be a shame not to visit.  I'm glad we did! There is a joy of that comes from discovering something unexpectedly magical. Sometimes it's checking...

It's wonderful how a simple bowl of a traditional Chinese dessert can lift up one's spirits, especially during the cold winter months when the wind is howling outside.  I'm no expert at making desserts, especially Asian desserts, but these were easy as pea to cook. There isn't really much to it, and the 'recipes' here are more of a guideline. The instructions are quite forgiving, and can be adjusted easily to suit your taste. If you like...

Is there a culture that you cannot find in Dandenong? Dandenong Pavillion serves some of the most delicious burgers I've had. One of the best meal I've had in Melbourne was from Afghan Rahimi. Ethiopian food can be found at Gibe African Restaurant, and right across the street is Polish Rye Bakery which is worth every praise online. If you hanker for Middle Eastern pastries and Lebanese pizzas, A1 Bakery has your back and is just a...

I got into a pleasant conversation when I ran into a Singaporean expat from a while back. Having been in Melbourne for a much longer time than I, he's been around the block quite a few times. I wrangled a list of restaurant recommendations from him (and passed on my favourite Middle Eastern restaurant in exchange).  One of his favourite Singaporean restaurant is O'town, and I could see why: the ambiance made me feel all...

I can't believe the price of Domino's here. A whole pizza for $5? What sorcery is this! I should eat pizzas more often.  As long as you walk in before 9pm, pizzas are $5 each. N and I split the the Americano ($5). Because my metabolism is not what it once were, four slices each was filling enough. Another pizza, and I would have been completely stuffed. The topping was sparse, but at this price, we could hardly...

Is Chokolait in the area where White Tomato is? Hm. No? We're still going anyway. I don't go to the city often, and since I'm already there, I might as well tick all the boxes.  With N constantly telling me that their Pavlova ($12.95) is the best that she's had, I entered with a great deal of expectation. It looks amazing, and tasted pretty good as well. I appreciated how the sweetness in the meringue here is more moderated, unlike Hopetoun...

Based on a friend's raving recommendation, White Tomato landed a spot on my "Restaurants-to-go-to" list. Contrary to my initial impression, White Tomato is not a brunch location, but a Korean BBQ restaurant that has made a name for itself in the city.  I'm a big fan of eating Korean BBQ for lunch because that's when restaurants are far less crowded. Plus, the natural light makes the food photography turn out better...

Studying in Melbourne over the last four years, I rarely eat Singaporean-style food here. Sure, I occasionally patronise Petaling Street or Papa Rich if my friends are going, and I go crazy over the stir-fry beef hor fun from Nudle (Chadstone). But for the most part, I get my Singaporean food fix when I go back over the holidays, where I can indulge in my Singaporean food cravings from renowned hawkers at a fraction...

Waya is one of those restaurant in Glen Waverley that enjoys a perpetual crowd around meal-time. My first visit was with Miss XS in 2014, and since then, I've been a faithful (if sporadic) customer. My last visit was actually a few months ago, when a group of us went after a Degas Exhibition.  My favourite dish here is their Crab Cream Croquette ($7). It's my die-die-must-order dish whenever I come. Think crispy breaded exterior, with...

Kang Na Roo is a restaurant just round the corner from Hudadak, a local mom-and-pop shop that serves delicious Korean Fried Chicken. I see Kang Na Roo whenever I head into Clayton, but I'm a creature of habit who gets my Korean fix at Hudadak and Hodori Korean Garden. There was never much reason for me to step into Kang Na Roo, until, well, a couple of friends recommended their hot pot really really highly.  We had the Gam Ja Tang (L...

I found this gem of a Middle Eastern bakery a couple of months ago, just around the corner from Polish Rye Bakery. Hardly a day goes by without me thinking about coming back. I was confused as heck when I first tried ordering from their pastry section, but now I'm starting to wrap my head around their system. There are two ways of buying: per piece (about $1.50 per piece), or by weight (which is much cheaper!). ...

Afghan Rahimi Restaurant is my our new favourite Middle Eastern restaurant. Because of my strong recommendations, N came for the first time to celebrate a mutual friend's birthday. N was so impressed, she demanded to come back in a couple of months' time for her birthday.  The restaurant is usually occupied but not crowded, which is a pity because they serve up some of the most amazing meals I have ever had. Together with the warm...

Well.  Hello there. Welcome to my new favorite bakery in town.  My old favorite is a bit run down - there's no place to sit, there's always a crowd of people walking by and the service is pretty cold. This one however has just the right mix of proportion - there are tables to sit and chat, and pleasant store assistants who are delighted you sample their traditional polish recipes and are pleased to introduce all their house-baked...

My favourite-est place for traditional Chinese dessert. It's not the most accessible place, but I drop by every once in a while whenever I'm in the area (and drag a couple of long-suffering friends with me as I go.)  ...

So, I finally got around to making a beet cake. It sure ain't easy trying to gather up the ingredients, and I made a trip to Dandenong Market just to get my hands on some beets.  One thing I learnt: beet STAINS. A lot. My formerly white blinds is now stained with flecks of purple, but hopefully, my landlord doesn't read my blog.  If you are reading this right now though: *I swear* the blinds was like that already when I moved...

For the health-conscious ones among us(and perhaps the weight-conscious too?), you'll be happy to know that this has no cream. Say wha? Yes, it's made with milk and milk only. I'm going to go out on a limb here and call this a guilt-free ice cream. Unlike my other stabs at healthy-eating, this is the rare one which taste is not sacrificed for a lower calorie count. In fact, I think I read somewhere - is it from Sherry Yard? - that told me using...