K-Tarng

Baby of the family, K-Tarng is sibling to the more popular one in the family, Tarng on A'beckett Street. But let me just say, don't judge a book by its cover. 

The interior is nothing fancy, like not at all, but it's when I made my way to the back that I discovered a little spot of Korea hidden in good old Carnegie. Picture a little garden, tables and stools and fairy lights stretching to the sky. All I could think of was K-drama ! But onto the food.

Tarng's Spicy Fried Chicken

Of course we could not pass up ordering a serving of deep fried goodness in the form of Korean fried chicken. Smothered in a sticky sweet chilli sauce, the chicken was tender and juicy on the side yet super crunchy on the outside. Don’t bother with cutlery here, these babies are finger lickin’ good ! I could not get enough of this.

Pork BBQ

Next came out a sizzling hot plate BBQ Pork which I wasn’t overly fond of as the pork was rather dry and lacking in seasoning.

Kimchi Pancake

I’m mad about kimchi pancakes and these were definitely not an exception. What’s not to like about a fluffy pancake with crispy golden edges, with all its tangy and slightly spicy glory. Dipping these in a simple soy and vinegar sauce, we watched as they disappeared like magic.

Corn Cheese

We also spoilt our tastebuds (waitsline not so much) with a bubbling plate of Corn Cheese. Sweet corn kernels concealed in a creamy concoction of all things naughty - mayo, butter and sugar. And of course, roofed with extra melty mozzarella cheese.

I've been to K-Tarng multiple times now and have enjoyed each visit - it's just so easy. Come here on cold wintery nights for those extra calories to keep you warm and fuzzy.

K-Tarng

45 Koornang Road  

Carnegie, VIC 3163

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Shyun Ramen Bar

Carnegie has always been one of my favourite places to dine at, and boy has Carnegie changed over the years. What started off as a quiet suburb with just a handful of family restaurants has now exploded into one of the hottest foodie destinations in Melbourne. You've got your old time favourites Kuala Lumpur, Paradai Thai and Kimchi Grandma, the newer kids to the block like Shyun, Mrs Kims Grill and Spilt Milk and with the likes of Pho66 and Petaling Street opening shop in the next few months. 

It was just two weeks ago that Carnegie said "Irrashaimase" to Shyun Ramen Bar, the newest addition to Melbourne's ramen scene. And it hasn't taken long for locals and Shyun devotees to find their way to Shyun Ramen Bar, just down the road from sister restaurant Shyun - myself included. Cold weather demands comfort food. 

Upon walking, you'll realise just how small the ramen bar is - seating up to 24 remen-goers or perhaps 30 if you really want to push it. It's a casual and simple space - open kitchen, wooden tables, black metal stools and a self-service ordering system. 

Tori-gara

Titled Chef's Pick, the Tori-gara had to be ordered. The broth was golden, thick and robust in chicken flavour. Just a sip of this broth told stories of the countless hours it simmered over the stove. The rich broth enveloped perfect bouncy and chewy noodles, two slices of fatty chashu, an overcooked egg and your usual trimmings. 

Tonkotsu 

The tonkotsu broth, also boiled over hours, was a wonderfully rich and creamy consistency. In comparison to the Tori-gara, though the broth had a lot of depth to it, we found the complexity of the flavours did not quite hit the same notes. 

Takoyaki

Of course, we also ordered a serving of their Takoyaki. Complete with dancing bonito flakes, these were extremely satisfying with its crisp exterior and lovely creamy texture inside. Check out that octopus tentacle ! Clearly a winning dish, I'd have to say these are one of the best ones I've had in Melbourne.

Overall, our speedy meal at Shyun Ramen Bar was a great winter warmer. Portions here may be small for some, but the quality is there. I must add though, my main gripe is how small the space is - with hungry queuers hawk eyeing you as you eat, and the countless times I was bumped or asked to get up mid-eating so that people could get out/get in, it isn't the most comfortable place to be.

If you're in the area, do go and try if you're feeling like a quick meal, but do not expect to stay for more than 30 minutes.

Shyun Ramen Bar

73 Koornang Road 

Carnegie VIC 3163

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Lu's BBQ

I miss Shanghai. I miss the people, the tall buildings, the freedom, the crazy antics and the convenience of just about everything. But most of all, I miss the food - specifically the lamb skewers (羊肉串) just a minute away from where I stayed. And so when I set foot into Lu’s BBQ handily located on Koornang Road, I could hardly contain myself. 

Lamb Skewers (羊肉串)

You must order the lamb skewers here. Cooked on long metal skewers, each skewer of lamb is pierced with juicy pieces of lamb, with just enough fat to melt-in-your-mouth and intensify the flavour and texture. Dusted in fragrant cumin and it's sister spices, these are dangerously addictive. With over 20 lamb skewers, yeah - you could say I am quite fond of them.

Cucumber Salad & Seaweed Salad

To accompany our lamb skewers, we also ordered a serving of cucumber salad and a seaweed salad. We interspersed between these two crunchy yet soothing salads between bites of mind-blowinging tasty lamb.

Lu's BBQ - you are absolutely amazing. That is all.

Lu's BBQ
49 Koornang Road
Carnegie, VIC

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Paradai Thai 2

Paradai Thai 1, Paradai Thai 2 and Paradai Thai 3. Clearly, Paradai Thai know that they've gotten it very right. Three successful restaurants serves as good proof. So, with 3 siblings to choose from, who did we decide to visit? Middle child, Paradai Thai 2 of course. See, the middle child is not always neglected.

 

Yum Neau

This was a zesty and spicy salad that was a feast of flavours and textures. Wonderfully fresh, the majority of the grilled beef strips were tender and full of flavour and heat with each bite - ramped up by a lashing of fish sauce, lime juice and chilli. 

Penang Curry Beef

While I was enjoying the Yum Neau salad, C tucked into the Penang Curry. While this red coconut curry was very sweet, it also maintained a subtle and pleasant warmth of spiciness. A swirl around found us cashew nuts, capsicum strips, springs of lime leaves and basil among the strips of beef. This was great great for drowning our rice in.

Gang Keow Warn Chicken

The other curry we had ordered was the green curry with chicken. Again, we found this dish to be on the sweeter side, which may have been due to the addition of pumpkin that was included, and did not have enough spice to counter it. I tend to like my curries more on the savoury and spicy side, but it was still a tasty curry.

Pad Thai Chicken

The last dish was our Pad Thai. It really isn't Thai without Pad Thai. The noodles were perfectly chewy, bouncy and had a satisfying lick of fire from the wok. Tossed with tender chunks of chicken, fried tofu cubes, egg, bean shoots, spring onions and finished with roasted peanuts, these noodles were finished in a flash. 

For a long time, Paradai Thai 2 has seemed to have captures the hearts of the locals. Dishes are extremely generous in size, priced very reasonably and is sure to satisfy your appeTHAIte. Your wallet won't know what hit it.

Paradai Thai 2

62 Koornang Road 
Carnegie, VIC

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Mrs Kim's Grill

​Mrs Kim's Korean BBQ is a family owned business that has been delivering delicious meats marinated in their well-kept secret recipe for over 15 years.  It was only natural that the next step was taken, which led to the opening of Mrs Kim's Grill. Located amongst the plethora of other Korean restaurants in Carnegie​, Mrs Kim's has come in with a bang and is sizzling hot.

​Moo, Oink Baa & Cluck Cluck are the sets to choose from. Designed to cater for two people​, these sets are a brilliant way to sample a variety of their food without having to think too much.  All sets come with your selected meat, spring onion salad, kimchi, pickled onions, a choice of salad, soup of the day, butter and garlic potatoes & corn, and steamed rice. 

​For a family of five, we decided to order three different sets to cover all bases - Moo, Oink and Baa.

Spring Onion Salad

 Smoked Salmon & Onion Salad

Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Soup of the Day

Whilst waiting for our meats to arrive, we dug into the side dishes to settle our rumbling stomachs. There was the mandatory kimchi, which was fresh and crunchy but lacking in flavour and spice. There were also the unexpected, Westernised salads - a smoked salmon, onion, rocket and caper salad & tomato and avocado salsa which were a refreshing change from the usual suspects. Alternating on the various salads, we also enjoyed mouthfuls of the soup of the day.

Baa Set 

Soy Lamb Ribs 700g

The soy lamb ribs were sweet and succulent. In between chatting with us, the owner, Joanne also did an excellent job in cooking and serving the lamb . It was perfectly charred on the outside, yet still had that slightly-pink centre. My brothers thoroughly enjoyed gnawing on the lamb ribs, with no signs of wastage anywhere ! 

Moo Set

Famous Marinated Galbi Beef Ribs 350g & Skirt Steak 150g

We greatly appreciated the meats coming out progressively. This forced us to pace ourselves and allowed us to enjoy the flavours of each cut separately. Galbi is obligatory when my brothers are around. There is just something so satisfying about beef ribs, and Mrs Kim's were top notch.

 

 Butter and Garlic Potatoes & Corn

Oink Set

Chilli Pork Belly 250g & Pork Skirt Fillet 150g

Dad was a little hesitant when we ordered the Oink Set, though was singing praise at the moment he sunk his teeth into a piece of crispy chilli pork belly. Who could say no to pork belly anyway ? The smell, the sight, the sounds of pork belly sizzling away was saliva-inducing. The tangles of spring onion were sharp, fresh and welcomed between mouthfuls of rice and pork belly. Fortunately for my brothers, the chilli was on the down-low, though not so fortunately for me. I would have enjoyed a bit more kick in the dishes, but you can't please everyone.

Coupled with great food, Joanne and her team were enthusiastic and friendly. Having only opened for a few weeks, they have already built a loyal following of customers who dine there at least three times a week, and I can easily see why. With three previous unsuccessful Korean BBQs in that exact spot, the curse has finally been broken. Mrs Kim's Grill, you're on fire. 

Mrs Kim's Grill

136 Koornang Road 
Carnegie, VIC

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Platform 3

It was a Saturday afternoon, and Platform 3 was exactly where everyone wanted to be. Away from the harsh winds, we were very lucky to get a table inside.

I was kindly invited by the owner, Tyler to try out the food at Platform 3  – a café and tapas bar nestled on the other side of the train tracks in Carnegie. The decor is modern, stylish and also included a beautiful centre piece on the communal table. With music playing softly in the background, coffee in the air, the vibe inside was very laid back and exactly what I wanted for a lazy Saturday.

Slow cooked BBQ pulled pork

By now, you would have probably realised that I'm obsessed with pulled pork. On the menu ? I will have to have it. I cannot help it, nor do I want to. In saying that, I was plesantly surprised to find pulled pork at Platform 3, and was ecstatic to see it pop up in the menu. Their slow cooked pulled pork on a large brioche was served lavishly, above fresh salad and creamy mayo. Coleslaw and pickles also supported this boutniful lunch. 

Spanish Smash Avocado with Poached eggs

It was great to see that for the smashed avo lovers, we had three options - Feta, Chilli or Spanish. And given the choice, we decided to go for something a little different from my usual feta infused avocado smash. Atop toasted ciabatta was an abundant amount of smashed avocado with onion and tomato, with a pair of perfectly poached eggs oozing yolky goodness. 

Platform 3 was an easy spot to eat, drink, chill out and leave the world behind for a bit. Food was fresh, delicious, and stood out in Carnegie (the pulled pork !!). Tyler and the incredibly friendly waitresses armed with great big smiles were all attentive and helpful throughout the whole afternoon. It was particularly lovely to see Tyler on site, engaging and stopping for a friendly chat and chuckle with customers. A passionate foodie owner himself, Tyler has certainly found the perfect combination in putting his love for food and career hand in hand. 

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Platform 3.

Platform 3

5/23 Koornang Rd 
Carnegie

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Spilt Milk

Welcome to Carnegie's very own Spilt Milk. A newcomer to Carnegie, Spilt Milk has certainly made an impression with the locals. And not just the locals have they got tied around their little finger, having made a name for themselves in The Age Good Cafe Guide 2013, Spilt Milk is attracting coffee enthusiasts far and wide.

Rosella

For me, I chose the Rosella - a chicken salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, walnuts, croutons, and cranberries drizzled in honey, with a side of spiced aioli. All of which were attending a party in my mouth. In just one mouthful, there was a wonderful play in taste and texture, from the buttery walnuts, sweet cranberries to the creamy spicy aioli. However, one thing I did notice was that the salad leaves were a little bruised. No doubt that they were fresh, I assume the chef was just a little rough when handling these delicate greens. Nonetheless, a very impressive salad !

Toucan

When I think of toucans, I think of brightly marked colourful bills. And here, we see Spilt Milk translate those characteristics of a toucan to this dish. Vibrant colours of red juicy tomato, freshly picked green basil,  a spread of earth green nutty avocado, and buffalo mozzarella on rye toast with reduced vinegarette and olive oil. 

With such personal friendly service, affordable pricing and amazing coffees,  Spilt Milk is now my definite go to for caffeine hits.  Here, there is definitely no crying over spilt milk.


Spilt Milk
288 Neerim Road 
Carnegie

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