Third Wave

When it comes to brunch options, there are plenty of fish in the sea. But an American BBQ and Russian inspired menu ? 
Third Wave, I'm already there.

White Chocolate Mocha & Skinny Flat White

A was delighted to hear that they served White Chocolate Mochas. However it was to her disappointment to find that there was orange zest sprinkled on top. This would have made a lovely fruity kick for those that enjoy a jazzed up mocha, but A wasn't the biggest fan. 

Reuben Sandwich

A thick mix of layers of slow smoked beef brisket, tangy coleslaw and pickles slathered in homemade zesty BBQ sauce was all held together by melty Swiss cheese. ​Greg explained that the beef's tenderness was achieved by smoking it for 8-10 hours using hickory wood.​ Squished in between two slices of toasted rye - it was saucy, messy and full of flavour. The way it should be. With their own Third Wave twist on the famous sandwich, it is not your everyday Reuben Sandwich.

Gourmet Burger

A feta and sun-dried tomato infused porterhouse patty was supported well with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and creamy basil mayo between a divine brioche bun.  A massively sized burger which both A and I very unladylike-ly chomped on. We did however find the patty to be on the leaner side, which meant it was not as moist and juicy as we would have liked it. 

Blintzes - Meat, Mushroom and Cheese

On top of everything, Greg was also kind enough to bring out a Russian dish for us to sample. He explained that there was nothing more Russian than blintzes, which can be sweet or savoury. The one that caught my attention was the Cheese Blintz - a creamy cottage cheese and cinnamon filling wrapped within a lightly toasted blintz. Matched with sour cream and blueberry jam, the Cheese Blintz was a nice way to wrap up our meal.  

Having only opened for six weeks, Third Wave is no doubt a great addition to Prahran. There is plenty of good happening, with just a couple of hiccups here and there. With such an interesting menu that draws inspiration from both American BBQ and Russian dishes, I'm sure Third Wave will be making splashes in no time.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Third Wave.

Third Wave 
30 Cato Street
Prahran, VIC

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Brother Baba Budan

Brother Baba Budan really needs no introduction from me. With coffee beans roasted by Seven Seeds, the focus here is purely on coffee. If you're lucky, you can nab a seat under the crazy collection of wooden chairs and soak up the atmosphere of Melbourne's coffee scene. Despite having your coffee in or on the go, you can always count on BBB to satisfy your deepest caffeine cravings.

Eat, Sleep, Drink Coffee, Repeat.

Brother Baba Budan

359 Little Bourke St 
Melbourne, VIC

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Little Tommy Tucker

Little Tommy Tucker is just one of those places that you want to spend all morning and afternoon at. With blissful rays of sun rays lighting up the entire room, it is truly a lovely space. The interior is adorned in blonde wood, beautiful flowers, soft tones and a beautiful flow. A perfect place for a perfect pair of friends.

Skinny Flat White

Soy Mocha

Organic Chicken Schnitzel, Fennel & Apple Slaw

The chicken schnitzel came out fresh from the pan and was piping hot. Moist, juicy and encased in a terrific golden crispy crust. The bright creamy slaw was made up of cabbage, fennel and sweetly tart Granny Smith apples that provided a great crunch. Simply done, well done. Oh, apple slaw how I adore you.

Located in the bustling shopping street of Centre Road, Bentleigh - this place definitely stands out from your usual Benners fare. An easily loved cafe for either a coffee or a bite to eat. I know I'm more than willing to sing for my supper at Little Tommy Tucker.

Little Tommy Tucker

432 Centre Road 
Bentleigh, VIC

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Coin Laundry

Nestled in the leafy suburb of Armadale, Coin Laundry is a bright and clean space conveniently located across the street from Armadale Station.  Cute decor, enjoyable food and tempting coffees - there is certainly a real buzz about the place.

Skinny Flat White

Of course, coffee could not be skipped. My Flat White was gratifying and was definitely a great pick-me-up.

Soy Latte

Wagyu Beef Burger

Feeling carnivorous, I welcomed the monstrous Wagyu Beef Burger with open arms. The aromas wafting from the herbed french fries alone were sensational. The Japanese inspired burger was a perfect affair of wagyu beef, BLT, egg and wasabi infused kewpie mayo. The wagyu beef patty was succulent and juicy to the point that it disintegrated in my mouth. The yolk seductively trickled into the crevices of the patty. Let's not forget the crispy rashers of bacon.  I hate myself for only getting through half of this.

Moroccan Grilled Chicken Salad

In complete contrast, T ordered a salad consisting of Moroccan grilled chicken, mixed lettuce with fresh tomato, cucumber and onion dressed in a creamy lime yoghurt. Putting me to shame, T finished up each and every bite of her dish.

There was nothing I could really fault here. The food and drinks were amazing, and the service was squeaky clean. Though, do expect to wait a good 30 minutes to nab yourself a seat on the weekend. Coin Laundry is really the place to be seen.

Coin Laundry

61 Armadale St 
Armadale, VIC

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The Grain Store

Located on the quieter side of Flinders Lane is the talk of the town, The Grain Store. Though, there is absolutely nothing shy or muted here. The interior fit out is a lovely airy space that cover both good looks and functionality in mind. The menu is bold, loud and filled with tempting dishes that were plated up as pieces of art. A wonderful spot to meet my favourite girls from work to do what we do best. Eat, eat and eat.

Coffee beans are supplied by the big dogs here - St Ali and Axil Coffee Roasters. The Grain Store brewed up an excellent skinny flat white. My caffeine dosage for the day was the Champion House Blend (50% Costa Rica and 50% Mexico), which really hit the spot.

House Fries

The chunky cut chips were crispy and golden on the outside, a soft and fluffy interior, and was great with the spicy aioli.

Chilli & Fennel Sausage

Whilst I'm not the biggest fan of sausages, there was something very alluring about this dish that pulled me in. An explosive chilli and fennel sausage laid next to a bed of herbed earthy winter vegetables, savoy cabbage and a pair of perfectly poached eggs. The sausage was accompanied by a pear and cumquat chutney which was sharp, sweet and tart. Interesting flavours, although I found it too acidic and bitter for my liking.

Bacon Steak & Smoked Jalapeno Cheese Croquette 

JJ went for the thick cut bacon steak with smokey jalapeno infused cheese croquettes, a sunny side up egg, savoy cabbage, a trail of pea salsa, whipped goat’s feta and apple balsamic which were all well received.

Grilled Asparagus & House Smoked Salmon

Seeing D's dish really gave me food envy. Grilled asparagus, house smoked salmon, poached egg, goats curd, blood orange, watercress and finished with sprinklings of crispy quinoa. Aside from the goats curd that she forgot to ask to be omitted, D commented that everything was scrumptious.

Though we found ourselves having to lean across the table to make ourselves heard, there is nothing quite like going out with good company for a weekend brunch. To catch up on the latest gossip, enjoy a good chat and really spend some time to get to know each other. Good food brings people together.

The Grain Store
517 Flinders Lane 
Melbourne, 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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Ramen Ya

Some people take their ramen very seriously. Aside from your traditional ramen, think instant ramen, ramen burgers, ramen pizzas, ramen salad and pretty much ramen-everything. There's even a museum dedicated to ramen. For now, I'm happy with the classic deep bowls of broth, filled with oodles of noodles and fun. 

Nestled in the maze of Melbourne's GPO, you will find Ramen Ya - voted one of Melbounians' most loved ramen cafes.  Let's put them to the test, shall we ?

Chasu Ramen

Tsukune Ramen

Their specialty tonkotsu broth was rich, hearty and ​full of flavour - ground up pork bones slow cooked for hours and hours. The round bowls were swimming with bouncy noodles, and garnished with tender fatty chasu/tsukune (minced chicken), kamaboko swirls, bamboo shoots, pickled mustard greens & ginger, chopped spring onion and salty sheets of seaweed. Unfortunately for me, the egg was hard boiled and there was none of that gooey-goodness.  

Ramen Ya served up a mean bowl of ramen. Though they certainly hit the spot, I really did want that gooey creamy egg.  The best ? I can't say for sure.

Ramen Ya

Shop 25G Melbourne GPO 

350 Bourke St, Melbourne

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Operator25

Hello, this is Operator25, how may I take your order ? 

Now that spring has sprung, the warmer months of the year brings happy days exploring the lovely city of Melbourne and even more reason for brunching sessions. So I was pleased to be able to tick off Operator25 off my never-ending wishlist when A and I were invited to have a meal with them.

Devised by head chefs Valerie and Felipe, the menu is not shy to diversify from the everyday staples. The traditional options of Eggs Benedict and Big Breakfasts are present, but look a little further and you will find that they are not so ordinary - but brimming creativity and uniqueness. With so many drool worthy dishes on offer I happily welcomed Valerie to call the shots.

Skinny Flat White 

Let's start with the caffeine first though, food later. You know the drill. Operator25 uses Code Black coffee beans to please the masses. Switching it up every season, spring served up a seasonal blend of 50% Kenya Wakulima and 50% Guatemala El Pilar. My Skinny Flat White was sweet, smooth, silky and thoroughly enjoyed.

White Chocolate Mocha

A, not the biggest fan on coffee went half way. Luckily for her, a White Chocolate Mocha was on the specials board and was exactly what she was looking for. Creamy, rich and full of white chocolatey goodness.

Cold Smoked Tasmanian Salmon

The first dish that was brought out was bright, clean, and delicious. Such vibrant presentation ! The cold smoked Tasmanian salmon, beautiful and fresh, with a lovely texture was accented with a citrusy lemon crème fraiche. Other details of the dish included crouton reminiscent rye toast, tangy piccalilli, peppery watercress and addictive crispy lilliput capers. Though this dish was on the smaller side, it was definitely made up with big flavours.

House Suckling Pig Burger

Making its way to our table, the House Suckling Pig Burger stirred a Mexican wave. I can obviously see how this burger has been donned the "people's choice" since the opening of Operator25. A rich buttery brioche bun supported mouth-watering Balinese marinated pork, savoy cabbage, chilli mayo and coriander. The pork was fall-apart tender in a delicious marinade bursting with exotic lemongrass and other various spices. The savoy cabbage and coriander paired nicely which added freshness and rounded off the burger. Chuck in super crunchy sweet potato fries and pork crackling, and oh man was this dish magical.

Food and drinks were enjoyable and well executed. The company was lovely. The service was friendly and hospitable. What more could you possible ask for ? Connect me with Operator25 any day.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Operator25.

Operator25 
25 Wills Street 
Melbourne, VIC

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