Category: Melbourne

{Quick & Easy} Breakfast

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Ever woke up in the morning and just feel like something quick and yummy for breakfast? Boy do I have a quick fix for you! Something naughty and nice (or good, but nice sounds better haha) (:

Baked eggs! Bacon and eggs with a touch of cheese. haha Knowing me, it’s not really a touch. It’s more like an overdose of cheese. But well, that is entirely up to you! You can change the amount of cheese you want, and also change what you want in your baked eggs. And the nice (or good) part – avocado on toast! Wish I had some feta. Would be awesome! (: Anyways. Here is the recipe, hopefully you will get your quick fix at home this weekend!

Have a great weekend ahead everyone! xo

PS : I’ve got mixed reviews on the recipe cards, especially the last one I used. I’ve change the font and made it clearer (I hope!) so let me know if this is better! I will be mixing it around, and the recipe cards will only be used for short and quick recipes! (: Enjoy!

Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar

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I was really excited to head to Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar for a couple of reasons. One of which is that I was going for my very first bloggers meet up with Daisy and Julie! The other reason is that I’ve seen the gorgeous desserts that Daisy posted and just couldn’t wait till the end of meal to dive in to the desserts! When you want dessert, you can always count on Daisy cause she’s the dessert queen in my book! (:

So if you know me, you know that I’m definitely not considered as sociable. Comfort is what I thrive in. So meeting up with these awesome food bloggers, you can imagine how nervous I was! But it felt like we already knew each other for a long time. All my nervousness went away instantly the second we met! Which was great! hehe I was actually quite shocked when I arrived at Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar because it’s where Maze use to be. I actually didn’t know Maze was gone. Oops. Haven’t been to Crown for the longest time! That’s a real pity, loved the food at Maze. Anywho, back to the yums!

So we decided to order a starter each but share it and a main each. The starters were all really delicious. There wasn’t one that I didn’t like to be honest.

Cured kingfish, finger lime and smoked yogurt. Really refreshing and the kingfish was almost melt in your mouth. A good dish to start with!

Roasted scallop, wild rice and spice! The wild rice was puffed and crispy and added a really nice texture to the really well cooked scallops. I was very happy after having it. haha

I thought the kingfish and scallop was good. But let me tell you. This crispy little pig was AMAZING! There was one for each of us, and I just couldn’t bear to finish it. It was garnished with the crispiest crackling you can get! The only thing we didn’t really fancy was the round veg (we didn’t know what it was haha) that was pickled! But was a fantastic starter, a must have according to me!

I ordered the special of the day : ox cheek. I had to order it when I heard the specials of the week because the night before, Andy from Masterchef made ox cheek for the elimination challenge and it looks so good and I was craving for it the whole night! And it was no mistake! The ox cheek was full of flavour and it was pretty tender. It was accompanied by some chicken liver too and it was really creamy. Loved it!

Daisy chose the panfried snapper and it was really fresh! The skin was really crispy and the fish was really tender and well cooked. Definitely a good choice!

Julie couldn’t resist ordering the tri tip steak! It was tasty but unfortunately it was a little more towards medium-well than the medium that she asked for. So I think it just got a little dry towards the end of the meal.

So after our starter and main, Daisy asked if we could go sit by the dessert bar! And lucky us scored some seats which was really surprising on a Friday night! I was super excited as it would be my first time having the pastry chef plate our desserts in front of our eyes! WHOO! *jumps*

We dessert bar was superb. I just felt like I was back to being a kid again. You not only get to see the chef in action, you are facing a whole wall (or shelve rather) of sweets. Old school sweets.

Chef is plating Daisy’s dessert : White chocolate, mango, basil and coconut.

It’s a really unique dessert, and you’ll have to eat all the different components together. I had the individual parts on their own and their flavours are strong and punchy. But together, the different textures and all the flavours work well together. It was my first time having basil ice cream!

Next up, Julie’s ricotta cheesecake with yuzu, ginger, nuts and seeds.

This was actually my favourite of the day. I love yuzu. Can’t get enough of it. I would definitely head back with the mr and have this again. (:

I was really looking forward to having my dessert : praline souffle with jasmine and coco nib ice cream. My eyes lit up when the chef came up to us with the souffle standing mighty high and he cannelled the ice cream and just stuck it right in the middle. I couldn’t stop smiling.

The night definitely ended on a high when we were given complimentary salted chocolate truffle and salted chocolate milk!

Love the old school milk bottle and the straw! It was really thick and chocolatey. Just the way I like it. Really enjoyed the hit of salt with every bite of the truffle and every sip of the milk!

We were really spoilt that night and were given some old fashioned lollies that were on that magic wall of sweets we were facing.

It was a really great night with the girls, and we have decided to do a fortnightly meet up! It’s great cause we get to try new places together so it’s really exciting! (: So glad we could click and we love the same things! Can’t wait till our next meet up!

Oh yes! and I’m definitely returning back to Mr Hive’s Kitchen and Bar and this time bringing the hubs there cause I’m really sure he will enjoy everything they have to offer! (: Especially since he has developed a sweet tooth of late hehe

ps : if you got the entertainment book, it entitles you to 20% discount, so hurry grab your Entertainment book asap! (:

Cheesy Butter Prawns : A Family Project

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You must be wondering, how is this post a family project. Let me explain.

My whole family is quite hilarious. We set up a group chat on Whatsapp and named it “Super Group” (of course! haha) and have been chatting to each other ever since. The 6 of us are a funny bunch and we chat about everything and anything. We are close like that. (: But the main topic that we usually discuss is of course, FOOD! We are quite a foodie family, I must admit. We enjoy cooking and we definitely enjoy eating. haha

A recent topic has been this particular dish we had at Jumbo Seafood Restaurant when they had a branch at Serangoon Gardens Country Club a few years back. It’s a favourite among the kiddos in the family and we never fail to order them when we are dining there. And now it’s gone, and we have been craving for it since!

Have you ever tried to recreate a dish that you tried at a restaurant/cafe? This was a first for me. My mum did try once a few years back, but it didn’t turn out quite the same, though still yummy. This time, I read up on some recipes online and realise it was the type of cheese we used. We always thought that we have to use the fancy cheeses. Shredded tasty, mozzarella and was pretty close to getting the expensive gruyere  to give it the last shot. But thanks to Bee from Rasa Malaysia, I found out that what chinese restaurants use is actually the slice Kraft cheese! I couldn’t quite believe it. But if there’s someone I would trust, it’s definitely Bee! So I told my mum to try using the slice cheese and being the spontaneous people we are, she made it that very night the conversation took place! haha

I planned to cook it the next day, as Friday was seafood day. Mum gave me feedback the night she cooked it, and told me that using slice Kraft cheese was perfect! It worked out well and tasted very close to the once we had at Jumbo! I got really excited. Couldn’t wait to try it!

Cheesy Butter Prawns (Adapted from Rasa Malaysia)

500g prawns, leave shells on

30g salted butter

1/4 large onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

75ml thickened cream

50ml milk

4 slices Kraft cheese

3 heap tsp of corn starch, to coat the prawns before deep frying

vegetable oil, for deep frying the prawns

salt and ground white pepper to season

coriander, for garnish

Steps : 

1) Prepare the prawns, take the heads off and keep it for other use. Carefully slice the prawn into half, length wise, keeping the shell intact and devein. Put the corn starch and coat the prawns well. Deep fry the prawns in very hot oil until the prawns are crispy and the shells have turned orangey-red. Drain and set aside.

2) Heat up a non-stick pan and add the butter. Add the garlic and onion, frying till fragrant. Careful not to burn the garlic, as it will leave a bitter after taste. Pour the thickened cream and milk into the pan, bringing it to boil. Add the prawns and lay the cheese slices on top of the prawns. Cover the pan, leaving the heat on high, and let it simmer for a few minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, just add a bit more milk, a tablespoon at a time.

3) Take the lid off and stir to combine the cheese well with the prawns. Season with salt and ground white pepper. Dish out and garnish with coriander.

Serve and eat immediately with steamed jasmine rice! ENJOY!

The good thing about leaving the shell on is that it retains more of the cheese sauce which is really delicious and it’s so crispy you can just devour the whole thing! (: Well the mr and I sure did! I foresee us cooking this dish very often from now. haha Think I got to lift more weights to burn those calories off! Luckily, I’ve got a husband who is a Personal Trainer! *phew*

I declare our first family project a success! (:

Brunch Sunday : Chez Dre

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South Melbourne is a gem. Its filled with good food, desserts and you can get almost anything you want or need from there. One of the reasons why I love weekends is because I get to spend time with the mr and do what we love. Eat and explore more of Melbourne together (:

Chez Dre

Add : 287 Coventry Street (Rear), South Melbourne, Vic

Tel : 03 96902688

It’s not my first time here at this amazing cafe. The first time I was introduced to this amazing place because of the desserts they offer. They have to ability to draw you in and just go “WAH!” You then want to buy everything that is on display. haha

I wasn’t joking was I? Don’t you just want to buy everything and try them? hehe I had to resist and bought 4 back this time. And they were all delicious! The chocolate tart is the Mr’s favourite, the hazelnut praline crunch was mine! We also had the salted caramel eclair and the pistachio & fig cake (can’t quite remember the exact name! Sorry!) They were all delicious! Want to head back and try the rest! (:

Well. We weren’t there for only the sweets. Our initial plan was to head there for brunch! hehe So we did!

As Chez Dre doesn’t have chai, I ordered a cappuccino instead. I do love a cup of coffee once in a while though I’m usually a chai/tea kind of girl. hehe But their coffee was really good and topping it with the cocoa powder was perfect!

The Mr had his usual latte. I’m always intrigued by the way the baristas draw the art with the milk and froth. It’s really a talent. Been wanting to do the coffee barista course but never got around to doing it. haha

This was the black pudding, caramelised onion and tomato chutney omelet that the mr ordered and it was DE-LI-CIOUS! I knew it was what the Mr was going to order as it had black pudding in it and the mr loves black pudding! hehe Was a really good choice though!

I, on the other hand, have an obsession with corn fritters. And lucky me went on the day that had corn fritters as a breakfast special! hehe So of course, I had to order the special. It came with a poached egg, avocado and a capsicum salsa. It was yummy but the corn fritter was a little more like a pancake and could do with a bit more corn. Everything complimented each other though! So was still delicious and I was very happy! hehe

The egg was poached perfectly and the runny yolk just acted as the sauce for the fritters! I was like a kid receiving candy when I cut into the egg and the yolk just flowed out. NOMS! Couldn’t stop smiling hehe

I have to admit, the portion size is smaller than the other places we’ve had brunch at, but the food was pretty good and everything was cooked perfectly. So we couldn’t really ask for more (although we would love more haha). We will definitely be back to Chez Dre, if not for the food, then for their amazing desserts! (:

What is your favourite dessert from Chez Dre? Would love to know!

Yum Cha Addiction

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I don’t think I can ever have enough yum cha. I could have it every single day. It’s something I have quite often with my family when I’m back for my break. Yes, we are a family of foodies! hehe

But because it’s a tad expensive here, we restrict it to once a few months. So I treasure these yum cha days even more! Fun fact : Back home, we actually call it dim sum! Never called it yum cha till I got here. hehe But I am always very happy and excited when the mr and I have planned a yum cha brunch!

We usually only go to one place for yum cha but recently got introduced to a new place by Daisy after seeing her instagram photos of the food there. I couldn’t be more excited to give it a try! Can you tell from the grin on my face? haha I think I was a bit too happy that day. and cold!

Wealth Garden

Add : 866 Doncaster Road, Doncaster East, Vic 3109

Tel : 0398407611

Thank goodness the Mr has the same favourite cuisines as I do, so we could both enjoy our food together. To me, there’s nothing worse than being forced to have something you don’t like! Besides, food tastes more delicious when you have it with the person you love! (: Don’t you agree? In fact, the mr loves almost everything at yum cha so we could order everything I liked! hehe I was doing the happy dance inside.

This is a family favourite : fried chinese dough fritter wrapped in cheong fan (rice noodle roll). These were amazing! The cheong fan was so smooth and thin together with the crispy dough fritters, it’s a perfect pairing! It comes with a sweet sauce that you can go with. What I liked about the ones they serve here is they have vegetables (kai lan) wrapped in the cheong fan as well! Makes me feel less guilty when having it. haha

this is one of my absolute favourite dish at yum cha – char siew sou (bbq pork pastry). The pastry was really flaky and the filling was thick and every bite was filled with bbq pork. DELICIOUS!

Fried prawn wantons. Jammed packed with fresh prawns, this is served with a saucer of mayo. Just after these 3 dishes, we couldn’t stop smiling and saying “this is SO GOOD!” haha. Just thinking back, I can remember our eyes lighting up with every bite of the food. NOMS.

Now, this was the king of all dishes. haha In fact, this was the dish that made me ask Daisy for the place she was at! Steamed white radish cake. You can’t really find this anywhere else. The first time I had it was at Kam Boat in Singapore. Usually, its cute into large rectangular pieces and panfried till it’s crispy. The first time I had the steamed version I was a little reluctant and questioned if it would be as nice as the panfried ones. I was proven wrong with my first spoonful! hehe Amazing stuff!

The glutinous rice was really yum as well! I am sure my mum would love this!

 of course, yum cha would not be complete if we don’t have the usuals. They were all really yummy, but they just don’t stand out after having the others. Don’t get me wrong, they were still really good. Especially the siew mai. It was really tasty and generously filled. Having just one would fill you right up!

The century egg porridge was sadly the least of my favourite that day. It was just a little too blend and nothing really special. But I guess once you’ve had porridge from Crystal Jade then it’s quite difficult to find anything better!

Chicken feet is definitely considered a delicacy cause not every one would like it. The hubs is a big fan and couldn’t resist ordering this although we were already quite stuffed! hah But it was a really generous portion and I could only have a maximum of 2. haha So the poor mr had to finish it on his own! Oppsy!

So it’s time for the desserts. Yum cha cannot be considered complete without ordering egg tarts!

Another food blogger, Liz, also saw that I was at Wealth Garden and highly recommended the po lo bun (pineapple bun)! So we had to give it a try! I was surprised that it was filled!

They were filled with a sweet pineapple paste and also had pineapple chunks in them! I was surprised because in Singapore, I usually get the unfilled ones and have a slice of salted butter with it. It’s what my mum and I would usually have when we are having tea at Crystal Jade! hehe

Okay, feel a bit home sick after a post about yum cha 😦

Thank you for driving me all the way here to try this place! (: I think it has become our favourite yum cha place!

PS : Thanks Daisy for the recommendation and Liz too! (:

PPS : Do call in advance to make reservations, as this place fills up really quickly from the time it opens for business! 

Dessert Story

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There’s alot of buzz about Hong Kong desserts in Melbourne of late. And I can never get enough of it! The Mr and I were at Glen Waverley for dinner one night, and we chanced upon it while roaming around the area. We are relatively new to the area, and wasn’t too sure what we could find there. And we found a place to satisfy our sugar cravings!

Dessert Story

Add : 72 Kingsway, Glen Waverley Vic 3150 

Tel : 03 95618884

When we got there, it was super packed and we the last couple of seats available. Thankfully we were a few minutes earlier, because after us was a line of people wanting to get seats! They had outdoor seats, but it was far too cold to sit outside.

The menu was extensive and there were really heaps to choose from, both hot and cold. We were definitely craving (and needing) something hot so we chose a dessert each! Trust me, it wasn’t easy narrowing down our choices because we just wanted to order everything haha. There were some interesting combinations too! Some of which we never heard or seen before.

I ordered the soya beancurd with black sesame paste. It kinda killed two birds with one stone and satisfied my cravings for both desserts. I was a little worried about the combination cause I never heard of it before. It’s usually sold separately back in Singapore. But I decided to give it a shot anyways and no regrets there! The black sesame paste was really fragrant, thick and smooth and not overly sweet. The beancurd was really smooth as well and just melts in your mouth. I do recommend it if you are a fan of black sesame!

The Mr ordered the tang yuan (汤圆) which are glutinous rice balls in a sweet pandan broth/soup. These are filled with peanut and black sesame. Yes, haha we do like black sesame alot. Plus it’s good for you! (:

It was a good balance between the sweetness of the glutinous rice ball and the sweet soup. Makes me miss those I usually get from China Town Food Street and they sell their glutinous rice ball in a peanut sweet soup! Noms!

I have to admit. If I were given a choice between the peanut and the black sesame, I am more inclined to choose the black sesame. It’s funny how my taste buds have changed through the years. I use to only have the peanut ones, but now I will only order the black sesame ones. hehe Although they are both delicious!

We will definitely be heading back to try the other desserts on the menu! They have desserts from both Hong Kong and Taiwan! Can’t wait to try the shaved ice to see if they are like the ones we had in Taiwan! (:

So what are the kind of asian dessert you enjoy? Would love to know if you have a favourite place in Melbourne to have them so I could pop them in my “to-go” list! 

Private Dining Room With Manu Feildel

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I’ve always been pampered by the Mr. He is the person who know what would make me happy and he got me the perfect birthday present. My birthday was spent in New Zealand with the family and that itself was awesome. That night, he passed me his phone and ask me to take a look. I didn’t know what he was trying to do, but seeing his smile, I knew it was definitely something good. (: And boy was I right!

The Private Dining Room with Manu Feildel at the MElbourne Good Food & Wine Show! (: I was smiling non-stop as I am a big fan of Manu especially after watching MKR. There something about his French accent that makes you smile. haha And him saying “Bon Appetit!”

It was just a small group of us and we were waiting outside these big black curtains. The wait staff come out with glasses of champagne and I have to say, that was a perfect start to an awesome meal. (:

To my Mr : Thank you so much for this absolutely amazing generous and thoughtful gift! I couldn’t ask for more. I’m truly blessed to have you in my life (: I love you!

Isn’t this the prettiest table setting you’ve seen? Incredible.

Before every meal, a representative from Dan Murphy’s would explain the wine that would go perfectly with each of our courses. I have to say, his role wasn’t small as well. We were all there for the food, but it’s really important to have good wine to go with the yummy food. So kuddos to him for his recommendations!

The yummy menu for the afternoon! Was my first time having chilled soup! Have to admit, I was a bit hesitant when I saw the menu, but I had no doubt it would be delicious.

Chilled pea soup with crab salad & black olive oil. Really delicate flavours and surprisingly being not a fan of peas, I really liked the taste! Was really refreshing as well. Made me want to just pick the bowl of soup up and slurp it rudely. haha But of course, I resisted. Best thing about it? You could have them with prawn instead of crab or in Manu’s words “Lobster if you’re feeling rich!” hehe He was humorous the whole time, was great to know how friendly he is with everyone (:

 Roast duck with spiced honey glaze. There just something about the combination of sweet and savoury in a dish. The caramelised skin of the duck and the caramelised carrots were just delicious! Though I preferred the fats on my skin a bit more rendered. But it was still delicious! Like MKR and the emphasis with the sauce, there were some guests that asked for more and Manu came around personally with the pot of yumminess and poured more on every plate. NOMS!

Chocolate and hazelnut mousse. Decadence in a glass. Pure indulgence. It was a really rice dessert, and the mr had to finish 1/3 of mine for me. But it was so good, really good. Every mouthful just felt like I had a mouthful of nutella. Smooth and creamy! But what topped the afternoon off was….

I was star struck and VERY happy! haha Was actually more in a shock but in a good kind of way (:

Thank you for the wonderful meal, Manu, and thank you again my dear husband for this awesome awesome birthday gift ! I think it’s gonna be difficult to beat for next year. hehe 😛

New Found Gem : Kang Na Roo Korean Restaurant

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I have something to confess : I’m a convert! Let me explain. I use to think that my favourite cuisine is Japanese food. Don’t get me wrong. I still love my sashimi and sushi. But of late, I’ve realised that I would actually rather have korean when given the choice! Just something about hot plates and hot pots that I am craving for all the time. (: And I have to admit, we’ve been a bit korean crazy lately. haha

We chanced up this small little restaurant when we were furnishing our new place and needed to get some materials. Traveling up and down to Bunnings Warehouse at Clayton and saw this restaurant, at the corner opposite Clayton train station, was still buzzing with patrons at 9pm on a weekday night! So we both decided it was a place we have to check this place out.

Of course, we decided to pop up on a Friday night at 7pm. PEAK HOUR ALERT! And waited, willingly and excitedly, for half an hour to get our seats. Standing at the doors was pure torture, only because we had to withstand the cold winds that was coming through the doors whenever customers were going in and out, and also smell the aromas from the food in front of us (and salivating non-stop because of it!). The restaurant was really cosy and everyone working there were koreans. We were excited, cause we knew we were going to get some authentic korean food.

Kang Na Roo

Address : 309-315 Clayton Road, Clayton Vic 3168

Tel : 03 95432842

I dunno about you, but I absolutely adore the small dishes that come just before the food comes. The top of my favourite list is the caramelised sweet potato! I could just have that all night, although my waist wouldn’t be too pleased about that. haha

We flipped through the menu and this hot pot dish caught our attention : Gamja Tang. It’s mild pork bone marrow stew with vegetables and potatoes. It was just the right amount of spice that we needed to warm our tummies up for the start of winter. The Mr was just happily slurping on the marrow and we finished everything in that pot.

What was special about this particular hotpot is that you could order a serve of special rice with vegetables that will come after you have finished 95% of the soup in the pot. Then one of the wait staff came to mix the rice into the hotpot and fry it on the spot! The Mr and I were just smiling non-stop cause we were so amused!

It looked simple but it tasted A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! With the flavours of the stew, it was a home run for us!

This, dear readers, was no ordinary fried chicken. It’s drizzled with a sweet chilli sauce that intrigues us. It’s almost like malt –  it’s super duper thick and sticky but not overly sweet when you taste it! We just couldn’t stop eating it even though our stomachs were starting to feel stuffed! The addition of peanuts and pine nuts just adds a bite to the dish. Just describing it now is making me hungry even though I just had dinner. haha

We could not be happier when we were done with our meal that night. Both the Mr and I had the widest smiles and the happiest bellies (: Definitely a place we will visit regularly from now, seeing that it’s about 5 mins drive away from our new place! (: And do know that you could call and book a table in advance so you won’t have to wait too long for a table!

So are you a japanese or korean food lover? Or are you a convert like me? Would love to know!

Miss Polly

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Sorry for my long absence in posts as the past month! It has been a really tiring but exciting time for both the mr and I and I do hope for your kind understanding and thank you for your continuous support of Food Made With Love! (:

You see, the mr and I bought our first place and been crazy busy with the packing-moving-unpacking-and-decorating process! Plus we had no internet for the first 3 weeks after moving in, but now that the internet is up, I am back and here to stay!

This is a photo of our dining and living room. (: Loving our sofa from Freedom! hehe But this post would be dedicated to food, after being MIA for so long! haha But I promise to share more photos of the new place in the post to come!

Miss Polly

Add : 26 Britannia Mall, Mitcham Vic 3132

Tel : 03 98738246

I’ve always considered myself very lucky cause I have a family who care and love me unconditionally and a husband who loves me and loves to give me surprises! (: He came home one Saturday from training his clients and told me to get dress cause he’s bringing me to brunch! When I asked where brunch was going to be, he refused to tell me and replied simply, “secret!” haha. Weekends (especially long ones) couldn’t get any better just spending time with him and enjoying what we love – FOOD!

Miss Polly is a small and cosy cafe tucked in a small lane in Mitcham. It’s apparently opposite what used to be Coles a few years back! I kinda overheard the conversation the owner was having with another couple the table next to us. haha. Their mother used to go to that Coles! Love a place with rich history (: Makes the place more unique!

I was super happy that the mr brought me here. I was crazy jealous when he went there on his own after sending his car in for a service. I saw his pictures on instagram and it was on my “to-go” list (which by the way is ever growing! haha). Lucky us took the last table available besides the communal table! Plus, everyone at the cafe was really friendly and nice! Straight away we ordered our choice of hot drinks, as it was super cold that morning!

Our drinks are pretty standard for brunch : chai soy latte for me, and a large cafe latte for the mr. It was my first time seeing a large latte served in a tall glass! And what’s better? They use the beans from Proud Mary! The Mr’s favourite coffee. hehe it was a win-win!

Thank you for surprising me with brunch ! (:

When I skimmed through the menu, the one thing that caught my eyes was the dish with corn fritters! Ever since I had corn fritters at Replete Providore, it’s something that I crave for brunch constantly! So when I saw it, I just had to order it. It’s called Something Salmon! What a cute name aye? It has alternate layers of corn fritters, smoked salmon and spinach leaves topped with a poached egg and delicious tangy tomato relish! How pretty does it look? It tasted as delicious!

Of course, I couldn’t finish it haha (nothing new there!) and the mr had to, once again, clean the plate up for me! hehe Even after having his order of Polly Big Breakfast! The breakfast platter includes scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, chorizo, a slice of bread and a side of tomato relish!

Loved how their scrambled eggs were still a little runny! The magical part of the dish was definitely the chorizos and the tomato relish. Really adds depth and flavour and also puts a smile on the mr’s face! hehe

Miss Polly is definitely a cafe we would frequent from now on. Good food, goof company and good service. It’s like a trio-winner-factor! Although it’s not exactly close to where we now live, but it’s near Box Hill, which means we can have brunch and then do marketing! hehe Well, distance will never be a barrier to us having our brunch! Don’t you agree? (:

So what do you like to order when you go for brunch? Would love to know your choices! Happy mid week everyone! Just 2 more days till the weekend again!

A Day of Two Brunches

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Brunch has been a weekend affair ever since I can remember. The Mr and I would try to explore different cafes on Sundays after church, especially if they are highly recommended. On some Sundays though, we rather head back to a place we know we would definitely love and enjoy. In fact, we went to 2 of our favourite places within 2 hours. Thank goodness for close proximity!

Proud Mary

172 Oxford Street, Collingwood Vic 3066

First stop : Proud Mary ! This definitely isn’t our first time at Proud Mary. The Mr and I came here on a weekly basis before we got married. But due to work commitments, we are only able to come once or twice a month. Not a bad thing though. Cause it makes us miss it alot more, and crave for their delicious brunch! As usual the queue was all the way to the road outside the cafe, so we had to put our names down on a waiting list. We were told it would be a 30 mins wait. So we decided to make a small detour and headed to our second stop : Monsieur Truffe (MT for short) that was just a few streets down to get ourselves our chocolate croissant fix!

Monsieur Truffe

90 Smith Street, Collingwood Vic 3066

When you enter MT, you are hit with the loveliest smell of butter pastry and cocoa. They make their own chocolates and you can purchase their bars as well! What got my attention was the huge chocolate rooster standing proudly on top of a cabinet of baked goods. We ordered a chocolate croissant each and had to head back to Proud Mary to wait for our seats!

This is what a croissant should be. Layers and layers of pastry. Crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside. With the addition of chocolate, PERFECT. The Mr just can’t get enough! (:

So about the time we got back from MT, our names were called and we got to our seats! Lucky ducks we were!

If you’ve never been to Proud Mary and you are a coffee lover. I URGE you to make a trip down as soon as possible. I usually am not a coffee drinker (chai is definitely my choice of beverage), but when I am there, I have to order their latte or cappuccino. Definitely one of the best coffees we’ve had! The baristas are super quick with the orders and professional, might I add. Proud Mary has so many different ways of brewing their coffee, I get so amazed!

Of course, it’s not just the coffees that are good here. The food is to-die-for! I didn’t really need to look at the menu. I knew what I wanted even before we got here. haha The Hash!

The potato hash was just heavenly. Every single bite was just more delightful than the one before. The saltiness of the bacon, the crispy bacon and the soft and runny poached egg. The hash was nice and crispy on the outside, but the unique thing about their hash is that you can see every strand of it. It’s not mush like others. Perfectly seasoned. YUM!

The Mr ordered the smoked herring. It was a new dish on the menu so he wanted to give it a try. And also because he didn’t want to end up ordering the same thing as me (oops). He also ordered a side of bacon (super generous portion) just cause he wanted some!

It came with a chutney, fried egg, salad and toast! Was pretty yummy, but we did prefer the smoke salmon they use to have! That was really good. hehe

After the 2 meals, you can imagine how full we were. But we were definitely very happy we had brunch there. (: So have you tried Proud Mary before dear readers? What was your favourite dish?

Till next time, have a lovely Easter everyone! xx