Ying Thai 2, Carlton

Yellow Curry with Crab Meat

Pad Grapow with Fried Egg 

Goay Teaw Moo

(Special pork noodle soup with minced pork, pork ball, fish ball, pork liver, bean sprouts)

Can't get enough of it

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking to have something that's cheap, fuss free but ultra tasty for lunch so I decided to head over to Ying Thai 2 on Lygon Street. This is a place that I haven't been for the longest time. I used to come here heaps when I was a student in uni for those very same reasons and man, did it hit the spot or what.

I noticed that they had undergone a renovation since uni days but am very relieved to say that the food was just as good as I remembered... Ahhh, the golden days of youth.

Ying Thai now have a new dish on their menu that wasn't there when I was at uni, which is the Yellow Curry with Crab Meat and it is DELICIOUS. Sweet, generous crab meat cooked in a seriously addictive yellow curry sauce. This dish is different but perfectly encapsulates what I like about the food here -- packed full of flavour. Plus, I just love crab meat that I don't have to shell myself (and there was heaps of it on the plate). Ying Thai makes the best coconut rice and it went down a treat with this dish. Highly recommend this dish.

Besides that, the Pad Grapow (stir fried mince with Thai basil) was as tasty as always. To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of stir fries (so boring) but this was an exception for me. The seasoning was subtly but lingering, delicious to eat. And this dish is just not complete without a serve of fried egg on the side, tis awesome.

Finally, most people are surprised when I tell them that one of my favourite dishes here is the mixed pork noodle soup. Even though Ying Thai is quite famous, this doesn't seem to be a dish that people would normally know of, let alone would order but I do enjoy it a lot. I've always been a fan of noodle soups (find it very comforting) when it's light, tasty and refreshing. That's why I would always take pho over a heavy laksa or ramen any day. This is the only place in Melbourne that serves pork noodle soup and it really does it for me. I absolutely love the variety of ingredients that's in there too, which makes each mouthful exciting and satisfying. This dish really does it for me and something I always order without fail. 

Anyway, I was very happy to revisit this place again. Ying Thai, to me, is like an old friend that you can always count on no matter what. There for you when you need them. Even if you go for years without seeing each other, feels like nothing's changed every time you catch up. Ok, am I talking about a Thai restaurant or an old flame? May or may not be sensationalising this too much. Time for me to stop.

Happy eating. 

 

Sezar, CBD

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. Winston received a voucher to dine at Sezar courtesy of Free Wines app

A seriously gorgeous bottle of wine to kickstart the evening, which you can get for FREE

All you need to do is download the Free-Wines app on your phone (download also available for free!)

Kataifi Wrapped Lamb Neck with Sesame Mayo -- $12

Bastourma & Egg -- $15

Armenian air dried beef, quail egg, toasted brioche & garlic jam

Spanner Crab Manti -- $16

Armenian dumplings, yoghurt soup & paprika butter

Molasses Glazed Pork -- $22

with roasted celeriac puree, grapes, walnut & purslane

Spiced Baby Chicken -- $32

with wheat berries, corn & lemon buttermilk

BBQ Wagyu Tenderloin -- $22

with garlic yoghurt & lavash

Mujadarra -- $9

braised lentils, rice & fried onions

First of all, let me just start by saying that this is not a hack. It does come as a real surprise (to myself at least) to be posting a restaurant review again because it has been so long since I've done one. To be honest, I must say that I have missed it a little bit. I did become more passionate than ever last year about homecooking and food styling so I that's why I decided to pursue that more on this space. 

That said, there were so many times instances last year when I tried a new place that I really liked, wanted to talk about it here but I decided not to blog about it because I seldom brought my camera with me so I had no photos to go with the post. Instead, I just talked about it with people around me IRL. I really hope to start getting back into restaurant reviews again though because I've always enjoyed giving people suggestions for where they could go to have a good meal with their friends and family. Most people know that I don't like the term "review" as it really is me merely sharing my personal experience at the time instead of "rating" a place, but you get what I mean.

Back to Sezar. Free-Wines first got in contact with me a few months ago to introduce themselves and what they did. They basically have an app (which is available to download on iPhone or Android for free) that allows people to enjoy a bottle of wine at any of their participating restaurants free of charge when they spend over $100. So easy. They had asked me if I would be keen on dining at any of their partnering restaurants and sharing my experience on the blog. I'll be honest, I had the slightest apprehension at the start because I have not heard of them before and wasn't sure if they would have any restaurants that I'd be keen to try. As soon as I scrolled down the list and saw Sezar, I immediately took up their offer to dine there and used the app.

Now, I don't have a lot of places that I am actually keen to try out as I do prefer eating at home (so boring, I know) but Sezar was definitely a rare exception. I first heard about this Armenian restaurant from a few good friends who has been there on numerous occasions and couldn't stop raving about it. Not only did the food that they showed me look absolutely spectacular, I've never had Armenian food before so I really wanted to experience it for myself!

The ambience of the place as soon as you walked in felt very typical of Melbourne CBD restaurant. Very dim, young, hip, chic, and everyone there seemed very well dressed (whereas I rocked up shamelessly in my hoody and Adidas trainers lol). At the start of our meal, I showed the waitress the app on my iPhone to order my complimentary bottle of wine and decided to go for the Melbac from Argentina. A truly stunning red wine that I honestly don't have enough of. Great notes of fruit and spices without being too heavy. Very easy to have with our entire meal. Again, I had my doubts about whether or not the wine we could get was going to be any good (since it was free) but must say that it was very, very good stuff. Imported too.

Foodwise, I was quite blown away to be honest. Often times, I'd read the description of the food on the menu and sort of know what to expect when it comes out. My meal at Sezar, however, was nothing like that at all. Every dish that came out looked and tasted completely different from what I had expected, in an extremely delicious kind of way. The Armenian flavour profile was very unique and distinct to those that I've experienced at other Middle Eastern restaurants as well. It is so nice to experience that sense of genuine surprise, delight and appreciation from eating a dish at a restaurant once again so I do sincerely thank them for that. 

First, the Armenian dried beef with quail egg entree was sensational. Tender and flavourful mouthful of meat coated in that rich, unctuous yolk. Amazing. Next, we felt like it would be an act of sacrilege if we went to an Armenian restaurant and not order a lamb. Our decision for this was justified. Dumplings had a strong seafood flavour, which I enjoyed. The glazed pork tasted as good as it sounded but to me, one of the highlights of that evening was the chicken. Maybe it was the use of baby chicken; maybe it was just their impeccable skills in the kitchen; but the dark meat of the chook had a very delicate, silky texture whereas the white meat was so soft to the bite. Paired with creamy, tasty flavour of the berries underneath it was honestly HEAVEN. I am salivating just thinking about it. Finally, the other notable dish (which happens to be a side dish) that you absolutely must have when you're here is the Mujadarra, a Middle Eastern lentil and rice dish. Wow wow wow every mouthful of the stuff was packed full of flavour. It was incredible to eat and went so well with the other mains or proteins we were having that evening. I could have a bucket full of the stuff on its own. So damn good.
Overall, I was very impressed with my meal here at Sezar and it's definitely high up in the ranks for me. Besides that, I was also very happy to have experienced the Free Wines app too and I can't stop telling people about it. It's so easy for us to spend over $100 when I dine with a group of friends. Now, I know that we can also get a free bottle of good quality wine as well to enjoy with our meal. Fan-friggin-tastic.

 

The Grand Richmond

Disclaimer: Winston dined as a guest of The Grand Richmond and Zomato Australia. All opinions are honest and based on my own experience at the time.

An incredible evening celebrating the 130th Birthday for The Grand Richmond

Following drinks and canapes, we were each given a rolling pin and asked to enter one of the dining rooms where they had this set up waiting for us...

Turns out we were going to each make our own fish baked in terracotta as one of the dishes we'd be eating later that night -- fun!

For mine, I put spring onions, olives, garlic, potatoes, rosemary, chillies, carrots, lemon slices and lemon zest

Next, we moved onto the other dining room where we were greeted by the most stunning display of cakes and lollies made my event planners The Three Piece Suit... WOW!

Pepper Crusted Venison Carpaccio, Goat Cheese Mousse and Beetroot

Agrodolce Quail with Porcini Mushroom Puree, Brussel Sprouts, Quail Egg and Black Truffles

Broad Bean, Pecorino & Mint Risotto

Mortadella Cappelletti In Brodo

My fish is ready!

The big reveal (so cool)...

Cone Bay Barramundi cooked in Terracotta

Ooooh yeahh....

Lemon Delizia -- Lemon Parfait with Soft Sponge Centre, Almond Crumble, Limoncello Gelee, Candied Lemons

So, it's been a while since I've been to a blogging event. Mainly because it's just been so insanely hectic at work so I've just been quite mentally exhausted from that. Most days, I prefer to just de-stress by exercising after work instead. That said, I saw the invite for this event about The Grand Richmond celebrating its 130th Birthday, was intrigued when I checked out the menu so decided to come join the party! And let's just say that I was very glad I did.

The event was a rather intimate dinner with the owners David, Katie, Barnie and Tiur were there to entertain and keep us company throughout the evening. It was great chatting with them that evening -- such lovely people. Now, on to the food...

We started off with the venison carpaccio, which I thought was prepared very well. Nice pepper crust against the tender, paper thin meat. Delicious. Then, we had the most succulent quail on a bed a velvety smooth and utterly unctuous mushroom puree. WOW. I thought they knocked it out of the park with this dish and I absolutely loved the Italian sweet and sour sauce (agrodolce) that it was cooked with. It had a very savoury, umami base with a sweet aftertaste. Plus, I did not mind that there was black truffles on there at all too. Was very happy with this dish.

Then, we moved onto what seemed like a very simple risotto but tasted nothing short of outstanding. You could hear a lot of "mmmmm" sounds being made from the table by this dish. Then, we had the mortadella cappalletti dish. I've never had this type of pasta before but really enjoyed the bite sized morsels. Filling was a little too salty for me but I did enjoy the light, clear broth that it came with.

Next, we had our terracotta fish and honestly, it was a lot more delicious than I thought. I used to make fish en papillotte (or in parchment) which was a similar concept to this one baked in clay but man, the fish that evening was SENSATIONAL. First of all, the fish was cooked to absolute perfection. The flavours and ingredients that it was paired with worked really well together too, if I do say so myself. But, the best part about this dish really was the fish itself. I've had Barramundi many a times but none of them tasted like this. It was very clean, fresh and you could actually taste a slight hint of natural saltiness. Most Barramundis can be quite bad and stinky but this wasn't the case at all. I later realised after talking to David and Katie that they only get their Barramunis from the Cone Bay fish mongers. Their Barramundis are caught straight from the ocean and not farmed or imported like how most ones are. No wonder........

Finally, we had a really sublime lemon dessert to cap off the evening. Most people know that I haven't got a sweet tooth myself but if I had to pick, I'd always go with a citrus dessert. This one was delicious and quite interactive to eat because there were so many different elements on the plate to taste so you constantly find yourself trying one after the other. It's fun.

Overall, I was very impressed by the food at The Grand. What sets them apart is that they are so good at presenting classic Italian food but with a very modern take. Lots of interesting ingredients (like the agrodolce) and ways of showcasing them in way that was very new and exciting for me to experience. It was a delicious meal from start to finish. The setting is so casual and relaxing too, which I like.

Other things I learned about The Grand is that they are the only pub in Victoria with a Chef's Hat accolade... Cool!  Plus, David and Katie were also telling us about some of the dinner party events that they throw at the restaurant from time to time. The themes that they have sound like so much fun and the tickets for them normally sell out pretty quickly too. Just based on this evening alone, I can tell that they are very good at hosting dinner events, which would be a fun thing to do instead of just going to a restaurant for an ordinary dinner. Oh and did you know that if you subscribe to their mailing list on the website you actually get to enjoy a 6 course degustation dinner (normally costs $85 per head) free of charge. Too cool! 

Again, had a great experience here at The Grand and I can't wait to take my Mum here when she visits from Malaysia next month. When was the last time you got to enjoy a beautiful 6 course dinner for $85! 

 

Mama's Buoi, Melbourne CBD

Disclaimer: Winston dined as a guest of Mama's Buoi. All opinions are honest and based on my own experience at the time.

A.K. Sour

Freshly bruleed passionfruit, frangelico, vodka, lime, sugar & passionfruit

First of many cocktails consumed that evening *hic*

Chicken and Pork Liver Pate with Sesame Crackers

Rice Noodles Stuffed with Pork, Mushroom & Fried Shallots

Shell on School Prawns with Salt, Pepper & Citrus

Steak Roll Vietnamese Salad Wrap with Citrus & Green Chilli Dressing

Reconstructed Can Chua (sour soup) with Fried Noodles, Mussels, Calamari & Prwan

Ginger Chicken Stir Fry with Bok Choi

Steamed Barramundi Wrapped in Bamboo with Lemongrass, Chilli & Citrus Dressing

Caramelised Pork Belly Hot Pot with Boiled Egg

Reconstructed Three Colour Drink with Black Jelly, Pandan Jelly, Rum & Mung Bean Puree, Basil Seeds, Jackfruit and Coconut Milk

___________________________________

I first came to Mama's Buoi a couple of months ago on a random night and my friends and I found ourselves unanimously enjoying our meal there that time. Every dish that we had was exciting, delicious and we found that it to be quite good value for money too. I liked it so much that I started recommending this place to friends when they would ask me to suggest a place to eat in the city (but never got around to posting a photo of it or blogging about my meal that time).

So, I was quite excited when I got the invite to come to Mama's Buoi as I was keen to come back and try more stuff from the menu. 

We started off our evening with cocktails in hand whilst the owner introduced himself and his restaurant at the start. As the night progressed, I found myself having quite a number of their cocktails (can you blame me?), which I absolutely loved. One particular cocktail stuck out to me from the rest, which was the Pho Cocktail (not pictured). I know what you're thinking... Chicken/beef noodle soups in the form of a cold drink? I had my reservations too but to be honest, it turned out to be pretty damn good. The flavour and fragrance of the makings of a pho was really unmistakeable in the drink it was quite peculiar, in a good way. Actually tastes exactly like a pho... But it wasn't! It was a cocktail. I liked this. I love it even more when my tastebuds are challenged like that. It was delicious, exciting and definitely memorable. I still think about that cocktail till today.

Back to the food... And let's just say, there was a lot of it. Highlights for the entree for me was the liver pate, which was smooth and delectable. So delicious to have with the crispy sesame crackers. Besides that, I really enjoyed the school prawns too. The dipping sauce was simple and straight forward: freshly squeezed lime with a bit of salt and pepper. Utterly delicious. There were a number of other entrees which was served too but I didn't get a chance to photograph. All I can say is they each had its own unique flavour but what was consistent throughout each of them was how much liveliness there was in terms of flavour and texture as each of them had an abundance of fresh, raw, crunchy herbs/vegetables... Something that I feel is so synonymous to Vietnamese cuisine.

The mains were definitely cooked well and had a strong homecooked feel. It was a little less inventive and modern than the entrees, but more straight forward and felt like from the heart. It was incredibly tasty and comforting. The dishes made me feel like I was eating at a home cooked by a loved one, rather than a restaurant. Truthfully, there hasn't been a lot of restaurants that's made me feel this way. I like it. I appreciated it.

If I had to pick the dish of the night, for me, it would have to be the Can Chua (sour soup) with crispy noodles and seafood. It looked really simple but was FANTASTIC. The soup base had a complexity to it, which I did not expect. At first, your senses are awakened by the (not overly sharp) sourness. But soon after, you get a wave of savoury, umami that just rounds up the taste in your mouth. It was really, really good. The bonus was the salty crunch from the noodles and the sweetness from the seafood. It was a very good dish and I loved every drop of it. Funnily enough, this dish was done for us as a trial but not actually from the menu! I kept telling the owner that evening how good of a job they've done with that dish and truly hope that they will put in on their menu permanently. 

Overall, it was another great meal at Mama's Buoi -- I'm so glad I came again. If I had to pin point to the dishes that I thought could've been improved, it would probably be the steak roll (quite tough), crispy pork belly (bit on the dry side) and the dessert (too much going on). That said, there were so many other parts of the evening that I could praise and commend them for their efforts. 

This place really proves to be a great restaurant option in the city, especially if you're in the mood for Modern Asian (which, for me is most days). It almost doesn't matter what you order because food is consistent and delicious. Location is extremely convenient (right next to the H&M building on Bourke St!) which I really like too. Price point is fair and and and they do great cocktails too -- which is always a plus in my books! Coming here again (even though my second visit was paid for) didn't change my opinion of this place. It is for all these reasons that I was recommending people to come here to try back then, and why I am recommending people to try now.

Mabrown (CBD), New Shanghai & Providence Cafe

Disclaimer: Winston dined as a guest of Mabrown, New Shanghai and Providence Cafe. All opinions are honest and based on my own experience at the time.

1) Mabrown (CBD)

Mabrown Signature Quails

Shan Dong Chicken Salad

Drunken Chicken

Owner's Granddad's Pork and Yam Dish

XO Prawns on Egg Noodles

Turmeric Fish

Peking Beef

Durian Ice Cream

A while ago, I got an email from the owner of Mabrown that really cracked me up. It was quite lovely and really caught my attention as it was a nice refreshing change from the usual, generic and less personal emails I tend to get (not that I have anything against those, they are what they are). He started off his email by saying, "Hello there Mr. Young Man Wince....." (LOL!!) before going on to say that he's read my review of his Balwyn store etc etc and would like to invite me and some friends over to try out the food at their CBD store in the most friendly and lovely tone. To end, he signed off his email by calling himself "Si Fu Peter" (which means "Master Peter"). Cute. We had a few email exchanges back and forth and of course I was more than happy to come in.

The location was just off Bourke Street, which was actually very easy to get to. We sat down and was met with Peter's son, Melvin, who was in his mid 20s and pretty much my age too. It was very nice speaking with him as he was telling me all about how he's grown up around the kitchen his whole life as both his Dad and Granddad were chefs too. It was because of this strong love of food that he's decided to leave Engineering and finally become a chef himself. Amazing. I'm sure Si Fu Peter (or any parent for that matter) would be chuffed to have their kids follow in their footsteps. I respected this very much. Not a lot of people would take on their family business like that, especially in the food industry because it's a lot of hard work. Good on you, Melvin.

Anyway, I sat down with my friends and we were ready to eat. I've been to the Balwyn store before numerous times in the past (which you can read about: here) and was excited to have my two favourite dishes: the signature Mabrown quail and also the XO prawns on egg noodles, which did not disappoint. Feels just like being back at the Balwyn store -- lip smackingly delicious. The chicken salad we had was sweet yet tangy and crunchy chicken on anything is always a good idea. The drunken chicken was actually my favourite dish of the night. The chicken was smooth and silky and the broth was absolutely divine. I really liked adding the broth to my rice topped with a small amount of chillies from the quails. Highly recommend this combination! 

The pork and taro dish was very interesting and wasn't actually on the menu but it was a family recipe from his granddad that Melvin really wanted to share with us. The sauce was so addictive I could have it for days. As for the beef, I did find it to be slightly overcooked. The fish had a great crunchy batter but sauce was a little too sour for my liking. I went back the other night and had the fish but with black bean sauce and it was great. I do like the fact that you've got quite a selection of sauces for your fish to choose from. To top it off, we got to have the Durian ice cream too -- so Malaysian!

Overall, we definitely enjoyed our meal here at Mabrown and I am personally very happy to hear that they've now got a branch in the city because it's more convenient for me to get to. The menu here was quite different to their Balwyn store, which gives you something to enjoy at both stores. This place really is a good option if you're looking for a place for some good Malaysian food in the city at night (I know I definitely have those days myself and this place definitely hits the spot). Plus, it's not too crowded, which makes it easy to get a table and at a convenient location too! In fact, I just came here again over the weekend with a group of 10 and we all enjoyed our food here very much. Just can't go wrong with those quails...

Anyway, thanks again for hosting us the other evening, Melvin. So nice to see an enthusiastic young chef like yourself cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Keep up the good work, mate!

2) New Shanghai, Emporium

Absolutely love the fit out

New Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (8pcs) - $7.80

Steamed Vegetarian Dumpling (8pcs) - $9.00

Pork Belly Braised Overnight in Sweet Soy Sauce - $17.50

Fried Garlic American Pork Ribs - $20.80

Shallot Pancake - $6.50

Salt & Pepper Soft Shell Crab - $29.80

New Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Bun - $10.50

Sahhhh juicy...

Steamed Pork Belly Buns (2 pcs) - $6.00

There's a lot of this happening when you're food blogging:

Table filled with food but no one's eating them until it gets cold, hah 

New Shanghai is a place that's been on everyone's radar since it's opened. To me, there are 2 main reasons for this: 1) It's at the new Emporium building. 2) Rumour has it that it sells good dumplings, specifically, Xiao Long Baos (XLB). Have heard a lot of good things about this place so did not mind it at all when I was asked if I wanted to come and enjoy a menu tasting that they were hosting. 

Firstly, I thought that it was quite cool that even though New Shanghai is a full-fledged restaurant on its own yet located at the food court of Emporium. As soon as I walked in, I was quite taken aback and impressed by the decor they had going on. A harmonious balance between new and old; simple and sophisticated. I like it very much. Goes to show that a good dumpling restaurant doesn't have to be at a dingy alleyway next to a dumpster at Chinatown. Sure, people say that is part of the charm but to me, it gets old pretty damn quick. I would choose a much cleaner and comfortable setting like this over the former any day. 

We were escorted to a private dining room at the back of the restaurant where the tasting was held. And boy, were there a lot of bloggers in one room. We were all given free reign to order whatever we wanted from the menu so we decided to order a variety of dumplings and also some main dishes to share.

Now, let's get straight to business: the Xiao Long Bao's. They were delish. Definitely one of the best ones in Melbourne (there are a couple of other places that do good ones too). To me, a place that does good XLB is what sets itself apart from all the bazillion dumpling restaurants around. Most places do decent steamed pork dumplings because it hits the spot and is quite standard. But, with XLBs, it takes a little bit more care and finesse. Skin must be delicate but still has a slight bite. And more importantly, filling must be soft, flavourful and incredibly soupy. Not juicy, SOUPY. And soupy, it was. In fact, last time my friends and I were here, she literally squirted soup all over herself when she bit into the XLB too quickly. So, yes. Bravo to New Shanghai for ticking all the boxes for what makes a good XLB.

The other dumplings were very consistent that night. In fact, they've been quite consistently good every other time that I've been here since too. Conclusion: dumplings at New Shanghao = good. Unfortunately, it can't really be said about the main dishes here. The soy sauce braised pork is a dish that I've had at so many other restaurants and also make it a lot at home that it is quite rare for me to find an exceptional one, including the one here. Too fatty. Nothing special. Still prefer the one I make at home. Besides that, ribs were quite tough and the soft shell crab had barely any crab and batter was chewy. I know a lot of people were raving about the steamed pork belly bun here too but, again, this to me was quite common and nothing too extraordinary to me. It was just okay. Normal.

Despite the above, I must say that I really like coming to New Shanghai and it has slowly become a regular favourite amongst my friends and I. Although, I recommend just sticking to the entrees, noodles and dumplings because they do them really well here. The mains, you can skip because to be honest, they're not as good and frankly, quite boring. Oh oh and I also highly recommend the Shepherd's Purse dumplings (not pictured) as it's my second favourite after the XLBs. The skin is slightly different. Extremely silky yet has a slight bite and resistance to it -- it's amazing. Sauce is a mix of peanut and chillies which is such a good combination too. Make sure you order it!

3) Providence Cafe, Carlton

I love this glazed curtain wall feature in the cafe... Stunning

Soy Magic Coffee

Smoked Trout, Bubble & Squeak Potatoes, Hot Smoked Trout & Herbs with Poached Eggs

Egg & Gamze Bacon Pie

Breakfast Salad

Pumpkin & Burrum Biodynamics Lentil Fritters with Cate's Chilli Tomato Pickle, Coconut Yoghurt & Lovely Leaves

Berry Clafoutis with Gundowring Rhubarb Ice Cream

I was quite keen to come for the tasting at Providence Cafe as I knew it was a new venture by the same people behind the super successful Grain Store in the CBD. Located towards towards the northern end of Rathdowne Street, Providence Cafe is actually set in the building of a pretty modern apartment. The concept of this cafe is actually quite unique with a focus on "farm to table" dining. To me, this is quite different (and frankly a little difficult) for a cafe in the CBD which tends to go for a more edgier approach. 

Even though almost every new cafe in Melbourne these days choose to use a lot of edible flowers and microherbs to enhance the "Instagrammibility" of their food, I appreciated the fact that Providence went against all of that and stuck to a more rustic approach. You see it everywhere from Kettle Black, Top Paddock, Hammer & Tong, etc etc etc. Again, quite unusual for a new cafe to against all of that, especially in the inner city. Oh, the owner also explained how every single plate was handcrafted, which again, contributed more towards the overall rustic feel of the cafe (but in an understated way).

As for the food, I really liked the smoked trout with potatoes and eggs as well as the egg and bacon pie the most. Besides being utterly delicious, these two dishes almost exemplifies what the entire cafe is about. Food that is not necessarily fancy but downright rustic, delicious and highlights the amazing locally sourced ingredients from passionate farmers around Victoria. It was incredible. Every mouthful of these two dishes really made me feel like I was at a country farm restaurant. Loved it.

Although, must say I wasn't too big of a fan of the breakfast salad and lentil fritters. It's not that it wasn't cooked well, it's just that I don't normally like to have salads or anything with too much spice for brunch dishes. It's just a preference thing. That said, coffee here really is fantastic. From the way the barista spoke so passionately and enthusiastically about the flavours and craft of making good coffee, I knew my coffee beverage was in good hands. 

Overall, I quite like Providence Cafe for the location, salmon with potatoes and eggs dish, egg and bacon pie and also the coffee. Plus, it is quite different to many other cafes around as this is the only cafe that I've been to that really made me feel like I was at some farm restaurant in the country. They've really executed the "farm to table" concept well because of all the connections they have with local farmers AND the fact that they're located next to a farmers market on weekends definitely helped too! It was nice of the owners to give us all a voucher to use at the farmers market next door after our brunch so that we could show support to the local farmers. I bought myself a beautiful slab of pork belly from McIvor Farms and some amazing vegetables, which made for a great roast pork with crackling dinner the following night.