DESTINATION : Newcastle-Melbourne
Travel period : 18-24.04.2017
PART 2: MELBOURNE
VISITED PLACES
VISITED PLACES
1. Melbourne city stroll.
i) Bourke Street Mall | Bourke St.
Bourke street is regarded as one of de main streets of Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD). it is a pedestrian and tram-only strip running between Swanston and Elizabeth Streets where you can get many of Melbourne's theatres, cinemas and retail shopping.
H&M Melbourne.
originally serving as de General Post Office (GPO) for Victoria, de building was redeveloped into a shopping centre. de first Melbourne store - also de first H&M in de country opened inside Melbourne's iconic GPO Building in year 2014.
Royale Arcade.
de oldest surviving arcade in Australia and also tourist icon of Melbourne.
ii) City Circle Tram.
to get around Melbourne city, de best is to travel by tram. de City Circle Tram service provides a free and convenient way to get around CBD (route number 35). travel on trams within de Free Tram Zone is free and you do not need to use a myki card I'm still confused with de system. myki card can be easily purchased from any 7-11 stores (don't forget to try their coffee $1) because at certain zones you will need to touch on at a myki reader in de normal way? as you travel. this reusable card expires 4 years after de date on which it is first loaded with money. it can also be used in some regional train and bus services across Victoria.
PS. if you've accidentally touched on onboard a tram in de Free Tram Zone, touch off immediately while you're still in de zone.
iii) Flinders Street.
Flinders Street Station.
de busy street scene of Flinders Street Station, also known as de hub of Melbourne's suburban railway network, is located at de intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Streets. opposite de station we noticed McDonald's is embracing its Aussie nickname, with de signage changed to "Macca's".
St. Paul's Cathedral on Flinders Street.
2. State Library of Victoria | Swanston St.
although it sounds peculiar to visit a "library" but this is indeed an eye opener. State Library is a very interesting library with nice architecture which you cannot really find it back home (make sure you take de lift to de top). remember to keep your voices down because you're in a library (=
de captivating central dome.
access to de library is free and this make people happy.
3. Hosier Lane.
this place or lane is essentially just an alley but with interesting colourful graffitti to give you de picturesque spot. with singer performing on de street, strolling across de lane is like walking yourself into a magical world. details on de art may not be so important because there is always something new painted on which drives people to come back.
throwing your waste can never be so colourful.
4. Brighton beach | Brighton.
this place is accessible by train and it took about 30 mins ride from Flinders Street Station followed by a small walk to arrive at de beach. expect to see lots of tourists (and sometimes even wedding couples!) because it is a famous spot instagram approved for pictures.
de colourful Brighton's beach bathing boxes.
initially we thought de weather wasn't favourable but we were quite thankful to have de day ended with a great sunset. it is no surprise that Melbourne is famous for its four-seasons-in-one-day weather. now we knew.
FOOD TOURS
each of de boxes design is unique.
just pull out your camera and snap your favourite!
FOOD TOURS
this little Italian eatery catered for our group of 10 and it marked our first meal in Melbourne. as it's a side-lane restaurant, de layout is somewhat cramped and if fully seated de place can be quite noisy to have a conversation.
1. Ricotta E Spinaci $18
2. Minestrone (traditional Italian soup) - entrée $10
3.
4. Risotto Chicken & Mushrooms $24
5. Gnocchi Mushrooms $20
seafoods were considerably fresh but pasta wasn't al dente and it was kind hard. they had some good reviews on gnocchi but I guess it was more to preference. average at best, if I were to pick de favourite dish it would be risotto chicken and mushrooms. I have never like Chai Latte but you must try it here.
2. Kaikey's Lane | Block Place.
2. Kaikey's Lane | Block Place.
located at de iconic Block Place laneway, Kaikey's Lane is nestled among side-by-side bars and some other al-fresco eateries which runs from de Block Arcade to Little Collins Street. de menu specialise not only Spanish but also classic Mediterranean dishes. in de restaurant it can seat up to 20 persons comfortably so it is not really a concern if traveling in a large group.
LUNCH SPECIAL
1. Vegan Linguini $20
2. Fish of the Day
3. Pumpkin Soup
average at best, salmon was kinda bland.
2. Kaikey's Dream Pizza $22 ---recommended
3. Calamari Salad $22.50
4. Chilli Prawn Pizza $23
5. Kaikey's Bruschetta $15
Kaikey's Dream consists of haloumi, avocado and onion topped with rocket and sprinkled with home made zaatar herb mix on a crust. haloumi is a Cypriot semi-hard, unripened brined cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk, and sometimes also cow's milk. it has a high melting point making it easy for frying and grilling. an imaginative dish by its name but nice stuff, worth a try.
much love. like their quote "may those who enter as guests, leave as friends"
3. Shortstop | Sutherland St.
Shortstop is located in one of de Melbourne alley and don't be surprised to see crowd milling around this small donut shop. this place produce 9 flavours each day and is quite creative for their donuts' flavours beat Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, Big Apple hands down. staffs are friendly in general, offering help picking a flavour if you have difficulty in choosing because you feel like having all.
from top left and clockwise:
1. Australian Honey & Sea Salt (cruller) $4 ---recommended
2. Earl Grey & Rose (cake) $4.50 ---recommended
3. Cinnamon, Cardamom & Sugar (raised) $4
4. Milk Chocolate & Chestnut (filled) $5.50
5. Triple Matcha (cake) $5 ---recommended
just open up to order some unique flavours. if you prefer donut that is not too dense or overly sweet, try opt for de cake type (my favourite too!). Australian Honey amazingly tastes like fried chicken, don't ask me why haha! Shortstop also sell homemade peanut butter in jars which taste pretty good too.
be sure to get your donut fix and pair it with a cup of coffee.
4. Queen Victoria Market | Elizabeth St.
in summary this is a pit stop for souvenirs to bring home. food, clothes, gifts, typical market stuffs and you name it. you can even find de Asians' Malaysian Singaporean favourite store selling nougat and macadamia nuts here. prices are pretty much similar (not sure whether bargain allows), but this is definitely a one-stop solution (if you need to save time for cafe hopping).
i) The American Doughnut Kitchen
i) The American Doughnut Kitchen
if you prefer a more reasonable priced donuts or just plainly craving for sweeter stuffs, this should be de first stop when you stepped into de market.
5 for $5.50 but you can also choose to buy them individually.
we received mini, bite-sized donuts filled with jam that were produced hot from de kitchen. they were light, fluffy, and filled with just de right amount of jam.
ii) Market Lane Coffee
compared with other coffee shops in Melbourne that I've visited, not really a coffee pro though but I highly recommend this place. popped in for a morning coffee or when you need coffee to compliment your donuts.
good morning Melbourne!
5. Brother Budan Baba (BBB) | Little Bourke St.
not a coffee place I would recommend to sit down due to limited space but more to a take-away coffee. inside de shop you will find funky deco with hanging wooden chairs and their manly tattooed barista. de place can be easily walk passed but most of de time they have crowds gather outside waiting for their coffee. not really a coffee fan for BBB because I find their coffee slightly acidic for my liking discarded my half cup cappuccino in de second visit but it may be my personal taste since many still frequent de shop. go for it if it's your thing.
6. Manchester Press | Rankins Lane.
this is an industrial-themed cafe hidden in a narrow laneway (typical Melbourne), just around de corner of BBB. de menu mostly involves bagel so basically it is bagels everything - they do gluten free too! be prepare for a bit of wait because this place is always packed, but for a reason.
1. White Coffee $3.50
2. Texas BBQ Pulled Pork (closed bagel) $15
3. Acai Bowl $16 ---recommended for a healthier option
4. Pudding $14.50 ---recommended for a healthier option
both acai bowl and chia pudding with passion fruit were beautifully presented and delicious but I kinda think de price were slightly expensive. for bagels menu de brunch was served with pretzels and pickle on de side. I would have prefer a salad over de dry pretzels to be honest. for pulled pork, de flavours were there but it was dry (pretzels adding on de dryness).
5. NY Lox (closed bagel) $13 - baby capers, smoked salmon, cream cheese, on a plain bagel ---recommended
de lox portion was huge and satisfying.
6. Avo & Fetta Smash (open bagel) $13 ---recommended
de lox portion was huge and satisfying.
de avocado mash came with a hint of salt. generous portion of chunky, creamy avocado and it can be quite filling towards de end.
Melbourne laneway vibe.
7. Rustica Canteen | Guildford Lane.
this is another laneway dining providing brekkie and lunch space that we find enjoyable. de menu features Rustica Sourdough’s namesake sourdough bread and other baked goodies. busy little cafe but quick service, come here early.
neading de way into your hearts.
1. Eggs Benedict w/ Pulled Pork $19 - poached eggs, tabasco hollandaise, fennel + red radish w/ pumpkin sourdough (choice of pulled pork and cured trout available) ---recommended
2. Eggs Anyway on Rustica Sourdough $9 (bacon side add $5)
3. Flat White $3.80
eggs benedict came with 2 perfectly poached eggs and it was spiced up with pulled pork in a generous serving. I think trout might give a better option as pulled pork felt dry towards de end (it accumulates) even though initially it was good. we have asked for sunny side up on sourdough but de eggs turned out to be fully cooked. texture of bacon felt like waxed ham, uhhh better luck next time maybe they are only expert in poaching eggs.
beautifully plated, unique yet sensational. this is de highlight of all that we enjoyed every last bite.
8. La Bella Mietti | Hardware Lane.
searching de web La Belle Miette means de “beautiful crumb” or, more broadly, “beautiful small thing”. for those who have extraordinary sweet tooth and want a french experience in Melbourne, you have to visit this place since they specialise in small delights - macarons, chocolate bonbons, and dragées (chocolate coated nuts and fruits). not forgetting that they also offer tea varieties to compliment de macarons.
macaron(s) priced at $2.80 per piece
de macarons are available in boxes of 6, 12 or 18 in a range of complimentary or gift box options. obviously it will be quite a headache to decide from a range of flavours (and shades of colours!) that you want to order at de counter adding on extra pressure from de very attentive staff. anyway, I prefer Earl Grey Tea (not in picture) over one of de recommended flavours, Salted Caramel. couldn't remember de rest that I've tasted so I guess it was a miss haha wait I think green is Pistachio. well, at least I've helped with 2 flavours =P
9. La Petite Crêperie | Swanston St. (kiosk).
9. La Petite Crêperie | Swanston St. (kiosk).
if you plan to have a grab-and-go crepe be prepared for a long wait or else just popped in randomly whenever there is no queue. good place to satisfy de late night cravings!
Sugar and Butter $4.50 ---recommended
I agree that you are able to find similar stuffs back home with a cheaper price. but right now, here, Melbourne, enjoy while it is hot! Bon Appétit. if you prefer tables and seats, do check out their Hardware Lane cafe that offers menu for sweet and savoury crepes (more options).
10. Dragon Boat Restaurant | Little Bourke St. (Chinatown).
we decided to expand de food list to Chinese food or yum cha (parents' crave), so we found de Dragon Boat Restaurant at Chinatown just off Little Bourke Street. de term yum cha translates to “drinking tea” but in Australia it is more likely known as "going for dim sum".
this place has no problem to accommodate large groups since it is a 2-floor building and has round tables. overall, de food didn't come cheap but it was pretty satisfying. de most enjoyable dish I would say, is de sweet and sour pork! ehemmm parents our second visit was for yum cha but it was nothing to shout about maybe problem with chilli sauce. nonetheless, everything with prawns or scallops in Australia definitely comes in big size and this is satisfying for real.
click here for Travelogue (Part 3): Newcastle-Melbourne | Australia.
we decided to expand de food list to Chinese food or yum cha (parents' crave), so we found de Dragon Boat Restaurant at Chinatown just off Little Bourke Street. de term yum cha translates to “drinking tea” but in Australia it is more likely known as "going for dim sum".
click here for Travelogue (Part 3): Newcastle-Melbourne | Australia.
END
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