We celebrated our 8th Anniversary viewing at the top of Melbourne CBD. It was beautiful, clear skies and relaxing overlooking the city movements on a typical Friday night.

Sofitel No 35

OK, short and sweet, I’d return, why? It’s a la carte menu meaning you don’t have to spend a banquet amount of money and stuffing yourself full to admire this beautiful view. I’d have to say this could be my little hideout – one of the best views of Melbourne. [better than Eureka 89 – stay tuned for this review].

He had the Virgin Mojito and I had the Lychee, Apple and Lemongrass. Mojito was superbly fresh with the mint kick and my lychee, Apple and Lemongrass felt slightly diluted. Although… The lychee that came in the drink was nice and sweet!  It had a lemony taste with some sparkling.

Sofitel No 35

Then came our bread, it wasn’t amazing bread but it was nice and soft. the crusts were hard to chew. (we loved the butter).

Kingfish Ceviche ($26) & Salt and pepper prawns with chilli aioli (on Special $25) were our entrees.

Then came our mains; Aged grass-fed Gippsland porterhouse steak 250g ($59) Served with homemade butter, smoked bone marrow, parsley, caper and shallot salad. The Shallot was so moist and soft that it formed part of the sauce for the porterhouse. It added the kick with the homemade butter. But the better main was the Snapper…

Sofitel No 35

Snapper ($49) came by with various punches of flavour that you could not imagine. It felt Asian inspired.. The only critique is bones… I would have indulged the snapper so quickly had there not been any small bones that surprised you every time you wanted to enjoy the flavours.

The night ended with a surprise of “Happy 8th Anniversary” on each of our sweet plates. It’s nice to be greeted with something that it personal to each customer – good job No35!

He had the Go Nuts and I had the Bush Tucker. Go Nuts was so nutty! Peanuts, salted caramel, praline…  we both liked the burnt caramel that sat above the ice cream. it balances all the sweetness going on. And of course, he loved his choice of dessert that night being a “nutty”.

I’m not as big of a fan as he is with nuts, so I was very happy with my choice of dessert. It was Lemon myrtle with vanilla bean ice cream. The clear jellies added so much burst of acidity – it was just right. There were berries and crunches in the dish and all were amazing. loved dessert!

I believe they have the Spring menu now so only a few of the above dishes will be made available. But I’d love to go there again for a Summer indulgence!

Website: http://no35.com.au/menu/
Location: Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, Level 35, 25 Collins Street, CBD, Melbourne

Taste delicious Rating:
Service: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Entree: 4/5
Mains: 3.5/5
Dessert: 5/5
Beverage: 4/5
Overall: 26.5/30
★★★★

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Their flat white was weaker than the other coffees I’ve had. I probably needed two of their coffees to start the morning!

It took me a while to figure out their menu but the left side is French and the right side is English! Before I realized it, I was reading similar dishes and thought “Gee they have a huge variety of the same thing!”

My friend ordered Scrambled Eggs – chorizo, smoked paprika roasted cauliflower, onion jam, spinach, and reypensar cheese. Huge serving worth your money! Scrambled eggs are just under the Chorizo.

Another friend ordered vegetarian baked eggs. It looked like Peter when it came out. But my friend, V said it filled him all the way passed lunchtime! It was pretty but I didn’t take a photo – sorry!

I ordered the Croque Madame and it was beautiful. My favorite Croque madame. I used to love Chez Dre’s one but since they have changed management – their croque madame disappointed me. So I’m glad I found a new place for a good Croque Madame! Fried egg served on two thick and soft brioche breads. Melted cheese and ham of course! Just the right amount of sauce as well. Fennel and mandarin salad as the accompaniment.

When we left, the place was quite busy – not full house but enough at 8:30 am on a working day. I can’t imagine how busy the weekends are! Their dining area isn’t very big. For first-timers, I recommend going early! Or on a weekday like me

You probably know my rating now.. but I’d revisit it!!

Location: 120-123 Hardware Lane, Melbourne

Website: N/A

Taste delicious Rating
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Beverage: 2.5/5
Entree: N/A
Mains: 5/5
Dessert: N/A
Overall: 15.5/20
★★★★

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Lunch was good (4/5) but Dinner topped it (5/5)! If it wasn’t because of our driver who recommended Still Water to us again for dinner, we would have left Still Water with 4/5 from our lunch experience. Read more to see why…

Located slightly off Launceston City, but is walkable distance – very close to the Cataract Gorge Reserve. We arrived for lunch at 12pm and were excited to try as we heard good things about it.

We ordered Launceston’s Kombucha – Avocado Moon Lemon Myrtle & Lemon Grass. The waitresses were so tentative that they served us two glasses with ice to share.

J ordered Tasmanian salmon, cauliflower, vadouvan, labia, and toasted seeds, for $36. Although their portions looked small at first sight, but it was enough for us in the end. The salmon was cooked very well – crispy skin on top and the cauliflower was roasted to soft. The taste of it was delicious with the smoked flavour from the roast.I ordered a rather Asian-inspired dish – Clams, green tea soba noodles, XO butter, and wakame, for $28. Clams cooked in XO butter were beautiful. It was strong in flavours and the wakame brought back the sea origin to the dish. I liked how it added the crispiness after searching through meat from the hard shell clams.

The soba noodles were mild but a bit too soft for my liking. I usually have al dente soba noodles so I felt it was a bit overcooked. J found the texture of the soba noodles fine.

From the above, I was going to rate them 4/5. Just because the soba noodles weren’t as al dente and they charged us for $2.50 each for bread. The waiter asked if we would like bread and J said yes assuming it was complimentary.

Unfortunately, we only realised this upon settling the bill. $5 was quite dear for us knowing that the butter was not anything extravagant. The sourdough crust was also very hard.

The below is about our dinner experience…

It was a Saturday night when we arrived with no bookings – everywhere else was fully booked until after 7 pm. We were lucky to secure a table for two. We were dressed in hiking gear and as we were walking in, I was afraid we would have been judged by our horrible dress code. I thought wrong, the attitude of the staff was friendly.

Consistent with lunch! Upon arrival, they asked us if we had been to Still Water before, and we said – only for lunch. It turns out dinner is slightly different, so she explained the menu and what they do/don’t have. Loved it. 5 stars to service.

Funny enough bread was complimentary for dinner. It was warmed up with a thicker slice and better butter compared with lunch. I felt like I was at a different restaurant!

We ordered two small dishes to share:

Torched white fish, fermented apple & dill, garlic cream, $24 – we were advised that the white fish was kingfish, so we had to pick it because we love kingfish. Lightly torched and the fennel and apple jus was light but citrussy.

The garlic cream was dropped on each slice of fish. It was the right amount when we put it in our mouth. I had a taste of the jus and felt that they added white wine. We both gravitated towards the Southern calamari, squid ink angel hair, shellfish bisque, $26. It was divine… calamari was soft and thinly sliced, I didn’t need to chew it because it was so soft… We tossed the squid ink angel hair with the bisque and it created a creamy texture coating on the pasta.

It was delicious and I could have more of it! A little sad that it’s only their small plate menu and not part of their mains.

Entree was superb and I thought Main wouldn’t be able to top what we have tasted so far, but I was wrong again! Free-range Nichols chicken (1⁄2 bird) twice cooked, garlic & black sesame dressing, pickled cucumber & Korean chilli sauce, $60.

The twice-cooked chicken was delicious… skin was crispy, and the breast was very moist and fell off the bone. The garlic and black sesame dressing was the star to make this dish ‘divine”. I tasted a bit of ginger in the sauce. J and I still talk about this chicken. The pickled cucumber had thin shreds of ginger, it was a good side dish to freshen the taste of the hearty meal.

The chicken dipped in the Korean chilli sauce brought out the sweetness and tanginess to each bite.  Both bring out different flavours. The chilli sauce was not chilli for me. So I am 100% happy!

Our side was Potato & celeriac galette, burnt butter, sage, lemon sauce, $11. Another great side dish was delicate because of the galette. We basted the sage & burnt butter into the gaps of the potato to warm it up and maintain its flavour. Be quick to finish this, you don’t want the burnt butter and potato to get cold! It won’t be as delicious if you wait…

The waitress then came back with two petits made by the chef – his interpretation of ferrero rocher – nutty but with dark chocolate. Yum.

Overall, the staff at Stillwater were wonderful. Although lunch wasn’t perfect, dinner certainly exceeded our expectations – flawless. I’d go back again and take our friends there when we visit Launceston. Their dinner menu is to die for…

Their sister restaurant is Black Cow – which we just missed because we didn’t book in advance… We’ll be back…

Location: 2 Bridge Rd, Launceston TAS 7250

Website: https://www.stillwater.com.au

Tasteelicious Rating: Service: 5/5 Ambience: 5/5 Entree/Small: 5/5 Mains: 4.5/5 Dessert: N/A Beverage: 3/5 (average – not made by Still Water) Overall: 22.5/25

★★★★★

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Located in the heart of Healesville shops, the staff was friendly and delivered unlimited tap water for the 6 of us. Although the dining area is huge, I recommend booking if you have a large group. You never know if they are catering to another large group. I have to mention that their bathrooms are unisex, just in case anyone is surprised. Individual cubicles of course with plenty to pick from haha…

The paella was hearty with several seafood ingredients. The pizzas were perfect, I love a thin crispy base from the wood-fired oven. The sizes were good to share between two people. Others who have a bigger appetite could do one for themselves.

My foodie experience was superb. I’d recommend a visit if you have some time to kill at Healesville. Their Moscato is one of my favorite Moscato. The service was great with delicious pizza. The price for the pizzas & paella was a little higher than expected – but you are at a winery! A 4-star experience overall balanced with great service.

On a scorching day that reached 37 degrees, it was prudent to have some complimentary wines and delicious cuisine before beginning a climb. Indulge in some carbs before heading outside with the variety buffet that includes tasty pizza and substantial paella.

To ensure a seamless experience devoid of unanticipated disruptions, it is crucial to make reservations, especially for bigger groups, regardless of the dining room’s size. The unisex restroom stands out due to its unique design, which incorporates quirky touches and features individual cubicles.

The paella showcased Innocent Bystander’s exceptional cooking skills, as it was packed with a variety of seafood delicacies. The thin and crispy foundation of the pizzas made in the wood-fired oven was a beautiful culinary highlight, and they were perfect for sharing or satisfying bigger appetites.

The staff’s friendliness and the group’s unrestricted access to the tap water both added to the pleasant dining experience. Paella and pizza may be on the pricier side, but they complement the sophisticated vineyard setting and fill you up with excellent service.

No wine connoisseur worth their salt would depart without sampling the famed Moscato, a specialty of Innocent Bystander. A must-visit spot in Healesville is Innocent Bystander, which has a stellar reputation for both service and cuisine, earning it four stars.

Website: https://www.innocentbystander.com.au

Location: 316-334 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville VIC 3777, Australia

Taste delicious Rating:
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Beverage: N/A
Entree: N/A
Mains: 4/5
Dessert: N/A
Overall: 13/15
★★★★

I hope you like the part where we talked about Innocent Bystander. For more content like this, visit our website Nowongfood.com.

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Nine Yards is one of a new brunch place in South Melbourne, Dorcas St. It occupies a large space for group diners. Clean with neutral colour palette makes it a great atmosphere to chill and unwind on the weekend. I find they are healthier than the general brunch cafes that I’ve been to. So perfect…

When in Sydney, you have to visit Hurricanes and have their ribs. I took my family here whilst we were visiting Sydney. They are very close to their cantonese tastebuds and wouldn’t be content with any other food because it’s their comfort food as they grew up in Asia. But the ribs sauce of Hurricanes…

Innocent Bystander is a contemporary and relaxed local winery with cafe & wine tasting bar. Some free tasting wines for the wine drinkers. I was doing a hike that day on a 37 degree heat, so I didn’t dare to drink anything that would dehydrate my body. The good food prepped me for the hike…

As good as gold they say… Au79 has been an instagrammable place for all our brunch lovers. It’s has a very pretty setting of indoor plants and with modern sleek grey and gold tones. The dining area is huge and had I known earlier, it would have been the perfect hens brunch! I’ve now been…

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I am cantonese and so happen to have the surname: Wong. I’m not being bias but as I was researching on my next food adventure in Sydney, Mr. Wong popped up quite a bit. It so happened we were ready to have lunch by 12 that we didn’t need to book and walk-in with a…

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The Meat & Wine Co has been at Southbank for many years. My first time was at a 21st birthday seated upstairs. And on the recent visit, I sat on the ground floor for a girls night table for four. I felt that the ground floor was very cosy – the tables were close to…

A basement restaurant and bar located in the heart of Melbourne CBD. They catered for us with a group of 10! We ordered the maiden mood which is $65 per person, where the whole table must do the same. Accommodates for dietary requirements like many other feed me options. The deal is they give us…

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Over two months I’ve been at Rockpool twice (one for dinner and the second for lunch. The second time was better than the first. Why? Because I didn’t know my steak! I had the wagyu topside the first time and it was too chewy! I was so disappointed until I tried J’s scotch fillet around…

I’ve heard all about it and drove past it many times when I head pass Healesville. When I did want to go there, they were closed for renovation. Now they have re-opened! Beautiful interiors with vertical wooden designs for dining separation. I’ve never been inside before it was renovated, so I had no idea how…

On a Saturday cold night at hardware lane, we strolled down the lane and Il Nostro Posto’s menu caught our attention for our not too hungry stomachs. Busy at the outdoor seating… But they could accomodate us walk-in-ers. We were seated downstairs at the corner. My first thought was its so secluded that we might…

Sitting at Melbourne’s crown casino lies Gradi, I walk pass it all the time, and they seemed to have a small entrance, but once you enter into the restaurant, the dining space is huge!!! The cuisine is mainly italian, but I find it Italian fused with Modern Australian. Service was very welcoming we were seated at…

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