Gemelle

Address: 79 Bathurst St, Liverpool NSW 2170
Tel: (02) 9602 5294
Website: www.gemelle.com.au

This is a very unusual location for a restaurant of this meticularity and calibre - who would think Sydney's west would house such a hidden gem?

Tomato Bruschetta (pictured above) – perfectly seasoned balsamic vinegar in the tomato on a bed of pepper/herbs

Calamari pasta (special, pictured above) – has mince meat type texture, quite large for an entrée serve, very tasty but not overpowering seafood flavour. Pasta pieces cooked to al dente perfection.

Fillet di Manzi (above) – eye fillet steak with rocket, parmesan & balsamic jus: cooked medium, extremely thin steak – needs more sauce but texture & natural flavours otherwise very pleasant.

Chocolate gateau (above): firm chocolate mousse, coffee anglaise, raspberry coulis coffee with raspberry - really strange, but chocolate mousse extremely rich & dark.

Hot apple pie – closest thing to my dear friend’s own recipe – thinly sliced apple layered over a circular piece of puff pastry, baked to a crispy texture and topped with a scoop of vanilla icecream – bliss.

Oriental Spoon

Address: 254 Latrobe St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: (03) 9654 9930
Website: www.orientalspoon.com.au

Note: May be under renovations, please call ahead to confirm

Chicken Bulgogi (pictured above) – ‘lean chicken skinless chicken fillets marinated in chilli paste, cooked with vegetables’: thinly sliced threads of chicken, really punchy spice in light stirfry sauce – almost smoky flavour

Tuna & Kimchi fried rice (pictured above and below): cooked tuna, light fried rice, served with miso mushroom soup

Spicy Seafood Udon (below): really thick but ligh chilli soup with peppery undertones, seafood does not conflict or overpower broth.

Clean, well-presented honest Korean meals in decent portions to satisfy those with a bit of hunger or just to share.

Chimmys Cafe/Bakery/Restaurant

Address: 342-344 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121
Tel: (03) 9427 1391
Website: www.chimmys.com.au

You can tell by the array of pastry/bakery awards plastered on the walls of Chimmy's that this establishment means business. Staff are always friendly and there is a vital buzzing energy about the place.

Bard’s Tempest Tea – similar to English Breakfast, with a slight reminder of Russian Caravan. Unique and fragrant but not too ethnic/overpowering with milk.

Breakfast (pictured below) – Field mushrooms, thyme, truffle oil, crumbled fetta & avocado on toast : a really good flavour, thyme maskes the potential conflicting flavours of fetta & mushroom


Note: Upon 2^nd visit I was bitterly disappointed with the mushroom breakfast – the mushrooms were served individually and not marinated well enough leaving a dirty, bitter aftertaste, fetta cheese was left in cubes giving the whole dish a slimy texture.

Big fry up (below):


Old School Omelette – Ham, cheddar cheese, tomato, spinach & relish on toast


Seasonal Fruit Salad – one does not often feel motivated to have fruit for breakfast, nor does it usually constitute a meal - but the presentation and mix of flavours you see below makes it suddenly very enticing.


Crumbed prawns with spinach, avocado, chilli & lime aoli - pictured below:


Almond Croissant – warm, floaty layers of puff pastry sprinkled with icing sugar and slivered almonds - bliss!

Shyun (Japanese)

Address: 126 Koornang Rd, Carnegie VIC
Tel: (03) 9569 6530
Website: http://shyun.net.au
Closed Mondays

Teriyaki Chicken with brown rice sushi roll – tasty & fresh, brown rice gives it a chunkier, fatter, fibrous & grainy texture.

Curry Udon (Pictured below) – Literally a thick curry sauce with udon noodles inside – served ‘al dente’, bouncy, chewy thick cut udon noodle. Curry surprisingly lighter than the texture looks, moderate spice – pleasant, substantial meal with out feeling too heavy. Served steaming hot – just be careful eating it with chopsticks because if you are a retarded lefthanded user you will manage to flick the curry sauce all over the table as well as your clothes (wearing dark colours is advisable). An enjoyable, simple dish – no meat, broccoli tastes slightly barbequed/charred – best I’ve ever had!

Huff Bagelry

Address: 112 Koornang Rd, Carnegie VIC 3163
Tel: (03) 9568 3866
Website: www.huffbagelry.com


Cauliflower frittata, cheese, tomato, rockets, mayo on a poppy seed bagel delightfully toasted to a crisp – there is something orgasmic about a crispy, dense bagel filled with ingredients that work and flavours that melt in your mouth!

They also render a more-than-acceptable coffee and some homemade treats for the sweet tooth.

A highly desirable Sunday brunch destination!