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Footscray 3011: 8bit
You will often find me at the markets in Footscray purchasing avocados for 99 cents per kilo, at the medical centre getting health checks or dining at one of the many superb Vietnamese restaurants.
You won’t normally find me (or anyone in Footscray) at a burger joint. Until now.
This trendy diner has just recently opened at 8 Droop St, Footscray, and is attracting quite the crowd. I went on a Sunday night and just missed a line of 10-15 people that were waiting to order. Everyone in the diner were munching down on what appeared to be delicious juicy burgers that stand upright in small cardboard containers. The concept is genius, as I assume the juices will be caught by the cardboard box and not run down your top. I love the skilful way the owner has chosen to locate 8 Bit, in an area where western style eateries are scarce.
After witnessing how good the burgers appeared I attempted to order the crumbed portabello mushroom burger. Prior to this I overheard the cashier inform my friend that they were out of onion rings. As I pondered getting the burger, he told me they were out of mushrooms.
Disappointed by this information, I ordered some potato gems covered in hot cheese sauce and onions.
The topping was delicious, even though the potato gems were clearly a McCains frozen product.
I want to say I was satisfied, but I wasn’t. I was after a drink but the line at front of house was too long. I felt sorry for the one cashier. I was in awe that they ran out of onions and mushrooms as 8bit is located about 5 metres from Saigon fresh fruit and vegetable market. For goodness sake if the stock was running low during the day this could have been easily rectified.
I hope to return and try the mushroom burger soon. For now I leave you with some photos of potato gems.
Potato Gems with Cheese Sauce, spring onion and onions
Potato Gems & Ketchup
07000 Langkawi : 7th Roof Seafood Restaurant
After discovering our hotel at Aliah Residence had a terrible menu with limited variety and zero options for vegetarians, my vegan travel buddy and I took a walk down Kampung Kuala Teriang to look for other places to eat.
Kampung Kuala Teriang is a long road that heads to Langkawi Airport. There are a few small family owned eateries, all about 500 metres apart. We visited each one and were disappointed at the choice of food, service and lack of air con / fans. I was also tired of looking at the same colourful cheap plastic chairs. Most of these eateries only had five items on their menu’s, such as ayam and nasi goreng. My instinct told me this cuisine would’ve been home style authentic Malaysian and flavoursome, but we had special requests today and could not get past the language barrier.
After walking for about a kilometre along the busy road, moving to the swampy side of the road when a motorcycle or vehicle approached, we found 7th Roof. Often there is a family of cattle walking across this road and today we were lucky enough to see them cross a few times, my vegan friend scared for their safety. I assured her the cattle know what they are doing and must’ve crossed this road a thousand times.
7th roof was a touristy seafood restaurant, but we were pleased there was a small vegetarian section.
Apart from the mixed vegetables in garlic sauce, the rest of the dishes served are seafood, The squid with onions and a Malay style sauce was a bit overdone. However, the tiger prawns and lobster are only RN15 to RN25 per 100grams and there are many delicious sauces like garlic butter or curry to choose from.
The Choy Sum cooked with a potent garlic sauce was delicious, as were the crispy vegetable spring rolls with savoury spices.
I enjoyed the food here, as well as the the restaurant’s peaceful ambience. It was although the establishment was located in the middle of a rainforest, when in fact it is situated in a swampy area. There is anti mosquito coils underneath each table, however I guarantee you will get bitten here.
The free wifi was a positive incentive for us foreigners to come to this restaurant, but was temperamental. The waitress and owners spoke good English and Chinese and provided fantastic service, willing to cater for vegetarian/ vegan diets.
I recommend 7th Roof for those on romantic dates or groups wishing to share many seafood dishes.
Fitzroy 3065: Yong Green Food
Vegetarian? Vegan? Gluten-free? Raw food? Organic? Clean eating? Paleo? Jenny Craig? Whatever your diet may be today, you will surely be able to eat something on the menu at Yong Green Food on Brunswick St, Melbourne.
The ‘raw’ menu contains items such as Hawaiian pizza made from macadamia bread with raw cashew cream and pineapple topping or rawsange; mixed raw vegetables with walnut bolognaise.
If raw isn’t your thing I can vouch for the mock meat chicken burger on Turkish bread or the mock tuna wrap with coleslaw, both under $12.
My favourite dish so far at Yong’s is the Oyster Mushroom Calamari Salad, an innovative dish of fried king oyster mushrooms served with jalapeño marinara and vegan aioli.
I’ve heard good things about the Dragon Bowl, the kimchi and the stir died veggies too.
If you have IBS or suffer from sensitivity to processed and preservative filled food and drink, I highly recommend Yong’s Green Food to you. Make sure you make a reservation.
Melbourne 3000: Yamato Japanese
Tonight I had a date, I know it’s a long shot to find love online, but I am in my sixties now and I don’t particularly want to die alone. It was Tight Ass Tuesday for the Melbourne Comedy Festival and I was going to see a Japanese Ventriloquist. It was logical to go with the Japanese theme for the night and go somewhere fast and Japanese for dinner before the show. At the far end of Corrs Lane in China Town, there is a Japanese restaurant called Yamato.
Of course I had walked past and noted the eatery existed before, but had never been. Yamato is cosy, with tables and benches in every nook and cranny, made for tiny Japanese people, just like in Japan. Allbeit small, the seating arragement was comfortable.
The service was impeccable, the waitress poured our beers and took our order. Myself and my Tinder date sipped our O’Ryan beers, after deciding from an impressive list of imported Japanese beer. The restaurants’ walls were covered in Japanese monuments such as photos, masks and money cats, that steered our conversation in the direction of travel.
Our Agedashi tofu was served hot and had the classic silken firm texture and golden brown colour. The broth was delicious, as expected. When the main of Tofu Steak and vegetables arrived, I was dissapointed that there was a lack of vegetables apart from various types of onions. Nevertheless it tasted good.
I’m not certain about what my date ordered but there are some photos below in among the tofu and onions.
On the wall covered in Japanese decorations, I spotted a posted displaying a black premium beer – ‘Niggata, black beer 100% natural bottle condition.’ As a lover of dark beer, I can tell you that sipping this roasted, coffee-like malt was a holy experience.
As a light and quick meal, Yamato was good, but the range of imported beers is the only thing that would convince me to return. I would recommend it to people who love slimy or fried Japanese food, but personally I prefer Teppanyaki on a first date.
Please note I wasn’t having an optical illusion when I saw a sign for corkage charged at $15 per bottle
Kensington 3031: Kensington Pizza
Upon reading the menu I was impressed at the range of pizzas with creative toppings.
One that caught my friends eye was the Cheese Burger topping.
The gluten free base options for every topping was also impressive.
Craving the Veggie Supreme from Crust, I opted for the pizza topping I thought would be most similar.
The garlic bread was delicious and potentially home made. My vegetarian pizza was so-so, there were no complaints about the Americana pizza and the cheese burger pizza apparently tasted quite similar to a cheeseburger.
Americana: 
Despite the interesting toppings Kensington pizza really isn’t giving Crust pizza a run for it’s money, just kind of copying it. I suggest they drizzle some sauce over the top of their pizzas in strategic zig zags, and then I might go back.
Or I could just go to Crust…
Brunswick 3056: Cornish Arms
8pm on a Monday.
Go here to celebrate my friends birthday.
Ordered the vegan & gluten free Portobello mushroom burger.
Received this.
Dissatisfied.
Friend ordered medium rare steak.
Received this:
The wait staff are lovely, however it was awkward that brought dish after dish out that wasn’t our tables order.
I have already reviewed The Cornish Arms and wasn’t going to bother again until I saw that steak.
Melbourne 3000: 11 Inch Pizza
Damnnn the mushroom sage and Fior di Latte you can purchase when you walk in to the Equitable place franchise is DELICIOUS!
Chef John Smith, Melbourne 