Tucked away in a red brick terrace in a suburb known more for its hospitals and tram routes than cafes, Square and Compass looks more like a house than a quintessential café. But its menu is far better than anything I could prepare at home (not hard).
Houhai Dumpling House is a rarity in the slew of cafes, Italian restaurants and pubs in the area, which may explain why it was packed to the rafters last Friday night.
I remember trying to pay for four drinks at a regional English pub once with a 50 pound note because I’m so conditioned to the ludicrous price of drinks in Melbourne, only for the barman to laughingly inform me that I was out of pocket by a mere £15.95. Brunswick institution Green Refectory is exactly like this.
The Standard Hotel’s prices are not prohibitively high, as is the case with certain gastropubs, and its menu is inventive and varied enough that there’s something for everyone (unless you have intolerances and hate steak).
I’d heard about the legendary Margheritas at Queen Margaret long before I migrated up north, but it took me close to two years after moving to the neighbourhood before I contemplated eating here.
There are plenty of Malaysian dishes that Australians are well acquainted with, but economy rice isn’t one of them.
It’s no secret that I prefer fake meat to real meat, which is how I found myself at Gong De Lin mid-last week.
