Ripe, Dandenong (Victoria)

When we started our road trip to Dandenong, we set our minds onto visiting Miss Marple in Sassafras. But when we found out that there was a one hour waiting list, we settled for Ripe, which was a few shops away.

Spicey pumpkin and coriander soup served with fresh baguette.

One of the best pumpkin soups I've tasted! The spices in the soup added a great
depth and flavour. And I finished every last drop with a "yummmm" and a smile on my face!

Roasted vegetable tart, capsicum stuffed with corn and herbs, a cup of corn chowder &
tomato and basil gallette.

The portion was just nice for a hearty meal with good variety! The gallette was particularly
memorable because it had the right texture and wasn't too filling. However, the corn chowder was disappointing. It was bland and almost unnecessary in the dish. Both the vegetable tart and capsicum was simple and nice!

Grilled chicken breast served over vegetable cous cous, sour cream, fresh lime and coriander.

The cous cous was light and refreshing for a Sunday brunch! And our friend seemed to enjoy
the dish very much!

Pork cutlet, pan-fried over sweet potato mash, green beans and tomato salsa.

The portion was generous and the cutlet was extremely juicy! The sweet potato mash was
creamy and had a good consistency. It definitely left our friend wanting more!

Flourless chocolate cake.

Dense. Bursting with chocolate. Moist. And a nutty surprise.
It was definitely one of the popular choices of cakes as it ran out pretty quickly!
No surprise. :)

After our meal, we would definitely stop by this place if we ever drive past Sassafras!

Rating: 8.5/10

376 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road,
Sassafras. (VIC)
9755 2100

Seven Seeds, Carlton (Melbourne)

After reading positive reviews about the coffee in Seven Seeds, it immediately became my top priority to have a cup of this addictive beverage! And you'll know you're there when the scene of coffee hits your nose almost instantly! :)

Skinny cappuccino

Not as strong as I like my coffee but everything else was perfect!
I like it that there was only a hint of cocoa powder (unlike some capps where you just taste the chocolate and not the coffee in your first sip.) plus, it's so pretty!! Definitely a re-visit for this one!

Special of the day :
Peas and fennel pancakes with smoked salmon, poached eggs and watercress

Green pancakes? YUM. The colour was refreshing and definitely eye-catching! The creaminess of the poached eggs really complimented the pancakes and salmon! Nothing was really overpowering so all the flavour fitted just well together. love love love it:)

Mushrooms with sourdough, Greek feta and rocket salad

Mushrooms and sourdough bread is always the first thing I go to in a menu because they're so comforting and they go so well together! But this dish was disappointing. The mushrooms were too sour (too much vinegar maybe??) and all I taste was that "sourish-ness". The salad was mediocre and there was nothing that really stood out in this dish. Overall, it was forgettable.

ps. sorry about the crappy pictures! my phone was all i had:)

Rating: 8/10

114 Berkeley St
Carlton, 3053

www.sevenseeds.com.au

Dragon Boat Restaurant, CBD Melbourne

If you walk through Chinatown, it's almost impossible to miss this restaurant. Ordering dishes in this setting feels very familiar and it feels somewhat feels like we're back in Malaysia!

Chef Recommendation: Deep-fried tofu stuffed with prawns

I love tofu. Especially fried tofu. Crispy skin with warm, silky and soft insides.
The stuffing was alright (forgettable) but the tofu itself was delicious.

Beef (oops! forgot the name!)

I don't eat beef:)

Fish fillets with seasonal vegetables

This dish wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. A typical dish you can get from a chinese restaurant.

The service wasn't the best that night. When I asked for "chilli padi" they gave me a very salty chilli sauce. And when a friend of ours asked for chilli oil, the same chilli sauce came again! Overall, it was satisfying! :) but not outstanding.

Rating: 7/10

203 Lt Bourke St
Melbourne, 3000

(03) 9662 2733

Passionflower, Melbourne

After a satisfying dinner, we felt that it wasn't just enough! So.. what better way to end the night than ice cream for dessert! The menu at Passionflower was extensive and the flavours were new and exciting! After a very long period of time deciding what to get, we settled for "Cookie Me Up" with the classic cookie ice cream.

"Cookie Me Up"
Cookies and cream ice cream with cookies and whipped cream

The ice cream was really creamy but the cookie bits and flavour in the ice cream
was lacking. The cookies at the bottom of the dessert was really hard and felt like
they've been baked a long time ago. Overall, the ice cream was mediocre but
I would definitely go back for their black sesame ice cream!

Rating: 6.5/10

Shop 2, 168 Bourke Street
Melbourne, 3000

www.passionflower.com.au/Home