for all chocolate lovers such as yours truly, this place is a must try!! think of it as a chocolate version of starbucks..

on cold winter nights, this place is full to the brim which just proves how good it is considering ample seating and another branch just across the street.

located in an alley in Melb central, this place can get pretty cold during winter nights but no worries, their heater is just so warm and cosy.

tutti frutti: belgian chocolate waffles with a hint of cinnamon served with ice cream and fruits.. too good for words!!

mint hot chocolate: hot and rich chocolate served in a hug mug with a hint of mint.. yummy!!

this is how to drink from the hug mug.. warm hot choc keeping your tummy happy while holding the warm mug keeps frozen fingers warm.. this is multitasking at its yummiest!!

1. 400 ° gradi on Lygon st

good italian food with chic ambience. fresh oven baked pizzas with a variety of interesting flavours topped with sprigs of rocket and served on a chopping board for decor. this shop takes the meaning of pizza to a whole new level.

but, their pastas were disappointing, nuff said

2. su:t and wines at Box hill

typical korean bbq restaurant minus the smoky smell plus using charcoal.

plates of mouth watering beef, pork and chicken marinated to perfection is just so good!!

dipped in their home sauces

served with generous helpings of kimchi, and perfect end to the already perfect meal with seafood pancake. soft, fluffy and filled with fresh seafood..

–Up next: chocolatey goodness with the Bald man–

The day started with me cooking breakfast and then we walked to the bus stop to catch a bus to the nearby train station. while waiting, it started raining and there were also hailstones the size of raindrops.. it was so cold!! but the hailstones were interesting.

once in the city, it was even colder and the rain coming even heavier.. the city is so busy with working people in the day but this time around, the aim was to see melbourne city at night which was filled with club goers..

giant clock at Melb Central

old buildings at Melb Central

trying not to get lost in this giant city

Melbourne trams

horses and carriage for hire, so romantic

state library along swanson st

Yarra river

Federation square

– Up next: fine dining melbourne –

few more topics left to write about

1. night in the City

2. fine dining Melbourne

so far, for over a week plus, all i’ve been doing is eating, eating, and more eating, and of course sleeping.. we tried various different cuisines ranging from malaysian, korean, japanese, italian, indian, chinese, western, you name it!!

and i must say, it taste different from the version they have in malaysia.. of course, the malaysian food in malaysia is better, but otherwise, melbourne has better versions of everything..

i think, Melbourne is a health hazard!! lol..

G’day mate..

– Hopping of to Adelaide –

-Readers are advised to view with full stomach to prevent hyperactivity of gastric glands. Author is in no way responsible for any mishaps such as waterbrash or deglutition of computer parts-

A Breakfast for Champions!!

First contestant:

SCRAM SPECIAL

generous helping of eggs scrambled with bacon, ham, tomatoes, capsicum, and mushrooms served with a warm toasted bagel.

Second contestant:

MJ WORKS

this is another killer serving of two sunny side up eggs, two thick white toast, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, grilled roma tomatoes and mysterious sausages (couldnt tell if its lamb or beef)..

this plate is full of fresh stuff bursting with goodness and explosion of flavours in every bite.. the mushrooms are so bouncy and fresh especially with a dash of black pepper.. the tomato is so juicy and succulent, the bacon is well bacon lah.. always so good and sinful.. but the eggs………… ooooohh the eggs are just awesome!!

Third contestant:

BUTTERMILK PANCAKE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Last but not least!! Don’t look down on this unassuming pancake.. This buttermilk pancake is as big as a regular pizza in pizza hut and about one inch thick.. topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles of icing sugar and maple syrup..

warm crispy at the edges and soft on the inside pancake topped with vanilla ice cream and/or maple syrup.. gets better as the ice cream melts and makes the pancake a little soggy.. also tried it with the maple syrup.. couldn’t decide which taste better.. the maple syrup gives the pancake a distinct flavour which is hard to describe but is so so good..

THE WINNER!!

Buttermilk Pancake =D

today was a nice warm day.. which was perfect seeing that we made plans to visit St. Kilda beach today..

Driving along the bay.. most streets are lined with palm trees.. so pretty!!

with daddy at the esplanade.. *huggies*

some random palm tree with a neck brace?? lol..

*smile*

a view of St. Kilda pier.. so many boats were parked there.. lol.. and bottom right shows the newly built broadwalk..

enjoying the scenery and the cool fresh air..

*hearts*

love my Crocs, so comfy and suitable for any occassion, keeps my feet warm and cosy too =D the angmoh’s must be thinking, this asian girl never seen crocs before ah?? lol.. dad say this photo can use as advertisment.. must pay royalty ok!!

–Next up: melb 6: breakkie at MJ’s–

Cousin introduces us (yeah including my cool dad) to melbourne night life.. streetwalk cafe!! you heard it right, sitting by the street in the middle of a cold winter night.. and no, i think i’m still very much sane thank-you-very-much.. haha

its thanks to these that we manage to survive the cold to look YENG!! haha

warmers hung like lights above our heads.. can really feel the heat its emiting..

choose from diabetic inducing cakes

OR

artherosclerotic freshly fried fries (dang, its a tongue twister) which are addictive

PLUS

a cuppa fresh hot chocolate with marshmellows would make your night in Melbourne so complete you’ll go to bed smiling =D

this cup of hot choc was exceptionally good seeing that they added chocolate on the sides and shaved some on the top.. so full of chocolatey goodness!!

melbourne is just such an exciting place with so much to explore and so many different cultures to get to know and taste.. which explains why my posts mainly consist of food and more food!! ahaha..

– Stay tuned for Part 5: Melb on the broadwalk!!–

signing off,

a much larger,

LittleDot

Paid a visit to Korumburra with my uncle and aunty who decided to take a trip down  memory lane.. =D

COAL’S CREEK

Coal Creek Community Park and Museum has been developed to preserve the unique history of coal, the development of the South Gippsland railway and the rural settlement which was accelerated by the dairy and timber industries.

Coal was accidentally discovered in South Gippsland in 1872, near the present site of Coal Creek when James Brown’s horse, watering near the creek, kicked a sizable piece of coal free from the surface. Some 16 years later coal began to be mined. It was the first successful commercial coalfield in Victoria and was responsible for breaking the stranglehold New South Wales had on Victoria’s industries.

Come take a walk through time and explore the large collection of artefacts housed in the many heritage buildings in a village like setting. Buy some hand made sweets in the General Store, ride the bush tramway, dine in Garrard’s Café by the lake or simply enjoy our 20 acres of natural bush surrounds.

No words could do this place justice.. its a really cute little park they set up to commemorate this coal mining village..

uncle and aunty near the entrance overlooking the trains station.

the music studio..

the inside of the music studio which portrays what it was like back in the old days.

WARNING TO MUM: CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR THE NEXT PHOTO!! YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!!

not to mention its home to giant earthworms as well.. the length of this one is easily one metre and the body is as big as my thumb’s diameter..

there’s a general store here selling souveniers and candy..

inside of an olden days courthouse where the fates of many were sealed with a BANG of the hammer.

church hehe =D

see what i mean?? this place is beautiful!!

Adios!!

–Up next Melb 09 – Part 4:  Melb by night–

Carrot cake with lemon icing.. so soft and filled with goodness.. and just the right amount of sweet tanginess in the icing.. soooo good..

A cappucino with lovely heart shape.. dad said it was gooooddd….

One of the many brands of sushi.. at about AUD 2 a piece, its really a mouthful with generous amounts of fillings.. good for people like me who are hungry all the time =D  worth living in melb just for this.. hhehehe..

this is the raw salmon handroll.. guess the picture is worth a thousand words.. comes with its own fish dispenser soya sauce thingamajig.. one squirt and its good to go..

again, one of the many brands.. this is a sandwich.. chicken and bacon with djoinase sauce.. hope i got the spelling right..

its huge i tell you.. one sandwich abour AUD 8 is as large as 4 slices of malaysian wholemeal bread.. can share with dad and both of us are super full after that.. haha.. good stuff..

smoothie.. this one is a strawberry smoothie with skimmed milk and low fat yoghurt.. haha.. healthy option after a day of gluttony haha..

KFC!! you must think i’m nuts for eating KFC here of all things.. but its seriously good here.. these are called wicked wings.. cos its just the wing part.. so juicy and nice and spicy!! woot!!

KFC fried here are better than the MC D ones.. haha.. its crispy and salty on the outside and soft fluffy potatoes on the inside.. and no, i’m not being biased towards melb food haha.. and no, wasn’t ravenous either..

Chicken and bacon risotto at kelly’s hotel.. so good with generous amounts of chicken and artery clogging bacon with rinds of fat.. the garlic bread was really good too.. tasted a bit like the rice version of carbonara..

Another winner from Kelly’s: mixed berries cheesecake which comes with (from top right) vanilla ice cream and wafer bits, fresh strawberries and whipped cream, small but awesome serving of caramel custard, and some shaved chocolate.. the sides was all very yummy but the cake was fabulous.. sour berry topping with crispy biscuit base sandwiching a thick slice of cheese which is so very very good..

– Stay tuned for Part 3 –

got here in time to celebrate little Jaslyn’s full moon. aunt cooked up a storm as expected complete with the red birthday eggs, nasi kunyit, and satay. and invited a whole bunch of malaysians that i had to step outside to remind myself that i’m at Melbourne haha. welcome to the family Jaslyn!! muax!