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Stories Of Nooool, Carlton

Paul
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Stories Of Nooool, Carlton

MELBOURNE | Stories Of Nooool is a Carlton restaurant that’s serving up a menu focused on house-made broadly Japanese-inspired noodles dishes. I recently popped in to grab some photos for What’s on Melbourne.

The space, formerly home to the sadly closed Hong Kong-style cafe, TuanTuan, is not too changed from what it used to be. Furnishings and the general interior are a bit lighter and brighter, with the same ample amount of seating spread over a large, open space.

Noodles are the centrepiece of the menu, complimented by a selection of donburi, snacks, and desserts. Almost everything is made on-site from scratch, using top quality local and Japanese ingredients.

Crowd favourites include a French-style bisque broth filled with udon, topped with prawn katsu; smoked and torched pork belly with onsen egg and udon in a creamy truffle-flavoured broth; and “dry” udon with a creamy mentaiko (pollock roe) sauce, a generous scoop on mentaiko, and prawns.

For snacks, it’s things like bite-sized okonomiyaki, deep fried yam, and namban fried chicken with tartare sauce.

On the dessert side of things, inspiration comes from further afield than Japan. The signature dessert is fluffy Taiwanese-inspired snow ice. There’s a variety of flavours to choose from, like salted caramel, honeycomb, sake ice-cream.

To drink, there’s a selection of local and Japanese alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks like Suntory Premium Malts beer, sake, and Pokka flavoured teas.

Stories Of Nooool

1/139-151 Queensberry Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9995 5407
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sat – Sun: 12:00pm to 9:30pm
Tue – Fri: 12:00pm to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 9:30pm

Nora Thai, South Yarra

Paul
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0
Nora Thai, South Yarra

MELBOURNE | Nora Thai is a tiny 20-seat restaurant on a leafy side-street in South Yarra. Visit, and you’ll be treated to some of the most delicious Southern Thai food in town.

The restaurant was opened by friends Thunyaluk “Palmmy” Aninpukkanuntin and Duangdao “Kana” Bannakorn early this year. Both hail from Surat Thani province in Southern Thailand, and opened Nora Thai to showcase the food of this region to Melburnians.

It’s a simple, welcoming space. White walls with Thai artwork, and wooden furniture and floorboards. Palmmy and Kana are super friendly, and have a clear passion for what they are doing.

There’s a focus on regional specialities and lesser-known dishes, things that Palmmy and Kana couldn’t find when they moved to Australia. The food at Nora is legit, with no toning down of the dishes’ boldness, vibrancy and heat. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, be sure to make it known when you order as the default heat level on several of the dishes is up there.

There’s a lot to like on the menu, which spans small and large plates, curries, soups, stir-fry, rice, noodles, and dessert.

Signature dishes that are all worth trying include Kaeng Bai Cha Plu, a creamy crab meat curry with betel leaf; bai leang pad kai, a wonderful stir-fry of Malindjo Southern Thai green leaves, with egg and garlic; and Gaeng Khua Prik Si Krong Moo. The latter dish is a fiery soft pork-rib curry cooked with shrimp paste and kaffir lime leaves.

To drink, there’s Thai drinks like milk tea, pink milk, and young coconut juice. There’s also Singha and Corona for those who want a beer.

Nora Thai

69 Davis Avenue
South Yarra
Victoria 3141
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9869 6444
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sat: 11:00am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Sun: 5:00pm to 10:00pm

48 Hours In Boise: Things To Do

Paul
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48 Hours In Boise: Things To Do

BOISE | Boise is a city that a lot of people have heard of, but don’t really know a lot about. The capital and largest city in Idaho, Boise is a city that’s experience a lot of growth and change in recent years. It’s a compact, clean, friendly city, with a lot to offer visitors.

If you’re looking for things to do in Boise, my guide will help you make the most of your time in town, even if you only have a few days. From museums to nature, a diverse dining scene and great street art, there are a lot of things to see and do in Boise.

Discover Boise’s Street Art Scene

Boise has a vibrant street art scene, with murals painted by local artists, and artists visiting from other cities. There’s Downtown’s famed ‘Freak Alley’, the city’s painted traffic signal boxes, and more. Beyond downtown, there’s neighbourhoods like Garden City and Depot Bench, that offer plenty of interesting, beautiful, and topical murals.

Check out my Boise Street Art Guide for more information on where to find the best street art in Boise.

Eat Global Cuisine

Idaho is known for its potatoes, and you should definitely eat potatoes cooked in a variety of ways while in town. What’s less known about Boise’s food scene is just how global it is.

The city is home to large immigrant communities from places like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Mexico, China, Iraq, Ukraine, India, and the Philippines. These groups have enriched the food scene in Boise, and as a visitor you can eat your way around the world here.

A few places worth checking out are Sunshine Café (Afghan), Alyonka (Kazakh/Russian), Wepa Café (Puerto Rican), and Kibrom’s (Ethiopian & Eritrean). For good pub fare, check out Bittercreek Alehouse.

Explore The Great Outdoors

Boise is a very green city, with no shortage of parks (the Military Reserve and Ann Morrison Park are great) and green spaces to relax in. What I’m talking about in this section, however, is the great outdoors that’s so easily accessible just outside of the city.

Boise National Forest is just a half hour drive from Downtown, and provides countless opportunities to explore the great outdoors. Whether it’s a scenic drive and easy walk you want, hikes and fishing, or adventure activities, there’s something for everyone in Boise National Forest.

I’ve put together an article, Exploring Boise National Forest, to help you plan a visit there. Being so close to the city makes it well worth a visit, even if just for a half-day over a quick two-day visit.

Go To Garden City

Located just a short walk from Downtown, Garden City is a neighbourhood (technically a separate city) that’s seen a lot of changes in its time. Its name derives from the market gardens that were run by Chinese immigrants who once lived in the area. Over time, the area became quite industrial, and in recent years it’s become a haven for artists.

Walking through the Garden City, you’ll find evidences of its past everywhere, and a real contrast between old and new. There’s artist studios and boutiques, fantastic breweries, wineries, and distilleries, and several places to enjoy great food. Garden City also has a thriving street art scene.

Pop Into A Museum

Boise is home to several fantastic museums. I highly recommend visiting the Basque Museum & Cultural Center. Boise has one of the largest Basque communities outside of Spain, and this museum is a great way to learn about their history, culture, and stories.

Other museums worth visiting are the Boise Art Museum, which focuses on modern art; and the Idaho State Museum, where you can learn about the state’s history.

Relax Along The Boise River Greenbelt

The Boise River Greenbelt is a 40 kilometre (25 mile) tree-lined pathway that follows the north and south sides of the Boise River through the heart of the city. It’s a great way to relax and move from one part of town to another, and provides scenic views, wildlife habitat and pedestrian access to many of Boise’s popular riverside parks.

Shop At A Local Market

Capital City Public Market has been operating on Saturdays in Downtown’s Grove Plaza since 1994. From mid-April to mid-December, visit the market to meet and shop from over 150 local producers, farmers, and artisans. The market has a real community vibe, and is a great way to support local small business, and chat with some of the people who help make this city what it is.

Stop By The State Capitol

The Idaho State Capitol is an impressive building, completed in 1920 and inspired by Classical European architecture. Restored in 2010, the capitol’s beautiful exterior and interior can be enjoyed by visitors for free as a self-guided tour.

Visit The Library!

I’m including this in the list because I think it’s hilarious. The kind of quirky thing that you only seem to find in the United States. What makes the Boise Public Library unique is the sign out the front. A massive sign that reads “LIBRARY!”. Yes, there’s an exclamation point and that’s the official branding of the library.

Why? Basically because a local business owner, Howard Olivier, thought the library was great and that the sign should reflect this. He offered to pay for it if the library agreed, which they did. The sign went up in 1995 and has been there ever sine.

Watch A Football Game At Albertsons Stadium

Boise State University is worth visiting to simply walk around the beautiful campus and take in the architecture and natural surrounds. It’s also worth visiting for it’s famed stadium.

Albertsons Stadium, with its unique blue field, is home to the university’s college football team, Boise State Broncos of the Mountain West Conference. If you can catch a college football game, the atmosphere and experience is great.

Boise Street Art Guide

Paul
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0
Boise Street Art Guide

BOISE | When you think of street art cities, Boise, Idaho, isn’t the first place that comes to mind. The city, however, is home to a vibrant street art scene. Murals created by talented local artists and those from elsewhere can be found all over Boise.

Downtown’s ‘Freak Alley’ is the best known place in Boise to find murals, and is excellent. There’s a lot more to the Boise street art scene than Freak Alley, however. From large scale murals that are hard to miss, to small murals hidden in unassuming spots, there’s a diverse collection of art in the city. Boise’s street art draws upon a variety of themes from the social and political, to the historical and fun.

In this Boise street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of the top neighbourhoods to visit to find Boise’s best street art.

Boise State University District

Named for the sprawling Boise State University which takes up most of the neighbourhood, it’s not surprising that this university neighbourhood is a great place to find street art. Take a walk through the campus, and the streets that surround it to find a whole lot of great street art.

The campus worth a wander through in its own right too. It’s a beautiful campus with lots of great architecture, flanked by the Boise River.

Depot Bench

Wide, tree-lined streets and historic houses make Depot Bench, one of Boise’s oldest and most desirable neighbourhoods, well worth visiting. Recent years have seen several excellent and diverse dining options open in the neighbourhood.

For street art lovers, most of Depot Bench’s murals can be found along South Vista Boulevard, and the side streets that run off it. If you start a street art walk at the South of Depot Bench, you can walk all the way up South Vista Boulevard, which links with Capitol Boulevard and takes you through the western part of Boise State University and into Downtown.

Downtown

The best known neighbourhood for street art in Boise is Downtown, and the most famous spot is ‘Freak Alley’. Artist Colby Akers founded the city’s now famous street art alley in 2002, when he was painting the rear door of business Moon’s Kitchen, and was granted permission to extend his mural beyond the door. Today, the alley is supported as a not for profit venture by local artists and businesses. Mostly local artists continue to add to the collection of murals each year.

Beyond Freak Alley, there are murals all over Downtown. The city’s traffic boxes, which have almost all been painted by local artists, can be found not just in Downtown but across Boise. It’s a compact Downtown, so the best thing to is simply wander around and let your eyes wander. You’ll spot the obvious ones, like the murals on the walls of the Old Boise Bus Station, but be sure to look up, and all around. There are lots of murals that are hidden in little spots on the sides of buildings that aren’t obvious if you’re not paying attention.

Garden City

One of Boise’s trendiest neighbourhoods is Garden City. It’s a former industrial neighbourhood that’s full of trendy eateries, bars, and street art. Wander around the streets, and you’ll find plenty of murals along the large walls of the former warehouses that are all over Garden City.

Of note are a collection of murals across the neighbourhood, painted in 2022 with the support of Conservation Voters for Idaho and the Garden City Placemaking Fund. The Garden City Climate Action Art Walk showcases the work of local artists and their connection to clean air and water, open space and the outdoors of Idaho.

Hyde Park

A section of Boise’s North End neighbourhood, Hyde Park is a historic area just north of Downtown. It’s a beautiful neighbourhood to walk through, home to heritage listed architecture and small, independent eateries and boutiques. The street art in Hyde Park can be found down the side streets, focused in the few blocks around North 9th, 10th, and 11th Streets.

West End

Located west of Downtown, Boise’s West End neighbourhood is over 100 years old, with plenty of beautiful old architecture to admire. It has an quaint, relaxed feel, and you can easily forget that you’re so close to the centre of town.

Most of West End’s murals can be found in the south of the neighbourhood, around West Bannock Street. A great street art great walk is one that starts in Downtown, heading through West End, and continues into Garden City.

Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:

Happy discoveries on your street art walk through Boise. What are your favourites places for street art in Boise? Are there any street art neighbourhoods beyond these hotspots that you love?

Visiting Shoshone Falls And Twin Falls

Paul
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0
Visiting Shoshone Falls And Twin Falls

TWIN FALLS | Leaving Boise on my recent US road trip, it was time to pick a place to stay, somewhere between Boise and Salt Lake City. Twin Falls looked decent enough, and what a great place to spend a night it was. While home to only 52,000 people, it’s the largest city in a 100 mile/160km radius.

Twin Falls is the gateway to the Snake River, and Shoshone Falls. It’s perhaps best known for daredevil Evel Knievel’s failed 1974 attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in a specially modified rocket cycle. In 2016, stuntman Eddie Braun successfully made the jump, using a rocket motorcycle built by the son of the man who built the original.

The best time to visit Shoshone Falls is in late spring/early summer, when the water levels are high. By the time I visited, in late summer, the water levels were well down on their peak. This is due to irrigation diversion during the dry, summer season. As I think my photos show, however, they’re still spectacular.

I didn’t take any photos of Twin Falls itself with my proper camera, because to be honest, I made an effort to resist the urge to be in “City Lane” mode several times during this road trip. Sometimes, a holiday can just be a holiday, and there’s a lot to be said for not feeling pressured to document and photograph everything with an eye to potential content. Having said that, I’ve still got you. Here’s a few tips if you’re ever in Twin Falls for a night:

Try some local beer and wine at Koto Brewing Co, then head over to Milner’s Gate, who as well as being a brewery, do some great pub meals. The Idaho-grown Snake River Farms Kobe beef flank steak is fantastic. Post meal, walk over to 2nd South Market. It’s a food hall housed in a restored 1926 workshop and factory. There’s seven diverse food vendors, plus a bar with family and dog friendly beer garden out back with a real community vibe to it. Have a drink, watch some local live music, and soak in the atmosphere.

The next morning, head over to Idaho Joe’s, a no-nonsense diner known for their extensive selection of delicious pies. Get your Agent Cooper on and order their damn fine cherry pie with ice-cream, and a cup of joe.

Exploring Boise National Forest: A Guide

Paul
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0
Exploring Boise National Forest: A Guide

BOISE | Boise National Forest is located less than a two hour drive from downtown Boise, Idaho. It’s a great place to visit for those looking to explore the great outdoors. This guide will give you an overview of what Boise National Forest has to offer. Read ahead for some of the best places to visit and things to do.

Created on July 1, 1908, from part of Sawtooth National Forest, Boise National Forest covers and area of 8,918.07 km2 (2,203,703 acres). It’s the site of several mountain ranges, sagebrush steppe and spruce-fir forests. In the forest, you’ll find over 250 lakes, steams, and rivers.

There are a lot of recreational activities on offer in Boise National Forest. Visitors can camp at over 70 campgrounds, rent a cabin, go rafting, and fish. There’s around 2,100 km (1,300 miles) of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and opportunities for offroad vehicle adventures.

Plan Your Stay

Depending on where you enter the forest, you’ll have a different suite of activities available to you. If you’re heading in from Boise, you’ll pass by either the Idaho City Ranger District and Office, or the US Forest Services Ranger Station on Lowman Road. Stop in, grab a physical map (mobile phone reception can be patchy in the forest), and have a chat with the staff about anything you should particularly be aware of at the time.

Passes And Permits

While Boise National Forest is free to enter and drive through, you’ll need to research whether any passes or permits are required for the activities that you want to do. Most areas require the payment of a Standard Amenity Fee, which is a few dollars. You can purchase these online, or in cash at each site. This is for things like parking at picnic areas, developed trailheads, and destination visitor centres.

Other activities, like camping, boating, shooting, and rock climbing, require different passes. Be sure to do your research before you arrive.

Enjoy The Scenic Byways

While driving into and through the forest, you’ll be wowed by the diverse landscapes and scenery along the byways. Driving from Boise, via Idaho Falls, you’ll follow the spectacular Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway. The other two scenic byways are the Payette River Scenic Byway and Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway. Take the time to appreciate the drive, and set aside time to stop as there are lots of activities along the scenic routes.

Trails

There’s 2,100 km (1,300 miles) of multiple-use trails in Boise National Forest. You can walk and cycle on all of them, and many are open to motorised vehicle recreational activities such as motorbiking and ATV riding.

For hikers, there’s a diverse assortment of trails of varying altitude, length, and difficulty. Some of the most beautiful and popular hikes are the Crooked River Trail, Freddy’s Stack Rock Trail, Adelmann Mine, Lucky Peak Loop Hike, and the Mount Heinen Hike.

If you’re after something easy and relaxing, more of a walk than a hike, check out the Bonneville Hot Springs Hike.

Water Activities

Swimming, paddleboarding, fishing, boating, rafting, and kayaking are just some of the water activities that you can engage in while visiting Boise National Forest. Be it relaxing in a lake, or navigating white-water rapids, you’ll find something to match the level of thrills that you’re seeking.

Deadwood Reservoir, Anderson Ranch Reservoir and Warm Lake are great spots for motorised boating and relaxing on the beach. If it’s non-motorised boating you’re after, Sagehen Reservoir is a great options.

For swimming, check out the relaxing Kirkham Hot Springs. If it’s fishing you’re into, then the various forks of the Payette River, Boise River, and South Fork Salmon River all provide ample opportunities to catch fish like salmon and trout.

Winter Fun

There’s no shortage of winter activities for those visiting Boise National Forest when the snow hits and the temperatures drop. Snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and downhill and cross-country skiing are just some of the activities on offer.

One of the most accessible and popular areas is Bogus Basin. It’s partially located in Boise National Forest and just north of Boise. At Bogus Basin, you’ll find 10 ski lifts, 90 named runs, 81 hectares (200 acres) of night skiing, and over 37km (23 miles) of groomed Nordic trails.

For a winter stay, you can hire a cabin, or even stay in a Mongolian-style yurt.

Flying United Airlines Economy Class From Melbourne To San Francisco

Paul
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0
Flying United Airlines Economy Class From Melbourne To San Francisco

TRAVEL | United Airlines operates daily flights between Melbourne and San Francisco. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (“Dreamliner”) is currently used on the route, and travellers can choose between Economy, Economy Plus, Premium Economy and Business class. The average flight time on this route is 14 hours and 35 minutes.

Check In

Check in is a breeze. You can check in online, or using United’s app. I used the latter, which is one of the best airline apps that I’ve used. You can enter in all relevant passport and visa/ESTA information before your flight, and receive an online boarding pass. If you’re using the app, there’s up-to-date notifications about gate changes, flight delays, and the like, and you can use the boarding pass on the app at the gate.

If you have luggage to check in, there are several bag drop off counters with a few United staff walking around the area to assist if needed. There’s also the option of traditional staffed check in counters if you wish.

Loyalty

United’s loyalty program is United Mileage Plus, which is free to join. United also partner with Virgin Australia’s Velocity programme, which offers the option of points transfers and certain reciprocal privileges.

I’m a Velocity Gold member, so have access to United lounges. United doesn’t have any lounges at Melbourne airport. By virtue of them being part of the Star Alliance, Velocity and Mileage Plus members with status can access the Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge.

Luggage

Checked luggage is included with all United Airlines economy tickets when flying international long haul. You can check-in one bag up to 23kg (50lb). For carry on, you’re allowed one carry on bag no larger than 23cm x 35cm x 56cm (9in x 14in x 22in), and a smaller bag no larger than 22cm x 25cm x 43cm (9in x 10in x 17in). Carry on bags are not weighed.

If you do check in bag, be sure to download the United app, which allows you to see track the status and location of your checked bags.

Service

Service is friendly and efficient. It’s a diverse crew, happy to have a little chat and a laugh, but never at the expense of professionalism. Water is offered at various times throughout the flight, and the one time that I had to use the ‘call attendant’ button (I wanted more water), someone came to my seat very quickly.

Cabin

The United Economy cabin on the Dreamliner that flies from Melbourne to San Francisco features 149 seats, in a 3-3-3 layout. There are enough flight attendants around so getting the attention of someone should you need assistance isn’t an issue. Colour wise it’s blue and white, with flourishes of black, keeping in line with United’s branding. When it comes to cleanliness, everything nice and clean. You can tell that the plane is relatively new.

Seat

The leather seat has dimensions of about 78.4cm x 43.9cm (31in x 17.3in), about the same as you’ll find on most full service airlines flying this sort of distance. Like any economy seat, it doesn’t recline that far back. In this case, the recline is 7.6cm (3in). There’s an adjustable cushioned headrest which is handy when you want to get some sleep.

There are small armrests, and a leather pocket sleeve and secondary mesh sleeve at the back of the seat in front to place a few things. There’s not much space to get work done with the tray down if you’ve got a laptop, but for a tablet sized device it’s possible to get some productive stuff done.

Each seat comes with a 110v power outlet, capable of taking a few different kinds of international plugs. There’s also a USB port for charging devices, but do be aware that it’s a slower, USB-A type port.

If you want extra legroom and a larger seat, you can upgrade to an ‘Economy Plus’ seat, for a fee.

Entertainment

Each economy seat features United’s ‘Private Screening’ seatback entertainment system. On it you’ll find real-time flight information, and a selection new release and classic movies, TV shows, music, and games. Basic headphones are provided, and you can also connect your Bluetooth headphones to the seatback system.

If you want to use your own devices, you can access the ‘Private Screening’ entertainment system via the United app.

To read, it’s United’s ‘Hemispheres’ magazine, which you’ll find in the back pouch of your seat. It’s a good read, with several interesting travel related articles, destination guides and the like.

Food

The food offering on the flight is fine, but not best-in-class compared to other long haul economy cabins that I’ve flown in recent years. You get two main meals on this flight, in this case lunch and breakfast. There’s no menu offered and the descriptions of your choices as the staff offer you your meal are vague. For lunch, my choice was ‘chicken’ or ‘pasta’.

I opted for the pasta – bowtie pasta with a tomato-based sauce. As I’d find out flying back to Melbourne a few weeks later, the chicken option was butter chicken. With it came salad with a balsamic dressing, a dry bread roll, and a Tim Tam. To drink, it’s a small selection of uninspiring beer, wine, and the usual soft drinks and juices

Midway through the flight, there’s the offer of a chicken and salad roll. It’s…fine. There’s also snacks and non-alcoholic drinks available on request. For breakfast, the “OK but not great” trend continues, with a tray of omelette with sausage, spinach and baked beans, fruit salad and muffin. To drink it’s tea, coffee, and juice.

Amenities

A thin neck pillow and cloth blanket are provided for all passengers.

Wi-Fi is available for $USD21.99 for the full flight, or $US8.99 for two hours. If you don’t want to pay, you can access the Wi-Fi for text-only communication in apps like iMessage and WhatsApp for free, but reception is spotty.

Verdict

This is the first time that I’ve flown United Airlines Economy long-haul, and I was happy with my experience. The United app is best-in-class, useful before and during the flight. The plane is clean and modern, and the staff friendly. Despite being in a basic economy seat, I was quite comfortable, and was even able to get a few hours of sleep.

The one thing that didn’t impress me on this flight was the food offering. No menu and no real explanation of the choices meant that I couldn’t properly decide which option I wanted. The food itself is passable. Fine but not great. Given the advances made in economy class meals and drink offerings by countless airlines I’ve flown on over the past decade, United’s offering feels like stepping back 20 years into the past.

Overall, the pros of this flight outweigh the cons, and I’d definitely fly United Airlines from Melbourne to San Francisco again. Improve the food and beverage offering, and it’d be almost faultless.

Diner On Franklin, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Diner On Franklin, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Diner On Franklin is a small 20 seat Korean restaurant run by husband and wife duo Dominic and Stella Kim that I recently visited for What’s On Melbourne.

Hailing from Suwon, a town known for its galbi, just a short drive from Seoul, Stella moved to Australia in 2005 to study English. Dom was doing his military service in South Korea at the time, and also worked as a chef in the army. When he finished his service, the following year, Dom moved to Melbourne to train as a chef, while Stella studied hospitality management.

After working for a few years at some of Melbourne’s top restaurants, the duo decided to open their own restaurant, Bebu. Unfortunately, construction of the Metro tunnel disrupted their business to the extent that they had to close. About a year later, in 2019, once Dom was able to convince Stella that opening another restaurant was a good idea, they opened Diner on Franklin. And then COVID hit.

Stella and Dom stuck with it, and today, Diner on Franklin has a dedicated customer base of regulars, plus those who manage to find it, housed on an unassuming part of Franklin Street. Stella runs front of house, while Dom cooks everything in the open kitchen. It’s no mean feat, with quite a large selection of Korean favourites on the menu. When you’re seated, you’ll hear the sounds of multiple timers going off at various times, ensuring Dom’s able to stay on top of it all.

The most popular item on the menu is the babsang. It’s a typical Korean meal set, named for the traditional Korean table setting for meals to be enjoyed. There’s your choice of protein, things like fried chicken, soft tofu seafood soup, and bulgogi. Along with this, it’s an assortment of banchan like fried cauliflower with spicy mayo, twigim, tteokkochi, kimchi, and fresh fruit. You also get rice and salad, and a small burnt Basque cheesecake.

Other dishes include things like tteokbokki, bibimbap, and ramyeon. It’s tasty stuff, and I was very impressed by the lightness and vibrancy of it all. To drink, it’s things like Korean sodas, fresh juices, and soju.

Diner On Franklin

1/245 Franklin Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Tue – Sun: 11:30am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 8:00pm

JC Patisserie Boulangerie, Abbotsford

Paul
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0
JC Patisserie Boulangerie, Abbotsford

MELBOURNE | JC Patisserie Boulangerie is an evolution of Patisserie by JC, a project started by owner/baker Jonathan Camilleri during Melbourne’s lockdowns. Jonathan trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris straight out of high school, and has worked in patisseries and bakeries in France, Italy, and London. He was working overseas before the pandemic brought him home.

JC Patisserie Boulangerie is a small space, tucked away in the backstreets of Abbotsford. There’s a a few tables and seats inside, a coffee and pastry counter, with a bench that opens out to the front, and the bakery behind.

On the menu, you’ll find a small selection of Jonathan’s favourite French pastries, plus a few other rotating baked treats. Thing like Madelines, Saint Honoré, Opera, and baked cheesecake. Baguettes are always available, and there’s often savoury options like toasties, brioche rolls, and filled baguettes.

To drink, it’s coffee made using a house blend that’s roasted at Port Melbourne’s Criteria Coffee. Lighter than the type of coffee you usually find being brewed in Paris, the JC blend is a slightly sweet and acidic light roast. It’s made using beans from Burundi, Brazil, and Colombia.

JC Patisserie Boulangerie

17 Henry Street
Abbotsford
Victoria 3067
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Wed – Fri: 8:00am to 2:00pm
Sat – Sun: 9:00am to 1:00pm

Louie., Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Louie., Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Loiue is a tiny Melbourne CBD laneway café window that I recently popped into for What’s on Melbourne. It’s a take-away affair, with two small tables and a few seats for say, six people maximum, to the side.

The offering is very simple. Fantastic espresso and filter-based coffee, along with a small selection of snacks like scones, muffins, and a couple of toasties.

I could try to come up with more words to fill in the space, but that’s really all there is to it. It’s simple and it works. Louie is a great spot if you need your morning caffeine fix and quick, quality bite. Combined with its buzzing laneway locations, it’s quintessentially Melbourne.

loiue.

2 Equitable Place
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 3:00pm

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