Michelle.Jen Photography :: Food & Travel ::

St. Ali, Melbourne

When I got back from Asia beginning of the year, a very old friend of mine visited Melbourne and we decided to go coffee hunting together over her 6-day holiday here - over the 6 days, she had more than 10 cups of coffee - this is definitely one thing expected of Melbourne's famous coffee culture!

A really famous "indie"/unconventional/hidden cafe that's been really famous among the locals these 2 years is St. Ali's. Hidden in an alleyway at South Melbourne, no one really knows its existence unless you know you're looking for ;) So far, it's said to brew the best coffee in Melbourne!

Hopetoun Tea Rooms, Melbourne

There was a massive hype about Hopetoun for the past year and a bit but I think the craze has died down this year when Asian/Taiwanese dessert parlours invaded the streets of Melbourne. Anyhow, a couple of friends and I rocked up at Hopetoun hoping to taste delicious cakes and tarts but I think we left pretty disappointed because the quality of their desserts didn't match their looks. No doubt Hopetoun's desserts looked fantastic with all the vibrant colours especially accompanied by colourful freshly cut fruits but unfortunately their Black Forest cake was crumbly and the layers of their Vanilla Slice were tough as rock - we couldn't even cut it neatly and it was just so messy. However, their Lemington which looked beautiful also tasted pretty good.

Rose Street Artist Market, Brunswick, Melbourne

Brunswick Street - one of the best places to be on a Saturday afternoon. Take the 112 tram from the heart of Melbourne CBD towards Brunswick and get off when you start seeing quaint-looking cafes and boutiques. Saturday mornings on Brunswick Street reminds me of the photos I've seen of Europe - filled with random-cool-hidden garage sales, vintage flee markets in a hidden shed or in pubs and the street's filled with indie acoustic buskers and good brunch/tea food! oh! just SO MUCH CULTURE!

Rose Street Artist Market is open every Saturday from 11AM to 5PM. There you find plenty of handmade stuff - accessories, chinaware, clothes, bags, paintings, etc etc.. the only downside of it is things are usually a little more overpriced but I guess it's justifiable because they're all handmade :) Definitely a good spot to bring a friend visiting Melbourne to show them what Melbourne is all about!

More about Rose Street Artist Market here

South Melbourne Market, Melbourne

The past two weeks have been the busiest week within the last two months and I foresee September being a pain as well with all my assignments due then. Today was a good day; finally done with my clerkship applications + tutorial work (with lots more to go of course..) and spent the morning discovering South Melbourne. Weather didn't start out too well - poured for a couple of hours but it cleared midway through lunch and while we shopped around South Melbourne Market.

South Melbourne Market differs from Victoria Market in many ways: 1. Less Tourist 2. Less made-in-China stuff: the Market is mainly made up of quaint handmade products and food stalls 3. More pricey 4. Cleaner 5. Less crowded.

Han Guk Guan, Melbourne

It's hard to find a good and affordable Korean restaurant around Melbourne - especially in the city. When this place first started, not many people knew about it except for the Korean Melbournians because it was so hidden between two massive office buildings and is out of the heart of Melbourne CBD. But because they produced pretty good food, it became popular and by word of mouth it's not one of the most well known Korean restaurants in Melbourne to be able to fit massive groups of people and for their generous portions!

One of my all-time favourite entries by Han Guuk Guan - Mandu deokbokki

Their hotpot and Sweet & Spicy Chicken a definite need for this winter season in Melbourne :)

Daorae, Malaysia

One of the best things about Malaysia is their food. Cheap & good quality Asian food - whether it is Malaysian, Chinese, Korean, Indian or Japanese cuisines. One of the best restaurants I dined at during my time there was at Daorae. Daorae is a traditional Korean restaurant and has successfully made its name among the locals in Malaysia the past 3 years. Taking advantage of the increase popularity in KPOP, they opened a couple of franchises over Kuala Lumpur within a short period of time - smart, I must say..

For local standards, Daorae is considered pretty pricey and is definitely not your usual go-to places unless you've been in full time work for awhile... and you're willing to pay around RM 40-50 per person for a meal.