Seems quite a shame that no one has done a review of Husband yet…read more On busy Malvern Road but away from the main hustle, Husband is a simple coffee shop that fulfilled an important criteria: it was open! Cash only is always a problem for me (as I rarely carry it) but there was an ATM in the bottle shop up the road. (Please go there too. It's only fair if you are going to use his ATM and access to the back road) Not a huge range of food was available but to be fair I was there after lunch. The muffin I did have however was very tasty. Importantly, the coffee tastes great and the double espresso was made correctly. I'll be back as it is handy to one of my regular stops while in town. And also because I enjoyed my coffee

Nice little place for brunch. I loved the butty for breakfast, perfect balance of bacon, egg,…read morerocket. The special mushroom salad was great as well, the mushroom were warmed up just enough to lose the raw mushroom taste, but still be crunchy.

Went back here a few nights ago, after a long time in Adelaide…read more It's still the same cheap feed, and it's generally good stuff, but I think the quality is slipping just a little bit. My beef curry wasn't quite as tender as I remember the last one, and my partner's ginger duck noodle dish had a hell of a lot of gristle in it to the point of it not being particularly nice or edible. So at the moment, I've got to give them only three stars for the food, but they keep star #4 just because where else can you get a curry at 2am?

Great hawker food that is affordable and consistent. Truely authentic and average service. Good…read morequick eat restaurant in general.

Caffe E Cucina has to be one of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne…read more I've been frequenting this old faithful when I visit Melbourne since 1996 when I was recommended trying it after a weekend away for a friend's wedding. Caffe E Cucina has stood the test of time, having changed hands during the 20years I've been going there, but the atmosphere is still wonderful, as is the food. Whether it be a visit for a nice lazy lunch with friends or a romantic dinner this restaurant ticks all the boxes. I've been to Melbourne many times on work trips on my own, & feel quite comfortable sitting at the bar with a plate of calamari, & a glass of Pinot Grigio. It might not fall into the category of cheap & cheerful, but it's consistently great. The atmosphere of the restaurant could have you thinking you've ducked into a great little place on the streets of Venice or Rome. It's all things Italian. There's options for seating, upstairs has a privacy to it, there's also little juliet balcony spot for two upstairs, if you're trying to impress someone special. Street side seating on Chapel St for those wanting to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere of Melbourne, or there's inside on the main floor. My favourite place to sit is inside downstairs, where it all happens & you see the coming & going, & can see the staff making drinks & coffee's behind the bar exchanging friendly banter Italian style. ;-) Start with a glass of prosecco & get in the mood, transport yourself to Italy for a few hours.. Specials are written on the chalk board on the wall, as well as old favourites that are hard to pass by. My favourite of course would have to be the calamari. Caffe E Cucina has the reputation of having "the best" calamari & I have to admit I crave it & when I finally have it, I savour every last mouthful. Light, soft, tasty.... nothing chewy about it. It's how all calamari should be in my eyes. They know what they're doing. It can be entre size, but I feel like it's never enough, so my recommendation would be to have a main plate of the calamari to serve amongst two as a starter. I love the rocket salad on the side to share as well, light & delicious, whether on the side when having pasta or the calamari you can't go wrong ordering this. The pasta's are great, & consistent, the flavours are all balanced just right, not too heavy, & the sauces just coat the beautifully cooked pasta just right, & will leave you wanting more. I've been fortunate enough to experience risotto at it's best here too. Having been tried a few different specials over my times here, one was a Granny smith apple one that I can't even begin to describe & alway hope to see it on the menu again. I had a beetroot & goats cheese risotto recently that was delicious, silky & full of flavour. There are also many great mains, but honestly my favourite meal here is some calamari, a side of rocket salad, & a bowl of pasta, a glass or two of wine.. followed by great coffee & perhaps share a desert to finish off. The deserts & coffee are great. Tiramisu is of course on the menu & great. It's a little on the spendy side, but I enjoy it, so find it worthwhile. After all, a couple of hours in the heart of Italy through the doors at 581 Chapel St is always something I look forward to when in Melbourne.

Probably one of my all time sentimental favourites - I feel like Caffe E Cucina could be on some…read morelittle back street of Paris or Rome. Maybe just behind Piazza Navona? But filled only with locals, no tourists, hehe. It is JUST LIKE the classic little restaurants you would find in those archetypal European cities that serve you all your favourites perfectly executed. The decor is lots of brass and wood with an art deco feel; handsome Italian waiters scurrying about to tend to your requests. It's very small and cosy and so authentically European and chic. Not trendy. Go somewhere else for trendy. This isn't it. Think upscale and traditional. I had the Spaghetti with Vongole... it hit the spot. Then the affogato for dessert. Flawless. Another to add to add to my list of Melbourne favourites. Cannot imagine returning and not having a meal here. I would eat here all the time if this was in Sydney, especially when I was yearning for a little slice of Paris and Rome. *sighs wistfully*...

Went here for dinner last night and had a really nice time…read more I had the bar bites: chicken wings (3), fish Bahn Mi (1) and the chicken tenderloin bao (2). The number indicates the pieces per serve. I wasn't particularly hungry and this was enough food for me. The wings were generously sized, Vietnamese style (dry not smothered in sauce). They were tasty, but I wouldn't order them again. The Bao were DIY style with pickled carrot and zucchini and mayo/hoisin or siracha sauce for your choice of toppings. The chicken was super tender, crunchy and juicy- I would totally order this again, and I was glad I didn't have to share it with others! Two was the perfect amount. Lastly I had the fish bahn mi with mayo and dill. While it was a cute and satisfying size, I wasn't a huge fan of the combination. Traditionally Bahn Mi is bbq pork or chicken, and I was intrigued that Uncle offered fish, tofu or crispy pig ear. I think I should have picked the crispy pig ear because it was the favourite nibble of the night according to everyone else who had it. I would totally go back to Uncle and try different options, family style in particular to try even more variety of plates and flavours.

Loved the building, especially the rooftop meals area! Food was surprisingly good, as we went…read moreexpecting a 'not the real thing' experience. Turns out the nailed it! Entrees were the 'Slaw and Skewer' which was Pork, marinated in Lemon grass and Condensed Milk (yum!). Mini Pho for Main, and killer balanced desserts. Leaving full and tipsy for under $50, alongside the friendly Service, Uncle will have us back again :)

I'm not sure how to describe this place. The main area to eat felt a little cold and sterile yet…read morethe food and staff were great! I've ordered the bento boxes on each visit and came away extremely happy. I've found their curried dishes do a better job than some of the others on offer. While this place didn't blow my socks off, it's a great catch up spot during a busy work day with a very relaxed atmosphere. I will easily be back.

Vegetarian Tea House for lunch - such tranquility in the middle if the CBD. I love this place,…read morevegetarian food, quiet, and a bento box for roughly $10. Strange part is the tea costs $7.50 (comes with a snack) so I haven't given that a try. Each day there are three "specials" which take about 3 minutes to be served, however the menu does include a rice, noodles, stir fry or soup options with a lot of "vegetatian chicken or beef" (ie. fake) options. Dumplings, spring rolls and more and depending on the day you may even get a friendly smile from a visiting Buddhist monk. Upstairs features a meditation hall and off from the Tea House is the Gallery . Books and other Buddhist teachings are also available. Don't tell everyone though - it's too quiet to be inundadted.

When I'm after a coffee, or I've got that craving for a nice lunch and I want a change from the…read moreusual Vietnamese, Chinese or Malaysian, this is a place that I often frequent when I'm around Glen Waverley. Yes, it's a bit more expensive than most of the neighbouring restaurants and cafes if you're after a main meal, but it's worth it. The service is pretty good too, and the staff are generally attentive, quick and efficient. I quite like the pumpkin gnocchi. If you're a little bit hard of hearing, I recommend that you try and go when the place is a little less busy, or go with someone you don't really want to listen to. Maybe that's why it's a good place to take parents.

Busy and cozy this time our group sat at the back…read more I was a bit sick and when I asked for hot water the staff really impressed me by going out of the way and provided me with hot water, lemon and honey! TWICE! =] The main specials do run out quickly so get there a bit earlier. I had the lamb pasta and it was fresh, flavoursome and perfectly al dente. For dessert I had the apple berry crumble which was served in a jam jar with cream! It was fantastic! Quite tart so watch out if you don't like tartish desserts. My friends got the poached pear and creme brulee and were impressed and very full by the end of dinner. Coco lounge also has an upstairs bar area so will write more when I go again.

Ahh, this is another one of those delightful restaurants that now dominate Preston's High Street…read more Like a lot of these restaurants, the food is actually quite cheap, and quite filling as well, especially since the servings are pretty generous. The restaurant itself is also pretty good, and the service, well, that was pretty good as well. Yeah, this is a great place for a cheap, and filling, meal.

Ok I can't profess I am a bun rieu guru but I love Pho Hung's version of bun rieu with meat loafs,…read moreomelettes, and *gasp* not for the faint hearted, congealed blood. So I didn't eat the congealed blood but there are plenty of things to rave about here. The vermicelli was oh so smooth and the tomato based soup was rich and delicious. I don't actually know where the crab bits are although I can taste the crab. I have had too much crappy bun rieu in Melbourne CBD and was very pleasantly surprised to see that this one came with a different plate of salad for your noodle soup than the traditional pho. This salad came with really fresh shredded lettuce, mint and Vietnamese mint, whereas normal pho comes with basil, bean sprout, lemon and chilli. The service is slightly crappy, I asked for more chilli and they said yes yes yes but it never showed up, but for fast and delicious food this is the place to go.

It was quiet during the normal lunchtime rush so I enjoyed an eclectic mix of music as I sat in a…read moredimly lit room. Probably the first thing I noticed after the casual and natural art decor was that Yoku Ono is staffed by all females. It was quite uplifting to see! Having heard about their ramen, I went with the spicy miso with pork belly. With only three to choose from, I hoped they knew what they were doing. They sure did! It was a beautiful presentation in the bowl, with heaps of toppings. Four thick slices of pork belly, half an egg, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and nori. Not to mention all the slightly thicker made noodles. I'm not generally a chicken broth fan but they did well to season it with black sesame oil. I will say there was absolutely no spice. I'm not sure if they just served me with the regular miso ramen in error. It was still a tasty meal! I would return to try the tan tan men or something else from the menu. They have an impressive sake list and bar seating along with upstairs seating for the busier times.

With a distinct lack of real ramen on this side of the city I was pleasantly surprised to discover…read moreYoku Ono. It's a welcoming restaurant with nice ambience. The chicken karaage was enjoyable and well presented. At around $17 the ramen was fine, not in the class of some of the popular ramen joints in the city. I found the broth lacking in the depth of flavour I crave for in a bowl of ramen. The noodles were not to my liking and did not taste hand made. I also found the pieces of pork mostly consisting of fat. If you need ramen on this side of the city, it's the only real choice, personally I'd prefer to frequent some of my favorite ramen businesses in the CBD.