Bites: Tender Chicken Satay Goodness @ MyRasa, Manning.

Are you a Malaysian feeling a little homesick or a person who simply loves Malaysian food?  Well there is another place in town where you get that sorted.  Located in Manning, MyRasa opened a couple months back and with good reviews of the place, I was super keen to try it out. MyRasa’s interior is bright, spacious, and modern.  More importantly, the greeting was friendly.  Sitting down, I already knew what I was here for!  Satay and Nasi Lemak.  

.. and that is exactly what I ordered!

The Satay Chicken.

Super yummy.  Tender, flavourful and skilfully grilled.  Its accompaniments of rice cakes, onions and cucumber were yummy!  Then we also have MyRasa’s Satay sauce which provided a peanut laden kick that was super rich.  MyRasa’s Satay Chicken is pretty much everything you’d want and expect in a satay!  Where Malaysia is different is that usually you’ll get little bits of chicken fat that is a little charred/crispy and just bursts in flavour when bitten into hoho.  I guess this was the healthy version ;)

The Nasi Lemak:

A quick scan of the plate and it was all there.  The crispy anchovies, fried peanuts, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber and sambal.  The rice portion was seriously generous too!  I really enjoyed the sambal.  Sautéed perfectly, the sambal at MyRasa was more than just chilli! There were heaps of other stuff in there that gave it an amazing flavour.  Just as the going was getting great, the Nasi Lemak hit a hump in two areas. The rice on the inside of the mound was very wet for some reason and felt overcooked.  And I ran out of sambal haha.  They definitely need to fill up that little sauce bowl with sambal!  Next time I will ask for more! 

My Nasi Lemak came with a Spiced Fried Chicken commonly called Ayam Rempah in Malaysia.  

The chicken also cooked spot on and I really enjoyed it. While it was good, it came to mind as I was driving home that MyRasa could make it even better if they had more of the Spiced Batter fried up and topped the chicken with it.  The way Malaysia does it! 

Sister’s Beef Rendang was fork tender and no chewing effort required there! 

The over all experience at MyRasa was satisfactory.  The Chicken Satay for me was the star of the night among the food we ordered.  Its smokey turmeric and lemongrass flavours were just spot on!  Nasi Lemak could have definitely been a hit if not for the technicalities faced halfway through.  Price-wise, you get what you pay for.  The serving of the Nasi Lemak not cheapest but its size is humungous and two plates could easily have fed three.  Just do not forget to ask for more Sambal!

WenY

Bites: A Malaysian Kopitiam Experience @ Lepak Kopitiam, Bateman

Lepak Kopitiam, is a Malaysian hawker that’s been operating in Bateman for the last year or so.  Heard off many times but never been, I was definitely keen to find out what this little suburban eatery had to offer.  Even better, the whole family was here this time so we ordered a pretty comprehensive spread!

For drinks, an all time favourite Teh C.

Served in a classic Kopitiam cup, the froth on top is just right and the taste yummy.  The flavour of the tea is slightly mild but no complains.  If you are wondering, the “C” in Teh C comes from the use of Carnation Evaporated Milk used in making the beverage!

Belacan Wings

Chicken wings are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.  The ones at Lepak Kopitiam, came looking super crispy with a delicious shrimp fragrance.   By itself, the wings felt a little too salty from the briny fragrance of the Belacan or Shrimp Paste, but if you dunk the wings into the accompanying Sweet Chilli, it actually was pretty good!

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak makes another appearance on my blog again and I just cannot get enough of this Malaysian staple.  Fragrant coconut rice, paired with chicken curry, fiery sambal, crunchy anchovies, cucumber and a hard-boiled egg. Its essentially life in a plate.  You get something that has texture, taste, smell and is visually pleasing.  How did the one at Lepak Kopitiam, fare?  I reckon it everything was pretty good!  The rice though was a tad too wet.  But once, I had let is rest and release some of its steam, it was just right!  Sambal was really tasty too with heaps of anchovies in mine!  Would not mind having some Nasi Lemak from Lepak Kopitiam, now!

Singapore Fried Bee Hoon

Described as the “real Singapore” fried bee hoon made my heart chuckle as there seems to be an expectation in Australia that the Singaporean fried bee hoon is fried with curry powder!  This one came without and it was pretty decent.  Loaded with eggs, Chinese sausages, fish cakes and bean sprouts, this was pretty good!

Malaysian Curry Laksa

Dad ordered the Malaysian Curry Laksa. While I did not try any of it, dad said that it was not too their liking.  From the picture the soup looked pretty “lemak” or rich thanks to addition of coconut milk.  But dad preferred the topping of Yong Tau Foo rather than the BBQ Pork. So he will be sticking to his usual order the next time!

Char Kuey Teow

Another Malaysian favourite that’s often mentioned but rarely perfected.  Few criteria come together to make a good Char Kuey Teow.  The wok fried flavours, consistency of the noodles, and seasoning.  At Lepak Kopitiam, the noodles were of the right texture but I like my Kuey Teow a bit more fried where you get little clumps of Kuey Teow sticking with the eggs so that in each bite you get that Umami bomb.  While that was a matter of preference, it was the wok-fried flavours that were underwhelming and the lacked of balance in the seasoning that made it OK only. 

Lepak Kopitiam serves pretty decent hawker fare and was a nice spot especially if you leave nearby! It is safe to say that there is almost no restaurant that has satisfied me 100%.  Several places comes close to hitting the excellent 95% mark while most is a case of the good, the bad and the ugly.  Lepak Kopitiam was indifferent from this aspect except for the bit where it was really affordable by Australian standards.  My Nasi Lemak from Lepak Kopitiam was $10.  By comparisons, a Nasi Lemak is easily $14 outside!  What I liked that afternoon were the Belacan wings, Nasi Lemak and the Singapore Fried Noodles.  The OKs were the Curry Laksa. My dislikes were the Char Kuey Teow and another Claypot Yee Mee that was not pictured above!  Would I come back?  For the Nasi Lemak and chicken wings? Definitely yes!

Bites: Hawkerfare @ Old Lane Street Eats, Northbridge.

Old Lane Street Eats in Northbridge currently sits in the spot of the old Hawker’s Cuisine.  The faces behind this new diner are familiar, but the menu? Not so much.  Rather than a typical round table Malaysian meal, Old Lane Street Eat specialises in a mix of classic Hawkerfare paired with some modern bites.

To start one of the common Malaysian street food, Charcoal Roasted Wings.

Its probably one of the things I have been craving for.  Its flavours were really good and unlike what I’d normally get in Malaysia, the wings at Old Lane Street Eats were not dry at all.  The flavour was prominent of oyster and soy mixture with mild sweetness suggesting that either sugar or honey was present.  And did I say how smokey these wings were?  I reckon I could pair these wings with some Hainanese Chicken Rice for a decent meal.

Crispy Pork Belly Bao

Before I ordered, I made sure to ask whether the Crispy Pork Belly would be tender and not tough!  The lady promised, and Old Lane Street Eats delivered.  The Crispy Pork wrapped between a fluffy bao was definitely yums.  Crunchy pickled vegetables brought a sense of freshness to the whole dish but I would have preferred little less “Tim Cheong” or Sweet sauce, to enjoy the whole meal of bao and crispy belly a little better. 

Wanton in Spicy Sauce was a random craving I had, as I was just thinking of Melbourne’s Hutong a little earlier before I stepped in to Old Lane Street Eats that night.

These Wantons were OK.  Wanton’s were perfectly cooked and was still juicy on the inside. But there is something about the chilli oil which was a bit of a fail fire in my opinion.  I think they could have added a touch of personality to make the chilli oil different.  Maybe some black beans and garlic?  Then again, you will get haters out there who would criticise the new rendition.  I guess I am just being too picky here.

Done with the snack, came the mains of Fried Kuey Teow and Nasi Lemak to share.

While their Wanton Noodles scored well with my sister, neither the Fried Kuey Teow or Nasi Lemak sweet the hit spot for me.  The Fried Kuey Teow had the right texture and was well-fried. However, the lack of egg and chives to wrap the deal along with a good “sambal” to flavour brought it back down to earth.  Good attempt with the Chinese Sausages though!  Its something  you do not get often even back home in Malaysia.

This Nasi Lemak had everything going right for it except for something.  It is something big too!  That is the Sambal!!  Flavour wise it was ok.  But there was not enough the finish the fragrant and fluffy coconut rice.  Another personal preference was that they could have sautéed it a bit more as the chilli was fully cooked but compared to what I am used to, it could have been cooked through a bit more :P!

Old Lane Street Eats sit in a spot that’s memorable to pretty much every university student my age.  Late night Fridays or Pre-Exam Suppers go a long way to curing homesick back then. This time around, I have grown up.  Or so I hope lol?  And the flavours of Old Lane Street Eats are every bit appealing and I believe they are on the right track.  A few touch up and finesse to the end product is sure to make this a late night hot spot.  Their opening hours are right on that track too.  Price wise, the appetisers are priced very closely to their mains so it can either be a very expensive meal or a very affordable meal.  Till next time, enjoy!

WenY

Bites: Malaysian Delights @ Nasi Lemak Korner, South Perth

Asian food is my go to after a long stint on site.  This time around, I organised a meet up with my fellow Hatchies at Nasi Lemak Korner.  Located on the ever evolving eating scene on Preston Street, this Malaysian joint has been around for awhile now.  At least a year! Maybe even two.  Having heard numerous reviews regarding its pricing has held me back a bit, but that’s alright I am finally here. 

Looking at the menu, you get all the local favourites like Beef Rendang, Chicken Curry, Ayam Masak Merah and other Malaysian goodies.  Amongst the table of four, we ordered to share;

3 Nasi Lemak 

The basics were really the basics.  As you would expect, you get a perfectly steamed rice with no “over” or “under”-cooked bull crap here.  Just good old, fluffy coconut rice served with its traditional accompaniments of hard-boiled eggs, peanuts, anchovies, cucumber and sambal (sauteed chilli paste). While it was a decent bite I would have loved some blanched “kangkung” or water morning glory.  To go with the Nasi Lemak we had the Beef Rendang and Sambal Chicken.

A whole serve of Beef Rendang (~$16)

These tender beef pieces are a trademark accompaniment of Nasi Lemak.  Slow cooked in coconut milk for hours, these tenders chunk of meat will fall apart effortlessly in your mouth.  While the grated coconut help made the sauce the real deal, I could not help but wonder whether the chefs might want to turn their salt level down one notch.  Also, while it was fragrant I like mine with more finely sliced up kaffir lime leaf which gives any Malaysian Beef Rendang that final kick of flavour. 

A whole serve of Sambal Chicken (~$16).

Another classic Malaysian dish that truly makes any rice dish go up one notch in flavour.  Tender chicken sauteed in caramelised onions in a rich tomato chilli blend.  Absolutely delicious. It's balanced dish. Slightly sweet due to the tomatoes but not too sweet, the heat mild and the flavour of the dish really went well with the Nasi Lemak. 

Last but not least, Mamak Mee Goreng. While the Nasi Lemak served was pretty good, it was the Mamak Mee Goreng that got my tongue wagging. This more-ish dish of noodles was cooked to perfection. Its recipe stayed true to the original recipe with little pieces of fried batter, beancurd and potato cooked together with the egg noodle! 

It's savoury almost tangy flavours were reminiscent of the good old Malaysian noodles typically served by the road side stalls. It reminded me of my childhood days when dad used to go out and pack fried noodles for my sister and I from an Indian restaurant not too far from the beach resort we used to go to in Malaysia.  Even more impressive was the wok fried flavours that is rarely present in the Australian Hawker food scene. 

Over all, I was sufficiently impressed by the quality of food at Nasi Lemak Korner and that made me wonder; why is the rating for Nasi Lemak Korner so low on Zomato? Sure the price range was not the cheapest and neither was it easy to get a table, but the food was sufficiently satisfying! By comparison, the popular Pappa Rich charges some $15.90 for a miserable plate of Nasi Lemak and parking in Northbridge is now $4 an hour. That's a big step up from the $13 Pappa Rich’s started on. Other popular options in town for me are Old Cathay and Sarapan. Both of which are nice with the latter having a consistency issue.

WenY

Bites: A Singaporean Breakfast @ Sprolo, South Perth

Perth has an interesting dining scene that is growing at a rate faster than mushrooms do in rainy days and Sprolo in Como is one of such venues in town offering a different dining scene beyond the staple bacon and eggs.  During this visit of mine, this Singaporean inspired breakfast place bring chicken rice and poached eggs to plate with a modern twist.  Critically enough, many venues has tried to be inventive and unfortunately more duds than success stories, what about Sprolo?

The morning essentials.   Sister reckons it was OK.  In saying that, Australia has some of the best coffee places around the world so OK itself is a rating above the rest!

As Sprolo only starts serving breakfast after 8am, I decided to start with a sausage roll.

Heated till crisp, this goes beyond the packed ones.  The meaty roll might be a little heavy to some in the morning but for me, this meaty loaf was what I needed to get started.  Tasty it was but certainly could have had more paprika or spices to make the norm a little more gourmet.

A little sweet treat of doughnuts with salted caramel.  

The doughnuts here were decent for most parts but the salted caramel was a little docile.  I reckon the balance between its saltiness, fragrant butter and sweetness was a little off.  Not despicable in anyway though!  However, is this a case of salted caramel, a once was unique treat become a subject of abuse in recent times?

Hainan chicken rolls.

The familiar punchy taste of gingery chilli is a hit to the tongue so early in the morning.  Its flavours were truly unique.  But the inconvenient truth was how a promising dish get let down by 2 things (IMHO).  First was the chicken, maybe a bit of smooth chicken skin? That would made the dish a little more tender because the breast meat was a little bland!  Secondly was the lack of salt.  The whole dish needed more salt ~.~!  This could easily have been a stellar dish otherwise.  Refreshing, healthy and tasty.

The full Singaporean breakfast.

These soft boiled eggs bring back memories of the childhood.  Soft, runny yolk topped with lashings of soy and sprinklings of pepper.  Everything complemented one another but then came the Aussie bread slices.  Sure it was quality, but I am quite sure that a thick slice of soft white bread, mildly toasted as done in Malaysia and Singapore would be my preference over the bread I got at Sprolo!  The last element on the plate, the Kaya was a strong merit.  It was not creamy smooth but had traces of course coconut which made the whole experience very organic.  That one I liked a lot :P!  Perhaps a little less sugar.

Breakfast at Sprolo reminded me of my breakfast at Architect and Heroes in Subiaco.  It was good, not great.  The food inventive, different and yet it was again another case of so close yet so far.  More importantly though, the effort of trying is what counts.  Surely everyone is bored of bean, egg, sausage, bacon and hash by now?  Great effort Sprolo!  I will be back.

WenY

Bites: A Malaysian Brunch @ the Sarapan, Victoria Park.

My week home was a very Asian one.  Starting with a yummy lunch at JBento, I was then invited to try out PappaRich, Northbridge and on Sunday, I ended up at Sarapan in Victoria Park with my ex-colleagues.  This was my second time here at 1 Leonard Street, Victoria Park and this training ground is easily the Silicon Valley for upcoming food entrepreneurs.  This pop up named Sarapan which translates to breakfast in Malay, operates every Saturday and Sunday from 7.30am until 12pm for late brunch.  Wake up early and step in to the basic staples a Mamak place in Malaysia would have like Roti, Nasi Lemak, Soft Boiled Eggs and toast.

The front counter was filled with all the little Malaysian snacks from biscuits to chocolate but I ultimately  settled for the one I liked best, the “Kuih”.

Served as a duo of Kuih Lapis and Kuih Talam, I was happy to see them here.  A rare treat down under if you ask me.  More importantly, the Kuih Lapis had all the lovely colours and the richness of the coconut milk.  Meanwhile, the Kuih Talam had the fragrant Pandan flavour  it should always have. Taste wise, it ticked all the boxes but felt firmer than what I would have back home.  Eating this brought back memories of my childhood where I would normally peel our layer by layer :)!  Unfortunately, it did not happen here as I was unable to peel either of the Kuih out layer by layer as I would back home.  Perhaps it is time to grow up lol.

After having the Milo Dinosaur at PappaRich, I decided to have something else.  This time a warm Teh Tarik for breakfast.  Just what I needed on a cool Sunday morning.

A little short on the bubbly froth but down right delicious in flavour.  At times, it lacked the potency of the red tea like the ones I usually have in Malaysia but being so far away, it was easily something I could live without.

My brunch here was a serve of pipping hot Nasi Lemak.  The good news is, the Nasi Lemak at Sarapan came out looking like a champion.  A massive drum stick marinated in their special spices and deep fried sat alongside the hardboiled egg, some crisp anchovy-peanut combination, sambal and a mound of rice.  

This $11.50 Nasi Lemak might not look like much from the photos.  But believe me, it really fills.  Comparing the various Nasi Lemak I have had in town, the one at Sarapan aces its rice in every category.  Fragrance, cooking, and  taste.  Comparing the rice at Sarapan and PappaRich, the former wins hands down with each grain not only full in shape, but perfect in moisture.  On the other hand, the one at PappaRich was respectable but a little damp for my liking.  Moving on, the sambal at Sarapan in Victoria Park was full on Malay with pieces of anchovy in the sweetish chill concoction and more importantly, the pairing as a whole was very authentic.  I as a Nasi Lemak snob could not ask for more. Satisfied!

Last shared dish was a serve of Roti Telur (Egg) and plain Roti.  I liked the way the Roti came out with all the authentic sauces I would usually get in Malaysia.  A sauce of curry chicken and dhal served with a spoon of sambal.  However, I would not mind a last bit of "slap and slam" treatment the locals usually give the Roti back home as it normally crisps up the Roti.

Happy?  Definitely.  This little pop up gets my vote for several things including a fuss free - queue-less meal with a quality that is hard to beat.  Operating in this little indie training ground also meant that the dishes came out feeling more home cooked than its other commercialised kitchens.  While I am less strict when visiting places like this, Sarapan is a sound contestant for unique brunches in town.  Some of you might question my judgement here ahahaha especially with the Nasi Lemak.  But Nasi Lemak in Malaysia is not a dish dominated by a single race back home, rather, it is something perfected by every chef who loves the dish in a different way.  With the countless rendition of this classic staple, one Nasi Lemak can differ significantly from another but have equally amount of fans.  Such is the story of this humble rice dish.  More importantly, Sarapan like JBento might be the starting of something big in town.  Victoria Park, you have done it again ;)!

WenY

Bites: My Malaysian Feast @ PappaRich, Northbridge

When I was younger, mom and dad got me most of the thing I wanted as a kid. I had the Donkey Kong on my N64, Sonic to go with the Sega MegaDrive and all the PlayStation games I wanted. In exchange for good results of course which involves hours of text book grinding.  This was what an invitation to PappaRich, Northbridge felt like after being hard at work for a long time, and by long, I mean really long.  Walking into PappaRich, I witnessed familiar sights that quickly got my senses excited.  Finger pulling roti action followed by curry dipping.  Damn it was good.

Both my sister and I have not gone back to Malaysia for over a year now but seeing the many varieties listed on the menu did not send us into a limbo because we already knew what we missed from home. In this instance, I was definitely choosing things I wanted rather than the poor marketing Malaysia does in making the world think we only drink Teh Tarik and eat Roti.

For our drinks I called the Milo Dinosaur while my sister had the Soy Bean milk with Cincau.  Malaysia makes some of the best Iced Milo and this was no different.  My drink definitely brings back all the adolescent memories where Iced Milo was a staple at the breakfast table or as a beverage before bed.  Needless to say it was delicious.  The Iced Milo was richer than usual which meant calorie alert but who can resist drinking this with the little bits of biteable Milo Chunks!  Sister's drink was also yummy with PappaRich blending the Soy Bean milk with ice giving it a slushy style treatment.

First up were the chicken satay, our first appetizer.

The lure of this chicken pieces marinated in lemon grass, and Turmeric is easily a global phenomenon.  I doubt  there is any other food on a stick that drives a crowd as crazy as satay in Australia.  The satay at PappaRich was a very close imitation of the product back home.  Perhaps even better then some stalls in Malaysia.  The only criticism was not in its taste but rather, its texture.  In Malaysia, you get layers of lean meat and skin making the whole eating experience juicy and tender with little juicy explosion of  seasoned lard.  PappaRich makes it a lot leaner which, as a healthier alternative was a bloody tasty treat.  While eating satay I usually take turns between cucumber chunks and onion slices before dunking it into the yummy peanut sauce.  Did it the way I do back home.  Yums!

Whatever healthy benefits I got from the former was all lost when I decided to call this cheeky little creation PappaRich had.  Deep fried chicken skin, the second appetizer.

What is there to say here?  So damn good.  Crispy, and salty with a mild peppery note.  One little warning, it takes two person a lot of skill and capacity to finish one serve!  My sister and I barely finished half.  Also, this is something to be eaten quickly as starts becoming chewy once cold!  So grab a couple more friends to come and this would be an absolute table favourite.

Sister's dinner that night was Pappa's Special Briyani.

There is a lot to take in when you see the plate arrive.  In the middle, you have the fragrant rice so carefully prepared with cardamon, cloves and other herbs.  Meanwhile, the side sports some perfectly grilled egg plants, delicious chicken and sambal prawns.  Sister was extremely satisfied with the egg plants and grilled chicken which she happily finished.  But when it came to the prawns she asked me to "try".  An evil trick to have me finish things she does not like.  So where did it go wrong?  Closing my eyes and re-winding back to my last awesome Sambal Prawn.  I remember how all the Mak Cik preparing this at the stalls in Malaysia never lacked the essential Malaysian ingredients which enhances the flavour of the prawn.  At PappaRich, perhaps all it needed was more tamarind and maybe more shrimp paste/belachan to give the sambal coating a rich and more flavourful consistency.  Was this a big disappointment to the dish as a whole?  Definitely not.  In fact, most would probably just ignore it altogether.

My main was the Nasi Lemak, a staple food of mine back in Malaysia.

The most important component of this dish lies in the name itself, "Nasi Lemak".  Rich and fragrant, the rice which is cooked in coconut milk has to be prepared to perfection to pass my test.  The rice test?  Each grain is whole, firm and fluffy. At PappaRich, the rice was prepared with enough respect to be liked.  The sambal was good. It felt more Malay rather than Indian or Chinese.  But then again, every sambal in Malaysia is different up to a level where it is not based on district or region but rather the chef itself.   Curry chicken was yummy but I was hoping for maybe a piece or two of potato with it because curry chicken with potato is yummy!  The half an egg was ok, but I was hoping to get maybe two halves because egg and Nasi Lemak are like two peas in a pod.  An awesome pairing that feels incomplete without each other.

To end the night we ordered a dessert which was something totally random which we just hmmm felt like it?  Banana fritters with ice cream.   The fritters were a little unripe for my sister's liking but I thought that it was OK.  As the Vanilla Ice Cream was out of stock, we opted for the premium chocolate for an extra dollar.  I have to say, it was every bit worth that extra dollar especially when you see hints of gooey chocolate fudge sitting between the creamy ice cream.

My cravings for proper Asian Malaysian food has been satisfied.  PappaRich is a quality addition to Northbridge replacing an EXTREMELY hideous Vietnamese place called Saigon.  Its quality was pretty damn close to home and I really hope it stays the same because everything we ordered was really quite nice.  Is this home?  Perhaps not, but considering I am thousand of miles away from home, I cannot complain for sure. Visit any day to see a snaking queue goes on to say a lot about PappaRich in Northbridge.  Expectations is one, and the other is the number of people who love Malaysian food.   Compared to PappaRich in Malaysia, the fit out in PappaRich Northbridge is a class above the rest and the ambience was really good although the noise is deplorable.  Definitely a new hangout place should they decide to open till late on Fridays and Saturdays! I would be there for supper at 1am :)!

Also, if it is true, a little bird has told me that another branch will be opening in Carousel Mall in Cannington.  True or False?   Only time will tell.  Thanks for the invite PappaRich Northbridge.

WenY

Melbourne Trip: Winter Food Festival @ Luna 1878, Queen Victoria Market

Melbourne might be famous for laneway cafes, but Melbourne's rich culture is easily its next best feature.  For a foodie like myself, I was lucky to be there at a time when the Luna 1878 was held.  Every Wednesday night at Queen Victoria Market  visitors to the market are greeted with an amazing smell right from the door step.

Walking in, I was super excited to see all the different vendors come to promote their nationality.  Naturally, as a Malaysian, my first stop was at Mamak.  Fresh from the kitchen was a serve of Roti Telur and an Ayam Goreng.

The fried chicken was a reminisce of my eating trip with my ex-colleagues to Sydney last year.  Superbly more-ish especially in the chilly weather!   Have it together with the Roti Telur and some curry.  So  damn good! 

Walking on,  I was got all excited again when I saw a large pig getting all crisped up over a charcoal grill.  Initially, I mistook it for the Indonesian Babi Guling, but quickly realised it was a Filipino vendor called Hoy Pinoy.

Regardless of what it was, the roasted pig is always worth a try.  Thankfully, the pork was crisp and the meat was flavourful.  It came with a nice pickled vegetables.  The same delicious kind you get with the HK Barbecued restaurants in town.  All together it was quite a joy.  But I have to say, the rice was wet and I did hated that.  

Next stop was a cup of mulled wine.  Hearing so much about the drink, I wanted to try it although I am no big fan of alcohol.  This did not differ.  Despite the notes of orange peel and spices, it was still every bit bitter! 

But it was ok.  XL wandered away and unexpectedly returns with a serve of Italian grilled squid from 400 Gradi.   Weird choice but it was pretty nice.  Could have been a lot more tender!  But I had come to terms that these were not calamari tubes.  Instead, they were little octopuses which are  chewy as usual!

Wanting to finish our night with something warm, we ended up at the soup factory for a bread bowl filled with potato and leek soup.  Yummy!

Slowly scrapping the little bits of soup from the corners of the bowl was simply joyful.  Soaked with the soup it sits in, the bread made the whole experience very moreish.  Put Melbourne's chilly winter into the equation and the wonders that come is nothing you would not expect. :)!

Apple strudel was our dessert that night.  The Austrian strudel is denser than the usual Corica strudel but pack an amazing flavour to its crust.  But the fillings of custard and apples were a little lacklustre.  Ultimately, there are no better strudels than the one from Corica's in Perth!

Strudel for dessert anyone?  

By the end of the night we were so full we could barely walk across back to the apartment.  The Luna Night Market was an exceptional host for dinner last night.  So many different types of food were on and the pictures I took were barely half of the vendors that participated in the event.  There were tonnes of other Indian, Mexican and American establishment that were setup for business.  Whilst I definitely enjoyed it, many people might find the prices here a little steep which it really is by Melbourne standards.  But if you want a place that has it all and is looking for a great festival feeling, definitely come to Luna 1878 at Queen Victoria Market.

WenY