Girls

Las Chicas
203 Carlisle St,
Balaclava

St Kilda may have lost the finals this year, but all is not lost for the...general... area around St Kilda. Situated in Balaclava (a suburb right next to St Kilda) is trendy Las Chicas. Generous offerings of cafe staples, fantastic coffee, and a cool, laid back atmosphere make this place stand out more than most.

 

Latte

berry smoothie

Despite being extremely busy, service was quick and friendly. Bun's latte was creamy and of perfect temperature. My berry smoothie was super thick, I struggled getting it through the straw and resorted to using my spoon to eat it. It was a refreshing blend of sweet and sour - it was berry nice...

brekky burrito

Many have tried to conquer the monstrous breakfast burrito, and Bun was up for the challenge. The soft tortilla could barely contain the filling - made with four eggs, four rashes of bacon, aioli, crisp rocket, topped with tomato salsa, and a heap of avocado. The fluffy scrambled eggs and the fresh juicy tomato salsa were highlights of this very tasty meal.

BBB - bikini blowout benedict

The bikini blowout benedict - avocado, bacon and two poached eggs on bagel toast topped with a giant dollop of hollandaise sauce. Bun's first thought - 'the poached eggs look like balls'. After piercing the sacs and letting the runny yolk cover the rest of the dish, this quickly became a messy wonderpalace. Although it didn't retain its prettiness after my initial hackings, the taste was undeniably delish (albeit a little heavy at parts due to the hollandaise sauce). I had to break up my meal by taking bites out of Bun's. HA!

Make sure you get here early because this place packs out, especially on the weekends. And if the weather permits, ask for a spot in the sun-speckled courtyard out back. We shall return.

A view on Vue

Café Vue
430 Little Collins St, Melbourne

For those of us who can't afford to blow a week's wage on a meal at Vue de Monde (Shannon Bennett's 3 hatted restaurant), there is Cafe Vue - the little, little sibling of the aforementioned gem of a dining experience.
Attached to the side of Vue de Monde, Cafe Vue offers quick lunch & breakfast meals, quality coffee, and a selection of desserts for the every day suits who frequent the area.

Bun and I arrived a little before noon, and as such, the kitchen was not yet serving hot lunch meals. To pass the time we ordered some macarons, and by some I mean a box... and a box comes with 6.

From top left: Orange, Pistachio, Raspberry, Passionfruit, Mocha, Vanilla

Having recently tasted what I believe to be one of the finest examples of macarons at EARL Canteen, we were excited to evaluate these ones as they were coming from a French establishment. The macarons were a little larger than one's we'd sampled elsewhere, and the consistency was varied between the different flavours, but overall, it was a dignified batch. My favourite was the Pistachio, and Bun's was the Raspberry. The best macarons from this batch had a crispy shell and a chewy/airy interior. Perfect.

For our post dessert main I got the 'Vue Burger with French Fries' and Bun had the 'Chicken & Poccini Mushroom Pie'.

Vue Burger

My burger, although I thought it initially small, turned out to be quite hearty and packed much more flavour than your eyes would have you believe. The patty was seasoned beautifully with herby & peppery elements. The other fillings (rocket, cheese, bacon, beetroot) all came together very nicely in the mouth and worked well with the aioli-ish sauce. The french fries were unfortunately nothing special, and at times a little too salty.

Chicken and Porcini Mushroom Pie

Bun thought her pie was pretty crap. Oversized chunks of chicken, minimal mushrooms, and a grainy sauce that looked like cement - not what Bun had hoped for. The pie lacked any discernible flavour, and would fail in a pie-off against her school tuckshop's famous chicken and & veg pie. (She goes to pie-offs all the time so she would know).

The menu selection is limited, but the place is definitely worth checking out. Also there are macarons, so what other reason do you need?

Little cups of cake

Little Cupcakes

Shop 7, Degraves St, Melbourne

Everybody loves cupcakes. Now imagine this - fitting 10 cupcakes into your mouth at once. This is the type of super human feat Little Cupcakes allows you to achieve. This cosy store churns out freshly baked handmade treats to the hordes of customers it attracts everyday.

After waiting patiently in line, it was finally my turn to choose from an assortment of tiny (and not so tiny delights). A mini cupcake (roughly a quarter of the size of a standard) will cost you $2, and a standard size between $4 - $4.20 each. I couldn't decide on one mini cupcake, so I got five...

From the top: Rasberry White Choc, Cookies and Cream, Mint Choc, Cream Cheese Choc, and Belgian Choc

Rasberry White Choc was the best. Buttery, melt in your mouth icing, with a moist cake base. Mint Choc came a close second, which is surprising considering I usually think all mint sweets taste like toothpaste. In this case however, the mint icing was light and delicate and paired well with the crunchy malteaser on top. I'd happily brush my teeth with it everyday.

So if you're ever down this end of the city, make sure to visit this little treasure cave and shove one (or five) of these delights into your mouth, and be on your merry way.

Liar Liar pants on fire

Liar Liar

90 Kinkora Rd, Hawthorn

Saturday morning brunch was at Liar Liar, a busy little cafe just off Glenferrie Rd. Walk in the door, and your senses are assaulted by the pleasant aroma of espresso. We sat at a large communal table, surrounded by trendy Hawthorners and young families doing the after-morning-sport food run.

French Toast

Big Fat Liar

I got the french toast with poached plums, mascarpone and maple syrup; Bun got the Big Fat Liar - the in house big breakfast combo. My french toast was a three tier mountain of sweet sweet heaven. One bite combined crunchy bread with gooey warm syrup, tart sour plum and creamy mascarpone - a taste explosion that drove me into the ultimate food euphoria. Bun's big breakfast included a few welcome variations to the traditional big breakfast get up. A chunky tomato relish, herby continental sausages, and juicy firm mushrooms kicked the gourmet-ness into overdrive.

Banana Chai Smoothie & Latte

Bun's latte, although aesthetically pleasing to the eyeball, could've been a little hotter, and my banana chai smoothie could've been cooler. Aside from these temperature mishaps, Liar Liar is a true testament to what a standout cafe should be.