Sit Lo

I loved a good Vietnamese vermicelli based salad, refreshing, filling and light they are a great and often easy/quick lunch option (and the macros aren't to shabby as well). Often when I have appointments in the CBD this is my go to meal choice, but as a creature of habit Soonta in James Places always seems to be where I end up. After much encouragement from fellow Adelaide foodies I decided it was time to branch out, face the unknown and that is how I ended up at Sit Lo on Bank Street :) The restaurant is on the smaller side, and obviously does a huge take away trade but if you can grab a table the decor is rustic, quirky and fun. The staff are all full of smiles and friendly and there is a welcoming, social buzz about the place.

Sit Lo have been open a little while and host the usual range of Vietnamese food items, Banh Mi, salad bowls, cold rolls and the ever increasingly poplar Bao. I've heard the also do a mean Vietnamese iced coffee but on this occasion I just couldn't squeeze one into those macros for the day :P I ordered my usual, the chicken vermicelli salad but asked for half noodles and extra salad (I wasn't feeling super hungry). They were more than accommodating with this request and my salad was made fresh to order and at my table within 5 or so minutes. First up, the big 'test' of whether a place fulfils my Vietnamese fix... how much protein is included.. and Sit Lo did not disappoint.. a really generous serve of juicy, tender and flavoursome chicken with no fatty or chewy bits. There was a good kick frrm the chilli, plenty of crunchy peanuts and the salad mix was fresh and had plenty of mint. A half serve of the soft but not soggy vermicelli was more than enough for me and the dressing wasn't overpowering or oily.

Verdict? Turns out Sit Lo make a really delicious, good value, fresh Vietnamese salad and are now certainly on my list of places to go when I need a fail safe lunch in the city! Great option for a quick lunch if you work in the CBD or food with friends while in town I will revisit for sure, as I'm pretty sure I need to try the iced coffee and Baos!

Downtown HDCB

I've tried to eat here a couple of times, and silly me forgets to check when they are open every single time and as such I turn up to a closed door. Not this occasion though.. and I finally got to try the hotdog hotspot that is Downtown HDCB (which=hot dogs cold beers)

Pretty casual the place is set up like a diner, with a long bar, booths and some bench seating it oozes laid back summer catch up with friends. We arrived early and were able to nab a booth table at the back no problems and were quickly brought menus and water by a super friendly waitress.

We decided to tackle the menu by ordering a 'not dawg' to share.. then to see how hungry we were before ordering more. When the waitress returned we placed our order of a Moritz beer each (Mexican and one of my ALL time favourites it's not too common in Adelaide) as well as a diet TAB cola for me :) and our choice of food to start... the infamous Downtown HDCB pulled pork mac and cheese 'sundae'. Presented in an old fashioned sundae cup this was the perfect size for two to share as entree or as a smallish main for one. The mac and cheese consisted of perfectly cooked pasta and a creamy thick cheese sauce, it had a real home style feel and paired perfectly with the rich, BBQ sauce. The pulled pork was fall about tender, packed a really authentic American flavour punch and was really moreish. The combination of all these elements was fantastic, a flavour bomb and both my friend and I agreed that although this could have ended up an overwhelming mess it was done really well.

After our 'sundae' we decided to order two hot dogs to share :) we went with the 'Justin Bieber's Hangover Cure (AKA the Poutine Dog) which was a combination of a bacon wrapped beef dog, fries mozzarella, onion and gravy in a hot dog roll and the Dr Chong, a wagyu beef dog, horseradish cream, pickled red onion and frisse in a hot dog roll.

The Bieber Dog was my pick of the two, crispy, golden thin fries in a rich, thick gravy, a juicy tender dog and heaps of gooey melted cheese made for an epic combination. The Dr Chong was much lighter, the texture of the dog was juicier, I'd describe it as more 'meaty' and the horseradish cream packed a hotness that gave it a kick without overpowering the other elements. Both dogs had a subtle smoky flavour, were not fatty or gristly and the buns were perfectly toasted, real old fashioned hot dog rolls (I'm starting to feel like the 'sweet bun' thing is getting a little overdone.. maybe just me?). 

Both my friend and I really liked this place, an awesome casual vibe, funky music, great beer and quality food with really decent prices. If your looking for a chilled place for an easy dinner/lunch or to put back a few cold ones with friends this is certainly worth a go. I'll definitely be returning as they have an epic cocktail list I need to try out ;)

Tanya & Brooklyn do Melbourne

So my little sister turned 16! As my birthday present to her we hopped on a plane and did a whirlwind food tour of some of Melbourne, and met some amazing people along the way :) Here's my run down of the crazy good food we ate in my favourite place to visit in Australia :)

The day before we left I competed in my first ever Crossfit competition as a member of a scaled team. The day was amazing fun and it was such a rush to test my strength, endurance and hang out with some great athletes and overall cool people. I was so exhausted when I went to bed, but oh my did I wake up ravenous (a day full of lifting and intense cardio will do that to a girl) so first on the agenda was breakfast and coffee at Adelaide Airport. My sister, being the 16 year old she had just become, opted for *cough* Hungry Jacks... I on the other hand went with a bacon, cheese, tomato toastie and an Irish creme coffee from Hudsons. The coffee was pretty decent and the cheese toasty, although nothing special certainly hit the spot, plenty of cheese firm tomato and salty bacon.. pretty hard to mess up a toasted sandwich though.  Now.. given this was a celebration holiday no macros were counted... and as such bressert was required and Holy Glaze Donut company supplied the goods before we boarded. My insulin spike of choice? A white choc raspberry jam filled donut... soft fluffy dough, sweet gooey jam and a soft white choc coating I have to admit this place does a better job then another well known donut chain.

Upon arriving in Melbourne, busing to the CBD and checking in we were starving again so off for lunch it was. Last trip I couldn't squeeze in a visit to the Spudbar so they were first on the hit list this time. We opted for the Melbourne Emporium store as it was within walking distance and arrived just in time to miss lunch rush. The food court here is amazing, it's like a high end version of your usual shopping centre food hall with outlets run by some of the big name food places in Melbourne.  The Spudbar is decently priced, lists all of their nutritional information and have an awesome range of choices for the super health conscious through to those looking for a carby, cheesy, bacony indulgence. They have a set menu, but you can make any additions or subtractions you want, a choice of normal spud or sweet potato, a create your own option and salads. My sister ordered the crispy bacon and cheese (bacon, cheese, mushrooms, cabbage, rocket, tomato salsa, light sour cream and spring onions) sweet potato with added avocado and I went with a chook and avocado traditional spud (chicken, avocado, baby spinach, cabbage, light sour cream and jalapenos) with added bacon and cheese. Both were served in huge, generously filled bowls, with heaps of fresh, flavour filled toppings. Both spuds were cooked perfectly, fluffy with a slightly crispy skin. Super filing, delicious and great value for money this is one chain concept that Adelaide is lacking and NEEDS. Healthy, quick, cheap and with full disclosure of nutrition this place tick all of the boxes. 

Next up was dinner, also in the Melbourne Emporium food court (it was really close to our accommodation!). Whenever I visit Melbourne there is never a doubt I will want dumplings, Adelaide just doesn't have the same quality and it's a super cheap way to eat! This trip the dumpling venue of choice was the newly opened New Shanghai restaurant, a well known chain in other major cities.

This place did not feel like it was part of a food court, it had stunning decor, a quiet intimate feel and attentive, friendly table service. There was also a huge glass window where you could watch the dumplings being made, which was fascinating..they were so quick and precise.

For my drink I went with a mocktail, the classic Shirley Temple (Cherry juice, sprite and grenadine syrup) perfectly balanced and plenty of cherry flavour this was really enjoyable. My sister had the lime ice chiller, it was really refreshing and again mixed well, not too sweet or too sour. 

For entree I ordered my usual shallot pancakes. New Shanghai's version were a little different to what I'm used to, they were much more crispy, and had a firm bite/texture to them. Although not what I was expecting they were delicious! The slightly different cooking method made an old favourite a whole new experience, they weren't the slightest bit oily and the balance of spring onion flavour was really well executed.

 No dumpling meal in Melbourne is complete without Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) I have yet to find anywhere in Adelaide that even comes close to how good they are interstate. This was my sister's first experience and so we ordered the fried version (I think the crispy base just makes a soup dumpling 100x better!). New Shanghai's pan fried pork bun were well made, with no leakage, uniform shapes, generously sized and a thicker, slightly chewy skin. The thickness of a soup dumpling's skin is always an area of debate, but personally I prefer them on the thicker side, and these ticked all the boxes. The bases were fried to a crisp, golden hue and both the meat and soup encased within was packed full of flavour with very little fattiness/oil. Some seriously juicy, tender, delicious dumplings.

The last dish we ordered were the steamed lamb and leek dumplings, these stood out on the menu as it was a combination I had not seen before, and being Welsh means both my sister and I have a soft spot for anything with leek as a core ingredient. The skins on these dumplings was slightly thinner but still held the filling well, the meat was tender and the leek and lamb flavours were balanced and worked really well together. I would say these were maybe a little watery from the steamer, nothing worth complaining about and they still tasted really good.

Overall, we both really enjoyed New Shanghai. Friendly and efficient service, fantastic value for money and epically good fried Xiao Long Bao. I would say certainly worth a visit for cheap, tasty dumplings or a quick bite to eat whilst browsing the shops at Melbourne Emporium.

And here we insert the obligatory "I'm in Melbourne so must have Starbucks" picture. I'll be honest... we did Starbucks a couple of times... the frappes are addictive!

And now we reach our final destinations for day one in Melbourne, and these were on the special side. Through instagram I've connected with some amazing people from all over the world and on this occasion I was able to meet up with the ever gorgeous, graceful and insightful TimTamFit. This beautiful soul took us to the Lui Bar for some late night dessert and a view to die for. 

236 meters up, (around the 55th floor) The Lui Bar is the cocktail lounge area of Vue De Monde, one of Melbourne's finest French dining establishments. Boasting some of the most breathtakingly beautiful views of Melbourne the bar was exquisite, from the five star service to the unique range of drinks and food, this was a never to be forgotten experience. 

The venue provided an amazing backdrop for 

some photos that will be long treasured.

I tried the Lola Montez Spider Dance Fizz, which is as described on the website...

'In 1855, the infamous erotic dancer by the name of Lola Montez toured the far-flung goldfields of Victoria. The previous Melbourne performance caused such an outcry that the remainder of her Melbourne shows were cancelled for fear that the authorities would close any theaters who dared to book her. However, while the newspapers of Melbourne were showering Lola with scorn, the gold diggers of Ballarat were showering her with gold nuggets, all because of her raunchy spider dance! This legendary routine saw Lola clad in layers of petticoats and skirts, dancing to the slow realisation that her clothes were filled with spiders. Growing ever frenzied, much to the crowd's delight she'd lift her skirts higher and higher, scattering the stage with imitation spiders, and slowly revealing more and more Lola with each movement. We celebrate her tour with French Champagne and seasonal fruit.'

This was a complex, unique and memorable drink, the waiter brought out the glass and then  topped it up with an expresso vodka/walnut liqueur that was emitting a swirling stream of mist. The flavours were intense, but mellowed as you finished the drink and having the waiter explain the intricate details of the drink and how to best enjoy it was a fantastic experience. 

We also tried the nutella donuts. Presented on a cast iron plate they were perfectly fluffy, golden soft balls of dough filled with plenty of warm, gooey nutella. So very, very moreish. I finished up with a cappuccino, which was bliss, perfect froth to coffee ratio and a smooth, deep coffee flavour that was perfect for a late evening drink. This came with Petite fours which were just beautifully presented. The coin was a whiskey jelly, the shell a chocolate and the lamington a chocolate mousse filled with a sweet, thick raspberry pureee. All so unique and exquisite in their own way.

The Lui Bar, the drinks, the food, the view and the company were utterly perfect, and I know both my sister and will never, ever forget the experience. A big, big thank you and much love to TimTamFit for taking us here!

After the Lui Bar TimTamFit took us to one of her favourite places to get ice-cream/gelato, Spring Street Grocer where we were able to experience Gelateria Primavera. Team always hungry managed to squeeze in a small coffee gelato for me and a coconut gelato for my sister, and my oh my am I so glad we did. Smooth, luxurious, creamy gelato with robust, true to taste flavour that was sweet and well balanced. My sister adores anything coconut and she rated this the best coconut gelato/ice cream she had ever eaten :) Certainly a hidden gem worth checking out.

Day two and it was off to one of my favourite parts of Melbourne, Brunswick/Fitzroy. We started with breakfast at the infamous Hammer and Tong, a gorgeous cafe/restaurant that has a modern, hipster feel and a really relaxed welcoming vibe from the decor to the background tunes.

Upon arriving we were given top notch service by the friendliest waiter with a gorgeous accent (French maybe?). Given menus and offered drinks we didn't need long to decide as we had done our research ;)  For myself the salt and pepper french toast with fried duck egg, maple, sausage crumble, duck egg and salted caramel ice cream whilst my sister went with one of Hammer and Tong's signature dishes, the Breakfast Ramen (62˚c hens egg, bacon, mushroom, spring onion with bacon dashi) (we added a side of toasted sour dough to this as well).

Okay, let's just admire the beauty of this French Toast....

And the subsequent yolk porn....

Okay, end heavy breathing. Yes this dish was stunningly presented but I can honestly say without hesitation this was one of, if not, the best breakfast 'dish' I have ever eaten. From the peppery, yet sweet fluffy golden toast, the perfectly oozy duck egg, the crunchy, salty crumble and the lusciously creamy sweet-salty ice cream everything just blew me away. The salad was the perfect side with fresh mint and cress to balance out the complex and intense flavours  of the dish.  So much taste, texture, beauty.. total lust.

The Breakfast Ramen was executed just as magnificently by the chef and was just as delicious. The egg was cooked absolutely perfectly, the noodles were at that just right firm-soft spot texturally; thick, juicy, tender bacon with a crackling layer of melt in your mouth fat and a broth with so much depth that we were super glad we ordered the sour dough toast to soak up every last drop! This dish was one of a kind, I highly recommend trying it out and experiencing something unique for breakfast.

For drinks, my sister had a golden gay-time shake, and it was exactly like drinking golden gay-time ice creams smashed up in a blender! It was super creamy, thick and frothy. I was lucky enough to try two coffees, an espresso and a cold drip. The espresso was bold, rich and packed a punch whereas the cold drip, a panoma geisha was much sweeter, light with white chocolate tones. Served warm the sweetness became more intense as it cooled, a glorious coffee duo to start my day. I fell in love with Hammer and Tong, I have ached to return ever since my visit. If you are in Melbourne you honestly must try this place out, funky venue, super service and the food... just epic, beautifully divine.

And a couple of 'happy snaps'...

Before we hit up a must visit when in Melbourne, N2 Extreme Gelato. 

I have blogged about this place before, basically they have crazy flavour combinations of gelato which is made using liquid nitrogen on the spot fresh to order. The gelato is silky smooth, softer than your typical gelato, hand has a really great mouth feel. On this occasion we ordered the kinky kinder and the donut pop me. The kinky kinder was a hazelnut gelato, with a hard choc dipped coating, rice bubbles and a syringe full of  warm liquid ganache whilst the donut pop me was a milk tea gelato with popcorn liquid caramel, a full sized glazed donut and caramel popcorn whipped cream. Despite our sugar comas we both agreed that these were stupidly amazing.

Time for lunch and it was back to one of my all time favourite places to eat, the Vegie Bar. I raved about this place last visit and nothing has changed. The vibe is still welcoming and funky, a subtle indie/hip undertone and somewhere I could easily spend hours and hours. The service was still great and the vegetarian/vegan/gluten free range still fantastic.

For drinks we both ordered fresh juices, my sister went with a watermelon strawberry combo wheres I choose an apple, ginger, orange number. Both were ice cold, well balanced and refreshing, mine had a really fantastic ginger flavour which was exactly what I needed after my N2 experience!

My sister loves a good gnocchi and decided to order the Veggie Bar's vegetarian version. A combination of fresh made gnocchi, tomato sugo, mozzarella, goats cheese feta, basil and a side of garlic focaccia this dish was rich, filling and full of authentic Italian flavours. The gnocchi was pillowy soft and there was a generous serving of gooey, golden cheese. My sister really enjoyed the meal, and the bold, vibrant flavours meant she didn't miss the meat component of this dish at all.

I ordered the Amalfi pizza, a vegan pizza with a seeded spelt flour base, tomato sauce, garlic, baby spinach, Spanish onion, capsicum, mushrooms, broccoli, pineapple, sesame seeds and vegan cheese. This photo only just catches how fresh, vibrant and nourishing it looked!

A great combination of flavours, every component was tasty from the slightly crunchy broccoli, the sweet pineapple, the marinated mushrooms and the gooey vegan cheese it was filling, but not heavy. The thin spelt base was cooked perfectly, crisp but not burnt, no soggy centre and provided a slightly nutty undertone to the pizza. Again, another fantastic visit to this amazing restaurant, if your looking for a healthy, quality meal in Melbourne this is the place to go, I only wish they would open up in Adelaide!

After a brief return to our hotel (the teenager needed a food coma induced nap) we headed out for dinner, and thanks again to the wonders of instagram this time it was to eat epic food with the one and only Deadlifts_and_pizza. This guy, well this guy. His instagram account always makes me smile, he eats the best burgers/pizzas going around, is a little cat crazy and like myself has lost a ton of weight and still enjoys plenty of good food! His recommendation for eats... Jimmy Grants. This place is what I'd describe as a higher end yiros shop (souvlaki/kebab in Melbourne language!), owned by George Calombaris of Masterchef fame the venue is modern, laid back and has a very natural feel to it. Super busy, they did a roaring take away trade the whole time we were there.

Me and Deadlifts both ordered the Bonegilla, a combination of lamb and chicken with mustard aioli, chips, onion and parsley wrapped up in a pita. This was ridiculously good, chips in a yiros? Genius. The pita was soft, slightly chewy and held everything really well. There was just the right amount of sauce, onion and parsley and the meat was juicy, melt in your mouth tender and had just the right amount subtle smokey-charcoal flavour. I would say one of the best yiros I've ever had, the ingredients were all top quality and cooked well... the polar opposite of the greasy, heavy dripping late night meal that often comes to mind when people think of yiros/kebabs.

We also both ordered the chips with garlic oil, feta and oregano. The sister and I were supposed to share our serve, but she was pretty much full at this point (I forget not everyone eats as much as I do!) and so I basically polished these off on my own :) Seriously why can I not get chips with feta in Adelaide? and if I can why do I not know where? These were that addictive kind of moreish really good chips are, golden, crispy, fluffy, salty and just made that little more amazing with the addition of the creamy feta. Your basic side taken to a whole new level with the addition of some solid flavours and textures.

The sister went with the plated option, 200 grams of chicken from the spit with tzatziki and pita bread. The chicken was moist, tender and had a great authentic greek flavour, the pita was golden, soft and fluffy and the tzatziki creamy with a good hit of garlic. This was a really generous portion as well, the sister didn't finish it (saving room for ice cream) but it certainly didn't go to waste ;)

Verdict? Top place to visit in Melbourne for authentic Greek food with top quality ingredients and some seriously good flavours. One of my most favourite yiros experiences so far and well worth a visit. This place has taken the notion of fast food, turned it on it's head by making the run of the mill yiros/kebab/souvlaki something extra special. 

After dinner we headed up the road to another one of my all time Melbourne favourites... Gelato Messina. I should stop following this place on Facebook because every time they post a new limited flavour I feel a little part of my foodie heart break (They could resolve this problem by opening a branch in Adelaide ;) ) My sister had the coconut and lychee flavour and the passionfruit flavour from their core range. She loved both and despite being pretty full from dinner she finished this saying it was light and refreshing and again was impressed by Melbourne's true to taste coconut offerings. I went with one of the specials on that day... the Slicin' it up, a peanut butter gelato smashed with messina caramel slice and the Milk chocolate with choc peanut fudge (yes peanut butter addict anonymous needed). Okay so as usual, the most amazing creamy, smooth and airy gelato on the planet.. as usual the milk choc flavour was rich, chocolaty and had huge chewy pieces of real peanut butter fudge and as usual it was delicious. The slicin' it up (which Deadlifts also indulged in) however was just out of this world, huge pieces of carmel slice with crumbly, buttery shortbread, and gooey thick caramel enveloped with the most true to taste peanut butter flavoured gelato I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. If you are in Melbourne you are missing out if you don't visit Messina, the range and quality is unbeatable. A massive thanks to Deadlifts_and_pizza for a quality night of food and conversation, an awesome guy who can actually keep up with how much I eat!

Last day in Melbourne and we met up with an old friend of mine and her partner for breakfast at the highly recommended Manchester Press. This cafe had a really spacious, modern feel but still retained a sense of warmth. A really good vibe and certainly somewhere I'd happily spend time unwinding with a coffee and a good book. We arrived early and so we waited we decided a little sweet breakfast 'entree' and a coffee was justified. 

Every time I see a Doughboys Donut on Instagram I die a little inside, hand dipped freshly made donuts in unique mouth watering flavours the closest I've seen/tried in Adelaide are from Devour Desert Bar. Lucky for me Manchester Press are one of the cafes that had a delivery of these little pieces of sugary nirvana the morning we were there! We went with the chocolate peanut butter flavour (was there any doubt?) and we deemed it the best donut of the trip! The donut was soft, fluffy and sweet, coated with a thick, sticky rich chocolate ganache, had a seriously good peanut butter flavour and the crunchy peanuts just rounded this out. Honestly one of the best donuts I've ever had the joy of eating.

My cappuccino was perfection, a lovely balance of milk foam and coffee, smooth, creamy tone and with just the right amount of cocoa dusting. However, it was my sister's soy chai latte that really stood out. I have never been a fan of chai, it just doesn't sit well in my taste palate but this one changed my mind. The best chai latte I've ever tasted it was the ideal combination of sweet and spice, nothing too overpowering and all working in creamy, soul warming harmony. My sister who regularly enjoys these said it was one of her all time favourites as well.

When our guests arrived I ordered a cold brew and my sister went with a juice. The juice was made fresh,with one of the staff coming to check if a fruit substitution was okay as they had run out. Refreshing and sweet this was a great, light morning kick starter. My cold brew was the coffee of the trip for me and completely changed my view on this different approach to my much loved long black,  a well balanced, mellow flavour it has sent me on a new mission to try as many cold brews as I can this summer! This particular roast was an Ethiopian with a fruity tone, kind of tropical and really the perfect warm weather coffee for the caffeine addict, the long brewing process just heightens the flavour profiles and produces a sweet more pronounced taste. 

For breakfast my sister went with a savoury option, a huge fan of avocado when she saw the BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato) bagel on the menu it was a no brainer. Also a feta addict she added this as a side and they certainly were generous with the portion! Her bagel was dense and chewy like a good bagel should be, the avocado creamy, ripe and fresh, the bacon crispy and the feta super creamy, smooth and firm. This also came with a fantastic little side salad and a zesty dressing that took this from 'just a bagel' to a complete meal, my sister was really impressed with this and polished off the whole lot :)

Myself, well I went with a sweet option. When we decided on Manchester Press I checked them out on Instagram of course!) and when i saw this dish I knew I had to have it in my life and so I present to you the fruit and nut bagel with mixed berry mascapone, strawberries and pistachio.

Yes, heaven in creamy, sweet divine bagel form. I am a HUGE bagel fan, and this bagel was just so good, dense and chewy but still soft with plenty of fruit pieces. Toasted 'just so' it held up superbly to the thick, sweet creamy cheesecake like mascapone whilst the berries provided a refreshing tartness that stopped this dish being 'too sweet'. The pistachio dust added a fantastic textural quality and a nutty, savoury flavour that rounded this out to perfection. I absolutely loved this meal, it has made it on to my list of top twenty things I have ever eaten for sure, the flavours, textures and quality... I did not want to finish eating this!

Manchester Press... if you are in Melbourne you have to try this place out! I have dreamed of eating this dish again on several occasions, and with friendly, efficient, accommodating service, a great vibe and kick arse coffee to boot they earned gold stars all round!

Given it was the last day of our trip we decided that dessert for lunch was appropriate and off to Max Brenner's at Melbourne central it was. I have blogged about this chocolate chain previously and although a different location this was pretty much the same deal... same decor, feel and menu. The closest comparison in Adelaide I would say is San Churro. Having eaten here before I was aware of how rich and decadent the food was so opted for a water, my sister however could not turn down the opportunity to combine all of her favourite things into one drink and so cue the coconut white hot chocolate with whipped cream. This drink was luxuriously smooth, with a true white chocolate flavour a real punch of coconut. Really rich, but really delicious my sister loved this hug mug of liquid sugar and it was certainly a different take on a hot chocolate.

Food-wise we choose to share the chocolate pizza with a crunch (chocolate, pecans, white choc drops, marshmallows and cornflakes) with added strawberries and bananas. As far as dessert pizza goes this tasted great but it wasn't the 'best' dessert pizza I've ever had. The base was slightly undercooked for my liking, however the chocolate was thick, velvety and smooth, the fruit juicy and fresh and the combination of gooey melted marshmallows and crunchy cornflakes gave this a unique texturally quality that made it stand out from the 'nutella pizza' which seems so popular everywhere at the moment. Overall a decent feed, I've eaten better things here but I'd still highly recommend checking out Brenner's if you love quality chocolate and chocolate based desserts with a twist.

Last stop of the trip and this one was long awaited. On my last visit to Melbourne I just missed out on lunch service at Bowery to Williamsburg, which means I missed out on trying their infamous Reuben sandwich. I have ached to try this ever since and come rain, hail or shine it was happening this time. So luggage in tow we trekked through Melbourne to get my hands and mouth around this legend of a sandwich. I did blog about an amazing bagel here last visit, and again the vibe here was really cool. The staff super helpful and friendly and we were quickly seated and given menus. We decided to order a main each but only one with sides to share as we were starting to feel pretty full from our previous food adventures. I'll be honest and say I can;t recall what my sister chose, it was a meatball kind of sub I think. She reported it as being delicious, but due to the generous serve she couldn't finish it. The side we shared were great, salty crunchy pretzels and a pot of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a total standout... al dente pasta, creamy, gooey cheesy with a slightly golden crust it was just how good, home style mac an cheese should be. 

And so... we reach the pinnacle... the Reuben.

The Reuben sandwich, made famous by in the infamous Katz Deli in New York is a combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on rye bread.  Here at Bowery to Williamsburg they stick with this traditional combo, and the epic mammoth sized sandwich placed in front of me was stuffed to the brim with every single ingredient. My sister didn't think I was going to be able to all of eat this... and the way the chef smiled from the open kitchen as it was placed in front of me I'm pretty sure he didn't either. However, upon biting into this I knew there was no way I was leaving a single crumb. The beef was tender, juicy, salty, flavoursome, thinly sliced but thickly stacked, the Swiss, gooey and melty, the dressing creamy and the sauerkraut adding a much needed sour element to cut through the rich meat and dairy. The bread was fresh and soft but had enough oomph to hold together underneath the heavy load of fillings. Finally, the pickle on top was tangy, crunchy and crazy huge. Each bite was better than the last, and as I got to the last few I will admit the massive serving meant I was starting to struggle, however I was not going to be defeated and yes I did manage to finish it! I will without hesitation declare this the best Reuben I have ever eaten, and I believe it's probably the best Reuben in Australia :) If you love your American food you simply must go to this place, and if you even have the slightest soft spot for corned beef sandwiches...well there is no question... eat this sandwich. Big kudos for the chef for executing this cheesy, meaty, sandwich to perfection.