Chef Lagenda

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It was a catch up with my long lost female companions hehehe, and we chose to eat at Chef Lagenda as we all agreed this place was close to home and its overall menu is delicious.

I’ve tasted their Malay Chilli Crab and its a must try if you have never had it, its above average, but unfortunately we didn’t order this that night when I brought my camera - no photo :(

Their range of herbal soup isn’t too bad as well. Service is not going to be pleasant if they are busy, I've been served by great waiters however on the odd occasions there can be unfriendly ones too. 

Lets get into the dishes we ordered:

 Roti with peanut sweet satay sauce

 Hainanese Chicken on Rice

 Combination Fried Flat Rice Noodle - Shrimp, calamari, fishcake, pork, veggies with oyster sauce

Spicy Chilli Chicken + side of Coconut rice

Hammer and Tong 412

Is Hammer and Tong 412 over-rated? Or am I just under rating it? I’m not being critical, I love the joint, the nice people and overall menu was very creative and out there compared to many brunching menu which always includes the typical bacon, eggs, toast and hash browns. However whatever I did try was on the saltier side of my palate, and drinks were overall average. Chef Simon Ward who formerly worked at Vue du Monde started Hammer and Tong 412 surely showed his creativity but taste wise it was pretty average.

Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Watermelon juice wasn’t the best, I’ve had better

Breakfast Ramen – 62˚C hens egg, bacon, mushroom, spring onion with bacon dashi ($15)

Soup and ramen was again average, the egg was perfect, bacon was like overly marinated salted chewy pork belly.

Soft Shell Crab Burger ($12) – never had anything like it, it’s different but again the crab was very salty, could use a bit more mayo, and I like my buns crunchy and toasty (not everyone does). But Yes I do recommend this dish

Seddon Deadly Sins Cafe

Breakfast at Seddon Deadly Sins was overall very good, service was excellent, décor was unique in a nice way, food was average (but how many ways can you eat bacon and eggs + bread? I couldn’t have asked for more, it was breakfast), drinks had its good and bad, and prices were decent.

Hot Chocolate – I’ve never been satisfied with any hot chocolate I’ve made or ordered, it’s been too rich, too bitter or too bland, this hot chocolate was perfect, each to their own, you may find this too sweet… I really liked it! Coffee was great too; they’re pretty famous for their coffees here.

On the other hand, the orange juice were freshly squeezed I think, but it wasn’t fresh orange, it tasted somewhat rotten.

Herbed Polenta – with Oven Roasted Tomatoes on Baby Spinach with Two Poach Eggs and Topped with Harrisa. I didn’t enjoy this that much, it was just eggs, spinach, special potato starch like bread pancakes (don't know what that yellow thing was) and nice sauce, typical normal flavours which can be replicated at home.

Wrath (Spanish Eggs) – Eggs cooked in Salsa with Olives, Onion, Parmesan and Chorizo Sausage, I enjoyed this combo with the extra side of harsh browns. Hint of hot spice, sour, sweet and savory, compromised really well. I do recommend this

Side of harsh browns, this is usually good when freshly fried, crunchy and delicious. McDonalds hash browns are also on my favourites list.

FIRST TASTE

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First taste is an authentic Chinese/Asian restaurant in Footscray, it’s got an extensive herbal soup and claypot range; majority is good if you like the bitterness in soup. I’m not a fan of soup or hard, crunchy, crusty rice in claypots but my partner loves this stuff. Other than that they have added crab on the menu, and if you are going to order dishes to share with steamed rice, overall, dishes here are good and prices are very decent especially for cooked crab (about $50 a pound depending on the season, but its always top quality grab).
I like dinner here for price, service and quality, do try it.

Claypot and Chinese herbal soup is the most renown here, but at lunch people tend to order the wonton noodle soup as well (good too)

Black Pepper Crab, it's really good even better then Chef Lagenda but not as good as Omah (the best in my opinion)

Chilli Crab is delicious too, but they don't provide roti or bread so B.Y.O (you are allowed to hehehe, we do it all the time). I've tried this crab mixed with egg noodles but it made the crab more boring and you get full too quick

Stir fried beef eggs and veggies - don't know how they make the beef tender and crunchy, its good. I wouldn't order this if I didn't eat with a group of people.

Boring Mie Goreng - don't try it, make the 2 min packet at home cheaper and you get the same result.

Chilli shrimp paste stir fried Okra - gooeyness, saltiness, fishiness, chilliness ...yummy, hehehe may turn people off but this makes a good dish with steamed rice. 

Charlies Pizza Footscray

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Before I started dating, I never knew so many places existed, including this pizzeria “Charlies Pizza”. I am an Asian who grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, and consistent pass this restaurant when we do our grocery shopping in Footscray. I would look inside and think to myself “this is a dingy dodgy looking place”, “who would eat here?”, “it looks unhygienic”, “why are they always closed?”, “they are so empty how do they survive?”… And hear stories like “the owner is part of some gang/the mafia, he uses this place for money laundering”.

All my negative thoughts changed after my first experience, lol, I realized they don’t open during the times I drive pass, and most of their customers are Vietnamese who starts dinner very late in the evening, or Club goers would stop here for supper before heading home.

I do think they need a reno cause this place looks like a run down saloon, they also have an outdoors garden area at the back where small gatherings are held. The ambiance is confusing, Italian food + extra chilli flakes on everything you want on the menu, Vietnamese music in the background with Vietnamese concert billboards hang up in-front of the old peeling wallpaper.

The moderate urban spoon ratings may be due to its atmosphere and services, cause I hear the boss “Charlie” can be a meanie at times. Food wise, it isn’t the cheapest pizzeria, but I personal enjoy what I pay for… Italian food with extra hot chilliness (You don’t get that at many pizzeria).

"Charlie" the boss getting close and personal. He's not always mean, he can be very friendly at times

baked bread, hot salami, chilli flakes, anchovies and cheese - I love this crunchy bread with the hint of spicy saltiness, but some people find it too salty... just don't add anchovies on it

Marinara + Penne Pasta + Seafood + Chilli Flakes – large $17.80

This is really good; do try it, minus the chilli if you can’t handle the heat

Mushroom sauce was $8.80! But it makes a great combo with the beef and baked bread

Charlies Special Salad - Large $24.80, easy to make but expensive for a salad. However I will always order this because I love my greens in all my meals. When I ordered the Volcanic rock (picture below) the salad came free with it in a medium portion - BONUSSSS LOL. 

Volcanic Rock Beef Fillet -  $39.80

I’m on the fence with this one, flavorless, just butter, beef, and mushroom on a hot rock, for that price I’d rather do it myself… but it does come with a side of Charlies special salad.

If you want to save some money and try both the Beef Fillet & Mushroom sauce, order the "Mushroom steak", taste the same to me for less than half the price - $27.80 without the hassle of cooking yourself. I personally find no fun in using the rock, I think it leaves a BBQ smelly residue on me. 

We rarely order pizza if we are eating in less than groups of three, but personally I think its nothing spectacular. 

Tao Kae Noi My Favourite Substitute for Chips

I have found the best substitute snack for chips, it's called 'Tao Kae Noi'. Tao Kae Noi is a Thai dried seaweed snack, it comes in the flat and rolled form of crispy seaweed. It comes in many flavours such as sweet, salty and chilli with a hint of seafood taste. If you hate seaweed or sushi you'll hate this (my seafood hating friends have informed me they hate this too because it's too strong for their likings).
I don't have a clue about the nutrition value and sodium content in this, but if you do have renal failure, an allergy to seafood or special diet don't try this at all, as its very high in flavour and MSG.

This can be incorporated into rice or used in making seaweed soup as it is very flavoursome, but I love it as is - just seaweed chips.

these are the original hot chilli sheets I regular buy, its easier to get my hands on then the big rolls you see below. This regular packet of seaweed in my opinion is more healthier and tastier than chips from the grocery stores, it is very light, crispy and savoury with some spice. 

I love this a lot when I'm bored and have no snack at home, this is my craving. Price wise these aren't as cheap as chips because the above packet cost nearly $3 and below box was nearly $6 (for 12 stick sachets). 

These are big rolls, at my local Asian groceries I usually see it in 2 flavours, original or spicy grilled squid (my favourite). It comes in a long thin halo strip, like a large thin sheet of paper thats been rolled around and dried. This is crunchier and crispier then the packet from above. This flavour is very strong, sweet and spicy so you could choke on it if not swallowed properly - I still love it