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. 

ROTI ROAD

Hi everyone

I’ve recently decided to post something again, since all my studies have finally finished. This is a food post on the new “ROTI ROAD” Malaysian Chinese restaurant, which I have returned on several occasions.

 

Typically this is what we usually order:

Roti Canai - $5.90

These roti sheets are made in front of us so I guess they are freshly home made accompanied by three dipping sauce – curry sauce, dal, sambal.

I must admit I’m not a curry fan but this dish is a good introduction to Malaysian Indian cuisine.

Tom Yum Soup – we ordered for a table of 10, unsure how this was calculated; on the menu it states, “Serves two - $11.90”

I’ve had my fair share of tom yum soup, this had all the right ingredients but "it" compared to others I’ve had was ordinary. A little on the salty side, non the less this is my go to soup cause its got a sour savory taste which does help with my digestion for the upcoming dishes.

Satay Chicken - $9 for 6 skewers.

Another good entrée, chicken was smoky and went well with the amazing sweet peanuty satay sauce

the chefs doing their thing.

Traditional Three Coloured Milk Tea - $4.50

I am not a coffee drinker, so I wouldn’t know how to judge this one but it was recommended by my partner and he seemed to have liked it. I hate the bitterness in coffee, but this was weak with a hint of creamy cold sweetness, which wasn’t too bad to quench my thirst (water would have done the same for free).

Rendang Beef - $19.80

By this time I was getting full and seeing curry wasn’t appetizing, I had a piece and that was that. It doesn’t hurt to try but too much meat and curry mixed together isn’t what I personally would order for myself. If you are a heavy beef curry lover you might enjoy this dish.

Fried Chicken Berempah - $16.80

Got kids tagging along? If you like fried chicken this is yummy, the coating outside is salty crispy with tender unboned chicken inside (like KFC wicked wings but with different seasoning).

Belacan Kangkung - $14.80

This is water spinach stir fried in shrimp paste. This was over cooked which made the spinach too wet and soggy, and there was an overdoes on flavoring hence the overpowering saltiness.  I usually love this dish cause it's crunchy and refreshing with the minimal seafood aroma left behind in the mouth, but all was overdone that night. Lets hope it taste better next time, or maybe this is how Roti Road make this dish?

Honey Pepper Lamb Cutlets - $28.90 (don’t remember how many pieces)

All the right flavouring in my mouth, the bomb! Loved it, spicy sweet and salty at the same time which was well balanced out by white rice and steamed broccoli.

Banana Fritter with Ice Cream -  $7.50

My mum does some great fried bananas, but to compensate for not eating at home this was a good substitute, however for this price try the Roti Tisu (cause I don’t know many who can make this at home)

Roti Tisu -$9.90

This is thin crispy fried roti lightly coated with condensed milk and dusted with sugar. YUMMY! I could finish this whole thing myself even after having that much food, the portion looks huge but its deceiving to the eyes cause it’s like a thin upside cone of flour filled with nothing inside. It was not overly sweet because the bland thin crispy roti complimented well with the condense milk and sugar then dipped in the cold creamy ice cream it worked out just right.

FINALLY:

If you live in the western suburbs of Melbourne and love Mamak or Chef Lagenda, give this place a visit, it’s new and the fresh roti is like no other.  Highly recommended. I’ve visited Malaysia many times and have taken a few local Malaysians here, we all love the food and services here (quick, friendly and efficient).