Emperor's Cream Puffs

Emperor's Garden Cake & Bakery makes awesome bread, egg tarts and cream puffs. Where there’s a line at a small window, jump in the queue, it doesn’t take long to get to the front - it’s worth the wait, and prices are just right just like the taste!  I haven’t tried much, but I’m a fan of these cream puffs, every time I visit Sydney I would try to get my hands on them

Highpoint Pancake Parlour

Back in 2008 I use to be a waitress at the Highpoint Pancake Parlour where I would take grave yard shifts and get home at like 6 AM in the morning; dynamic and work flow were great. You would only know how dirty a place is once you start working there, and Pancake Parlour isn't the most hygienic place to eat at if you are a germ freak.
Today was the first day I've ever returned as a customer since I left in 2008. Its changed a lot, but menu remained mostly unchanged with a few new items and an increase in prices.

I always get so worked up on the prices here, its unbelievably expensive for just cooked flour and ice cream (its organic Melbourne made ice cream), even the drinks are over priced. Atmosphere and staff are good, food is slow to get to the table, and it doesn't taste as extraordinary as the price. Though their specials and lunch menu isn't too badly priced. 
They are now open 24/7 at Highpoint so you're literally paying for overtime services, thats if you reckon a pancake craving at 4 AM is inevitable then its all worth the price. Where can you find a 24/7 restaurant besides McDonalds?

Strawberry Swiss Mountain Malt (essentially thick strawberry milk shake) - $8.70! I could get at least 6 litres of Big M at this price when they go on a special frenzy at the local super market.  

Lemon Ice Tea - $5.70

Short Stack - $11.90! I'd rather eat Hot cakes at McDonalds + free maple syrup. Special maple syrup at Pancake Parlour comes with a price

Fresh Strawberries on Crepes - $20.50! crepes were cold and leathery in texture, strawberries were fresh but I'd rather buy my own punnet and add expensive ice cream at home

Ham Chicken Schnitzel, butter, side salad, cheese pancake and wedges - $25.90! Well I guess this was the best value dish we got, because each item on this plate if ordered separately would add up to a ridiculous price. This was delicious too, hot ham crispy chicken with great wedges

Best Macarons in Melbourne

Hi! How are you doing?

La Belle Miette (meaning "beautiful crumb" or, more broadly, “beautiful small thing") is a small French patisserie specialising in macarons.

I think I found a new love for Macarons! I've had some at random Melbourne locations (Brunetti's many years ago, Crown Café, random café place in Melbourne and home made ones), but nothing compares to this! Most of what I’ve tasted seems somewhat powdery, grainy, chalky, too sweet, dry or raw.

It was such a spontaneous finding, one day at work a friend of a friend had came in for an Ultrasound scan, as a thank you gift she brought us some “La Belle Miette” macarons. I took the business card as a reference and had to repurchase it the next time I traveled to Hardware Lane.

There are many different delicous flavours of macarons here, from alcohol to chocolate to fruity sour flavours, and the packaging is just so elegant and cute, totally in love with this tiny gorgeous shop. 

They are soft, tasteful, and smooth and melt in your mouth (just right). My favorite is the Salty Caramel Macaron, its filling is much chewier then the other flavours hence giving this one more of a special texture which complimented well with the crispy shell. Even though other filling flavors weren’t so special compared to its perfectly made shell, overall in my opinion this is the best Macarons I've ever had in Melbourne.
The only downside was its price, in 2-3 bites its gone, but its worth $2.50 per macarons. Other places charge more/ same but for the quality of $2.50 compared to other macaron shops, its worth it. I bought 18 macarons that day and the total came to $48! Expensive but once in a while, this could be an exception =) 

What's your favourite Melbourne Macarons Shop?  

Enjoy the rest of your days… ladies and gents stay beautiful, healthy, wealthy and wise
xox take care :)

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with anything above, everything on my blog is my honest opinions, so I am not being paid or given free products to review or promote. My opinions are of personal experience and thoughts, so feel free to comment if you agree or disagree so I can also learn more from you.

La Belle Miette 
Urban Spoon

30 Hardware Ln
Melbourne, VIC 3000