Paperboy Kitchen – Vietnamese Deliciousness

Paperboy Signage

Drinks Fridge

Inside Paperboy

Inside Paperboy

Funky Shelving

Sriracha Sauce

Funky Table Numbers

Fresh Coconut

Sauces on the table

Rice Bowl and Fresh Coconut

Lunch at Paperboy

Popcorn on the side

Satay Tofu Rice Bowl

Menu:

Asian street foods are all the rage at the moment and Paperboy Kitchen is a latest addition to the Melbourne CBD. Located on Little Lonsdale Street, between Elizabeth and Queen street is this small sized eatery. Set up by Adam Milgrom – who quit his marketing job and took up training at Leith’s cooking school in London – who started out creating a pop-up version before settling on a more permanent venue in the city.

The menu is simple, delicious and fresh. Paperboy serves rice-noodle bowls and bread rolls that come served with Asian slaw, carrot-daikon pickle, Sriracha -Mayo and Coriander. The menu is cleverly named Rolls or Bowls. Once you decide between these two – you then have to choose from a range of fillings which include Coconut Pepper Beef, BBQ Chicken, Satay Tofu, Panko Fish, Spicy BBQ Pork and Pulled Lamb & Hoisin. Both the rolls and bowls come served with a small side bowl of Popcorn topped with chilli spice. If snacks are what you are looking for – Crisp Fried Chicken served with Sriracha Mayo dip is available. If sweets is what you are after – the Milk-Bar Cookie is a must try.
Drinks from Charlie’s, Beers and Ciders as well Cola, Lemon Lime & Bitters, Lemonade and Ginger Ale from Phoenix are available, as well as fresh coconuts (that you pick you from the fridge and have them cut up). The coconuts come served with a cocktail umbrella to make you feel as if you are beachside.

The fit-out like the menu is simple – complete with wooden high tables and chairs to sit in and enjoy your scrumptious food. There is an industrial combined with an Asian grocer store feel to the venue thanks to the feature of wooden shelves that stored things like Sriracha sauce, soy sauce, water and plants.
The main counter from where you order from opens out into the kitchen – which you can peer into and watch as your meals are prepared. As you place your order you are given plastic animals that aid as table numbers which is a fantastic idea. On the tables together with Sriracha Sauce are bottles of chilli labelled “Hot Stuff” – the extra hot stuff for those who dare.

I ordered the bowl with Satay Tofu alongside a fresh coconut and a plastic giraffe. The food comes served on a wooden board with the Paperboy stamp on the bottom corner, with the bowl placed in the centre and side bowl of popcorn just above it. The serving size is very generous (I couldn’t finish the entire serving so took it away to have for dinner!) and from the moment it is placed in front of you, the smell of all the ingredients literally take your breath away. The dish is fresh, packs a whole load of flavour and is gobsmackingly delicious. The Sriracha Mayo is the perfect addition of spiciness and tanginess. The Asian Slaw is made from lettuce, cabbage, carrot and black sesame seeds. The Satay Tofu has a crunchy outside which complements the softness on the inside and flavoured to perfection. Together all the components of the dish work seamlessly together to provide a great flavour explosion for the palate.

The staff are friendly and always willing to go out of their way to help. Don’t delay the trip to Paperboy anymore!

Rating : 5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu:  Refer to the picture above or visit http://paperboy.com.au/#two
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual and Relaxed
Standout Dish: Any dish really!
Service: Friendly and Helpful
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
www.paperboy.com.au
320 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9642 0147

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 11:30am – 3:00pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaperboyKitchen
Instagram: paperboykitchen
Twitter: @PaperboyKitchen

Lemon Middle & Orange – Hidden in Industrial town

Latte at Lemon Middle & Orange

House Hot Smoked Plum Cured Tasmanian Salmon, Potato Latkes, Poached Eggs, Fennel, Horseradish Creme Fraiche

Lemon Middle & Orange

LM&O

Outside Sitting Area at LM&O

Inside Lemon Middle & Orange

Inside Lemon Middle & Orange

Lemon Middle and Orange is a newly opened café in the Collingwood area from Magaret Lawless and Liam Ganley. Lemon Middle and Orange is located on Rokeby street amongst the industrial buildings and was once a paint factory, which now houses John Wardle Architects upstairs. John Wardle Architects was used in helping to convert the space into the café it is now. The name itself is an ode to its former life as Lemon, middle and orange were the chrome pigments they used.

As you walk in off the street, there is an outside sheltered sitting area with the bright yellow neon logo placed on the wall: a chirpy yellow bird with an olive branch in its beak. There are upturned paint cans used as stools paired with wooden tables. Large glass wooden frame sliding doors – which I couldn’t initially work out how to open (=p) – lead through to the main part of the café. The café is long with tables and chairs on the right hand side and the counter, coffee machine and kitchen area along the left side. The feel is modern, casual and inviting. The combination of wooden tables & chairs, with the concrete floors and exposed ceilings all add to this.

The menu is created by Sam Morris (former Rockwell and Sons, Auction Rooms) and pays homage to Ganley and Lawless’ heritage. Brown Soda Bread is baked onsite which is a traditional Irish bread, and is served with block pudding as a breakfast dish. The brunch menu runs all day, with a lunch menu starting from noon carrying through till early afternoon.

I order a latte before deciding what food I will order. Coffee is by Syndicate, and there is also a single origin by Clark St Roasters, which will rotate seasonally. The latte came out with pretty café art in the shape of a heart that reminded me of a kite. The coffee was creamy, smooth and nutty and I really enjoyed it. The milk was frothed to perfection as well.

The brunch menu is quite different to most cafes and has quite a bit of variety ranging from yoghurt, rice pudding to croquettes, breakfast rolls and house plum cured salmon as well as a poached dug egg dish. Lunch menu consists of a selection of four sandwiches – such as roast beef or confit chicken, as well as homemade dishes from the kitchen. These include Corned beef hash with piccalilli puree and kohlrabi sauerkraut, pulled pork neck or roast chicken breast with harissa vegetables and pearl barley.  There are also Cakes available which come from local caterer Little Bertha in nearby Abbotsford which are handmade using local organic ingredients.

Both G and I decided to order the House Hot Smoked Plum Cured Tasmanian Salmon, Potato Latkes, Poached Eggs, Fennel, and Horseradish Crème Fraiche. The poached eggs sat in the middle of the dish with the thick, juicy and inviting salmon fillets surrounding them together with the crispy skinned potato latkes. The fennel which was dressed with the horseradish crème fraiche was placed elegantly on top. The eggs were poached as expected with the gooey yolk, the salmon cured to smoky heaven and together with the horseradish crème fraiche – it was foodie paradise. We both enjoyed our dish immensely and it was quite a filling dish – I had no room to try out the cakes on display.

Lemon Middle and Orange not only has a catchy name, but a memorable logo and vibe to it. I love the variety of dishes available, as well as the fit-out of the place.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu – Refer to http://www.lemonmiddleandorange.com/documents/LMO_A5%20menus_Nov_6.pdf
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual, Modern and Chilled Out – love the front street covered courtyard area and the upturned paint cans for stools!
Standout Dish:
Service: Friendly and Welcoming.
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.lemonmiddleandorange.com/
25-31 Rokeby Street, Collingwood
Tel No: 9415 1593

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7.30am–3.30pm
Saturday: 8am–3pm
Sunday: 9am–3pm

Code Black Coffee – Black Elegance

Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg

Flat White at Code Black Coffee

Fried Eggs with Chorizo, Ham and Mushrooms

Latte at Code Black Coffee

Orange Juice at Code Black Coffee

N & I headed to Code Black Coffee on a Saturday for brunch. Code Black Coffee is one of the latest cafes to open up in the Brunswick area and is located off Sydney Road, behind Barkly Square shopping centre. Code Black Coffee is not only a cafe but a roasting house as well – with roasting equipment present on site.

Code Black Coffee comes to you thanks to Joseph Haddad who is the man behind the Cafenatics stores that can be found all around the Melbourne CBD.  The chef behind the deliciously flavoured menu is Laura Neville and makes you want to try out all of the dishes.

Code Black Coffee exudes elegance and class yet staying casual and welcoming from the moment you step inside. As the name suggests, the main colour theme is black together with an industrial metallic and stone feel.  When you walk inside the main feature you are greeted with is the large counter and barista station which in the centre of the room, which creates a division of the rooms. To the left of the counter there are tables for groups and to the right are smaller tables enough for couples or singles. As you keep walking past the kitchen – which has a glass window that allows you to peek in and see the chefs creating food magic – there are booths for a more private catch up.

As the name suggests there is a main focus on coffee and it sure doesn’t disappoint. There is a variety of coffees available – both black and milk. Code Black Coffee roasts high grade beans from international farms and growers, and there is a Code Black seasonal blend, as well as a rotating single origin which is roasted in house, signature blends and decaffeinated coffee. These different varieties of coffee can also be bought over the counter as well and staff are willing to assist to so that you walk away with the perfect coffee.

N got a house-blend expresso and I got the house-blend latte. I thoroughly enjoyed my latte with its nutty and velvety smooth flavours. The expresso comes with additional water which I think is thoughtful in order to modify the coffee if need be. Later on we also got a flat white which was just as delicious and creamy. Definitely one of the better coffees that I have tasted – and I do want to go back and try out some of their other types of beans.

Moving onto the food options – where do I start. There are plenty of dishes for people who are vegetarian, gluten free or require vegan food – which I think is really fantastic. The menu covers a variety of flavours and dishes – there is a baked egg dish that comes with polenta fingers, belgian waffles and even two different burgers – one veggie one and one meaty one. There are also a selection of Baker goods – such as breads, crossiants, toasties, Salads and Sandwiches. There is also a menu for the little peeps (as the menu states) – consisting of smaller sized dishes. I was struggling to pick a dish to have and in the end decided to try out the fritters (after all I do have a thing for fritters =p)

The fritters at Code Black Coffee had ingredients that I haven’t usually seen in a fritter dish – Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg. When the dish came out it was beautifully presented on Japanese style plates – with the fritters as a base, topped with the avocado and poached egg, with the corn salsa and coriander surrounding the elements. The fritters were absolutely delicious! They were full of broccoli, almond and chia and were flavoursome. You don’t usually think of this combination but it really did work – and coupled with the avovado and corn – there really was a party of flavours that happen in your mouth. I loved this dish!

There is also a selection of cakes and pastries which look fresh and tasty which are displayed at the front counter. Code Black Coffee is wonderful place that exudes class and style and the menu is one of my favourite cafe menu’s that I have come across – there are so many dishes that I want to come back and try – its a shame you can only do one dish a visit =p I will definitely be back to visit and try out as many dishes as I can.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to http://codeblackcoffee.com.au/wp-content/themes/codeblackcoffee/inc/CODE%20BLACK_MENU_18_05_13_1_0.pdf
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Elegant, Classy and Stylish yet welcoming and engaging.
Standout Dish: Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg
Service: Friendly and Knowledgable – they really do know their stuff about coffee and are always ready to help.
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
codeblackcoffee.com.au
15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick
Tel No: 9388 0005

Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 7:00am – 5:00pm