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

Advertisement

Shortstop – Doughnuts with a Difference

Clockwise from Left Top:  Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut, Australian Honey & Sea Salt, Earl Grey & Rose, Red Velvet, Rhubarb & Ginger

Kitchen at Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Display Cabinet at Shortstop

Seating at Shortstop

Latte at Shortstop

Coffee & Takeaway Donuts

Coffee & Doughnuts

DOUGHNUTS!

Menu:

Shortstop Donuts is the newly opened US-inspired doughnut shops in Melbourne – that has a huge amount of hype surrounding it and been in the planning stages for over a year. Anthony Ivey (ex-Market Lane) together with business partner Sinye Ooi has been traveling around the US and Canada to research various sugar-fuelled places in order to perfect the recipe for the opening. Even before the opening, they had a large following (18000 followers!!) on Instagram – especially around the Earl Grey doughnut.

Shortstop Donut is located in Sutherland Street in the heart of the Melbourne CBD – off Little Lonsdale or Latrobe Street (near Melbourne Central). The fit-out is clean and simple – headed by Adele Winteridge and the team at Foolscap Studio using white tiles and blondwood for its counters and tables. The space is open, light and airy thanks to the use of glass. There is limited seating (3 small round tables with a window bench) and a huge a kitchen where you can watch as the doughnuts are made.

They serve both espresso and filter coffee from Market Lane (with a potential move to Small Batch and Seven Seeds) alongside nine different flavours of doughnuts – Rhubarb & Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom & Sugar, Apple, Bacon, Honey & Thyme, Peanut Butter & Jam, Bourbon Crème Brulee, Australian Honey & Sea Salt, Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut, Earl Grey & Rose, Red Velvet.

The difference about Shortstop doughnuts is that they specialise in cake rather than the usual tried and test yeast doughnuts. There is a wet, milk-based batter that allows for the creative and interesting flavours that you see in store.

As expected there are long queues with the shop selling out by early afternoon – they sell over 600 doughnuts are day. You can order online – and if you order before 1pm – they will be available for pick-up the next day.

I decided to take a box of these heavenly doughnuts for my team at work – I selected 5 different flavours – Rhubarb & Ginger, Red Velvet, Earl Grey & Rose, Australian Honey & Sea Salt and Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut.

The Earl Grey Doughnut was my favourite – made with Earl Grey Tea, injected with Lemon Myrtle and dipped into a Rose-Water and Rose Petal Icing. It tastes even better than it sounds.

The Rhubarb & Ginger was great tasting – with the ginger flavour being based in the pink icing – the cake dough was sticky, soft and flavorsome.

The Red Velvet Doughnut is divine – the redness is thanks to the use of beetroot (rather than food dye) – and has been piped with cream cheese and finished by being dipped in dark chocolate.

The Australian Honey & Sea Salt cruller was quite interesting – the mixture of honey and salted brought a new meaning to salted caramel. The texture was crunchy with a gooey inside – yum!

The Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut – is made with banana cake as its base and then dipped with chocolate and hazelnuts. I would have liked the intensity of the banana flavour to be increased a bit – but the softness of the doughnut was perfect coupled with the crunch on the outside.

Shortstop Donuts is a one stop shop where you get both your coffee hit as well as a sugar fix. Get in early to avoid disappointment! It is also recommended that you consume the doughnuts within 3 hours of purchase for eating pleasure.

NOTE: You can place an order online by visiting http://www.short-stop.com.au/

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu –A selection of 9 different flavours (NOTE: Not all flavours are available every day)
Atmosphere / Ambience: Light, Airy and Relaxed
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.short-stop.com.au/
12 Sutherland Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9642 0807

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7:30am – 4:30pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shortstopmelb
Twitter: @shortstopmelb
Instagram: ShortstopMelb

Five Plus Smoothie – Green, Healthy and Delicious!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Menu:

I was invited to the launch of Five Plus Smoothie to enjoy breakfast with a difference. Five Plus Smoothie is located near the corner of Swanston and Little Lonsdale streets in the Melbourne CBD – next to Melbourne Central. Vivian Lam (Director) has worked with nutritionist Samantha Ward to create this wonderfully healthy place. The ideology and the main reason behind Five Plus Smoothie is to get the daily intake of five serves of fruit and vegetables (that nutritionists recommend) in one delicious tasting smoothie.

Lam is also one of the people behind Hot Star Chicken and Gong Cha (which has taken Melbourne by storm!!), Mekong and Rice Paper. Lam got inspired to create Five Plus as she wanted to look and feel young and healthy not only from the outside but from the inside and most importantly make it an easy way to achieve this even if you find yourself on the go.

The welcoming fit out and design is created by Brandworks and is complete with natural light, pale wood, white tiles and a beautiful display of terrariums. The highlight for me was the copper wall piping and lighting which brought warmth as well as the entire décor of the venue together. Most new venues are trending to this type of design – minimalistic yet funky at the same time. Five Plus does cater for people on the go – who are looking to get their healthy fix and head to work/school/uni – but there is seating available in the form of a communal table as well as some window seating. (Wi-Fi is also available for those who want spend even more time)

Five Plus features ten balanced, delicious smoothies made from fresh ingredients that are delivered daily with no additives what so ever! They are proud supporters of local farmers as well as caring for the environment by using BPA free cups that are biodegradable. The smoothies were designed together with the help of a nutritionist and can cover a range of benefits such as muscle development, weight management, energy & fatigue, brain function, hydration and anti-ageing just to name a few. The menu lists the unique and catchy names and is full of information. Each smoothie has the ingredients it contains as well as the main benefits of the drink. The staff are friendly and if you have trouble deciding which smoothie you are after – and trust me you will as they all sound delicious! – they are happy and knowledgeable to help you out by enquiring about the flavours you like as well as the benefits you want to achieve.

At the launch we were lucky enough to sample all of the flavours – served in small glass beakers which fitted right in with the overall theme of the venue. Guests and bloggers were also served healthy nutritious bites to eat – which was catered for by Healthy Byte. These included Small crumpets with cream, fresh blueberries and strawberries, muesli in a jar with rhubarb, chia seeds and pepitas, poached chicken sandwiches and rice paper rolls with broccoli, Enoki mushrooms and sprouts. My favourite would have to be the crumpets followed closely by the muesli a jar – fresh flavours and textures that worked well together with a tangy kick at the end.

You have a choice of the following smoothie flavours :

The Perfect Date – Oats, Almond Milk, Almond, Banana, Dates, Cinnamon and Ice. Benefits: Muscle, Brain, Skin, Energy and Weight Management.

Smooth Skin – Spinach, Almond Milk, Banana, Mango, Mint and Ice. Benefits: Skin.

The Good Life – Kale, Almond Milk, Bananas, Pineapple, Mint, Lime and Ice. Benefits: Energy and Fatigue, Nail, Skin, Hair and Immune System.

New Leaf – Spinach Leaves, Coconut Water, Cucumber, Celery, Parsley, Mint, Ginger, Lemon and Ice. Benefits: Immune System and Liver Detox.

Peanut Butter Cup – Oats, Almond Milk, Homemade Peanut Butter, Banana, Dates and Ice. Benefits: Muscle Development.

Choc Mint – Spinach, Almond Milk, Avocado, Dark Chocolate, Mint, Dates and Ice. Benefits: Brain

Fresh Focus – Spinach, Almond Milk, Green Apple, Chia Seed, Green Grapes. Benefit: Alkalizing

Sweet Heart – Beetroot, Coconut Water, Apple, Banana, Ginger and Ice. Benefits: Heart

Purple Patch – Almond Milk, Blueberries, Banana, Acai and Ice. Benefits: Anti-Ageing

My favourite from the menu is Smooth Skin – it was deliciously refreshing and what better way to give your skin some nutrients! For days after the launch I would go back every morning and start my day off with this smoothie – yum! My next favourite would have to be Purple Patch followed by The Perfect Date. The Perfect Date really fills you up due to the use of oats but it’s definitely one to try out.

Five Plus provides a refreshing, nutritious and healthy way in which you can achieve your fruit and veggie intake on the go. The staff are friendly and there are many different flavours to choose from – even for those who want a sweeter hit – you can try the Choc Mint or Peanut Butter Cup. Try it out now and I have no doubt it will become your regular morning pit stop!

Disclaimer: I was invited to the launch of Five Plus Smoothie on behalf of Harvey Publicity. All views and opinions are honest and my own.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – 10 different smoothies that have individual benefits – refer to the Menu picture above
Atmosphere / Ambience: Funky and Welcoming
Standout Smoothie: The Smooth Skin, The Perfect Date
Service: Friendly, Knowledgeable and Helpful. If you tell the staff what you want to achieve from the smoothie – they will recommend which one you should have.
Online Booking: Yes via website – http://www.vuedemonde.com.au/reservation
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.fiveplussmoothie.com.au/
265 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiveplussmoothie
Instagram: Five Plus Smoothie