DolceBunnie

Showing posts with label Melbourne. Show all posts

24 Hours in Melbourne | AUSTRALIA

Higher Ground | Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

One thing I absolutely love about Melbourne is that there are so many fantastic food spots around, and breakfast is no exception. Given that we only had one day in Melbourne during our recent visit, it literally ripped my heart in two trying to decide on where to go for breakfast because I wanted to try so many places. I ended up choosing Higher Ground because I had read so much about the establishment and given that it’s operated by the team behind Kettle Black and Top Paddock, I knew that we would be in for a treat.

Higher Ground’s design has been praised so many times and this year the design team for this popular CBD cafe took home AIDA’s best hospitality design for their work at Higher Ground. We woke up early that morning so that we could secure a table ahead of the Sunday morning rush. Once we stepped inside the cafe, I was in awe of the space that was once a powerhouse. The split level cafe has a 15-meter tall ceiling with elements of exposed brick and brass, as well as lush greenery scattered throughout.

The day menu, which is available until 3pm, boasts so many creative dishes that you don’t usually see available for breakfast. I had to go for the mince lamb fry up ($21) which is no doubt one of their signature dishes. Laid on two slices of thick sourdough, the fragrant lamb was served with miso eggplant, two fried eggs (with silky runny yolks), smoked yoghurt and pine nut dukkah with a generous sprinkle of pomegranate. It was such a tasty dish with so much going on yet all the ingredients worked so well together to create that buzz in your mouth, though I wish that I had shared it with the other travel bunnie as the serving was huge. We also got the strawberry chia with buffalo yoghurt, mint and kiwi fruit ($17.50), which was by far the prettiest chia pudding I’ve ever ordered. It was such a light alternative to the lamb fry up, yet delicious nonetheless.

The coffee was solid, even Minibun George’s babyccino was extremely frothy, and the service we received on the day was definitely prompt and friendly. Just another reason why I can’t wait to visit Melbourne again.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $51.70
Time of Visit: August 2017

Higher Ground Melbourne; Higher Ground interior;

Higher Ground Melbourne; Higher Ground coffee;

Higher Ground Melbourne; strawberry chia with buffalo yoghurt

Higher Ground Melbourne; Higher Ground mince lamb fry up

Hopetoun Tea Rooms | Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

If you are craving something sweet, you probably want to check out Hopetoun Tea Rooms. After all, it is probably THE most iconic cake shop in Melbourne. Established inside of the Block Arcade since 1892, the shopfront is something that has to be seen to be believed.

Yes, the queue is long, but if you are a party of two or more, you can definitely kill some time by taking turns to stand in front of the magical window display and drool over an array of colourful, inviting, almost enchanting cakes and tarts…

Once inside, my breath was taken away by the gorgeous wallpaper and the strikingly beautiful frosted mirrors that take up one entire wall. Yes, the personal space is just a little tight but seriously, it won’t be an issue when you get your tea and cake because you will be too busy devouring them both.

I better go get myself a slice of cake now…

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $37.50

Time of Visit: August 2017

hopetoun tea rooms; cakes; Melbourne eats;

Grossi Florentino | Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

We tried to dine at Grossi Florentino a few years ago when we visited Melbourne, but it was just after Christmas and they were closed for the holiday season. So this time around, we made sure that it was included in our itinerary.

If anything, you should at least go to Grossi Florentino once so that you can admire the 84-year old Renaissance-inspired murals and wood panelling that wraps around the entire dining room. The service is professional and impeccable, and it’s not hard to see that the waitstaff take pride in their work.

A three-course dinner at Grossi Florentino has a price tag of $150 per person with each additional course at $25, which seems quite reasonable for a restaurant with two chef’s hats and currently sitting at 36 in the Top 100 restaurant list.

Although the restaurant doesn’t have a kids menu, they were happy to order a plate of spaghetti bolognese for Minibun George from Grill downstairs. We were presented with a trio of amuse bouche before entrees arrived. Even though the amuse bouche was nothing to write home about, my veal tartare with wattle seed, yolk and shaved truffle tasted delicate and amazing. The same goes for the other travel bunnie’s spanner crab served with celeriac, macadamia, fennel pollen and bottarga.

Both main courses - veal cheek with sweetbread, Jerusalem artichoke, mustard, as well as the partridge with buckwheat and carrot, were hearty and generously portioned. The desserts were probably the best presented dishes of the night. I had a hard time deciding but ended up getting the Duchessa which was recommended by our waiter. The other travel bunnie opted for the Persimmon Sfera. Both were solid choices.

The dining experience was good, but I can’t say it was amazing, which was slightly disappointing given how long I had wanted to try Grossi Florentino. Having said that, Grossi Florentino is without a doubt a culinary icon in Melbourne that shouldn’t be missed.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $348

Time of Visit: August 2017