Fordham's Milk Bar @ Camberwell

Fordham's Milk Bar
Sorry for the lack of update, was busy and got a new phone that's not very photo update friendly, meant to update this months ago...

Milk bars are always interesting for me.
They always have that mysterious feel to it with that old retro deco and the usually wooden looking shop keeper with all those contrasting colourful confectioneries and lollies in jars and cheap toys which usually make people wonder who on earth would actually buy them, nonetheless still manage to open for years and remains a popular spot for school kids. However, I do remember getting a cap gun with 20 pack red caps which i never ended up finishing and a packet of water bombs from a milk bar when I was in primary school...or perhaps in high school...but definitely not when i was at uni, dont think I have even been inside one since Year 10 or something....so it is very much a childhood memory.

Yet Fordham's Milk Bar on Fordham Aveunge (dah...) is more than a milk bar, whom offers much more than those horrible sandwiches and old potatoes cakes that you get from most corner shops. They have brilliantly convert an old retro milk bar into a cafe, which the original idea of milk bars did provides some sort of fast/hot food to offer a non-alcohlic alternative to pub, hence the name milk "bar" (yeah learn that from wikipedia)
 It is a bit of an oxymoron: it is a  publicly located hidden treasure: Walkable distance from the tram line (I have proven it is walkable since I walked from the tram) and located right opposite of Hartwell station, yet most people wouldn't know about this place unless you are a local.

 





It is a conveniently located cafe in a small little suburb. At the time I arrived, the outside sitting is full of locals whom appears to be afternoon joggers, old couples and people who finished work early (i.e: me)

 The guys are very friendly, smiling when I was outside, greeted when I got in and general small chat when I ordered and brought me my forgotten sunnies just before I left.

As the kitchen was closing at the time I was in, around 3:30ish, I could only order the food from display shelf, where there was bacon and eggs roll and chicken schnitzel wraps, etc which I ordered a sausage roll.

The sausage roll is great, where the the texture of the meat inside is actually like a sausage where it is not those soft mince meat mix. 

Again another iced latte, but they let you mix it yourself. As you can see from the photo

An old milk bar transformed into a popular local cafe with nice coffee and food, but still sell lollies, soft drinks and milk and oh, yes...you can top up your Myki here too.

Fordham's Milk Bar

116 Fordham Ave  Camberwell 3124

Telephone  
03 9041 0822

Prospect Espresso @ Camberwell - Tuesday with Brekkie

a skynet of tram cables at the crazy intersection at camberwell junction for three major roads

Yet another Tuesday that I have to work till late.
Didn't bother to travel all the way to the city and still wanted some decent breakfast and coffee, so Camberwell it is.

Camberwell, sort of the middle point between where i live and the city. With three tram routes passing through and a major station for Belgrave/Lilydale and Alamein (Train) Line, shops and eateries has grouped around the central area of Camberwell, which offers a trendy eatery area with a great range of choices for the eastern suburbs.

Prospect Espresso, a small little cafe that's tucked away from the busy Burke Rd of Camberwell, among all the eateries and cafes, yet still as busy or even busier than some that located on the main street. And it is one of my favorite at camberwell for its coffee, which it seems to be a popular spot for coffee takeaway for locals.

It is a small cafe with friendly and attentive staff, but be mindful that this place can get very busy, especially on weekends (even more so when the Camberwell market is on at Sundays), not only with diners, but also takeaway.

I was lucky enough to get a small single table, instead of sitting on the communal table or the bunch along the windows, probably cause I got there around 10ish, so passed the peak time. Yet, a fair number of people was coming in throughout when i was there.

Closing at 4pm on weekdays and 4:30pm on weekend, their breakfast is served till 3PM (which the kitchen also close at that time) and lunch menu is also available from 11:30am. So yes, they do cater breakfast for non-morning people as well. Nothing is more annoying than getting to a cafe, wanting to treat yourself with a nice breakfast to start your day and got told they don't serve that anymore,even tho it is 2:15 in the afternoon... 

While I am still deciding what to order from the small yet choiceful breakfast menu, my iced latte has arrived and as usual, it is very enjoyable.
Tossing between a few different items on the menu, the waitress recommended the Truffled Brioche and told me that it is the most popular item on the menu, though her personal favourite is the Chorizo Croquetts and table next to me suggested The Breakfast Roll,which they both ordered the same thing.
 

Truffled Brioche, looks and tastes amazing

Wasn't disappointed at all with the Truffled Brioche. It is very similar to a vegetarian version of egg benedict,but with more layer of taste to it. And I much preferred brioche than english muffins, cause it is softer and not as dry.

The brioche is puffy and filled with the sweetness and scent of butter/pastry and topped with all the other ingredients then covered in hollandise sauce. Im not good with describing taste,but just look at the photo...

quite like the colour of the tea cup

As I said, the cafe is small, nonetheless it still provides a rather relaxing environment where you can have a lovely chat with your friend or set up for a date (pretty sure there's a few couples around me) and most importantly the staff are friendly and not pushy and try to rush you off at all, which I had experienced at other busy cafes, particularly at the CBD before.
Although I wouldn't think it would be too kids-friendly due to the physical size of the cafe, it seems that they are very accommodating for mothers, as I said the staff are very friendly. And for the first time i have witness a little kid consume a babyccino like a grown up with a coffee...

a youngster who enjoys babyccino

the kitchen, where all the food magic happens

As most cafe, other than the food on menu, there's a small selection of sweet and treats at on display at the counter and their muffins is also very nice. I brought one to work for early dinner and it still taste wonderful at 4PM, which it was still moist in the middle. So it is also good for afternoon tea or just a pre-lunch treat/coffee spot.

Prospect Espresso 

03 9882 7359

2a Prospect Hill Rd 
Camberwell, VIC 3124

Tram 70 and 75 also available further down on Burke Rd

Shimbashi Japanese Soba & Sake Bar @CBD

As a lot of hidden food treasure at Melbourne CBD, it is located at a side street.
Yet it is close to Bourke Street and the popular wedding photo location and excursion kiddies sitting spot: The Parliament House of Victoria, and of course, Parliament Station. (See my map at the bottom)
Ever since accidentally discovered this place, when taking a short cut to Parliament Station, had always wanted to try it for its specaility of Soba, the traditional japanese buckwheat noodle. 

Grounding the buckwheat

There's a growing number of Japanese restaurant and Japanese style cooking/cuisine at Melbourne, but handmade and with the stone-ground machine in store, Shimbashi not only is an authentic japanese restaurant but also possibly the only soba specialist at Melbourne.

Once sat down, I ordered a can of iced green tea to cool the "sweating me" down a bit, while they have given me a small complimentary salad as a starter. Being a 30 degrees day, I have ordered the chilled soba, Seiro, a popular way to eat soba espeically on a summer day, although you can still order in it in soup. Nonetheless, other than the specialising soba, there are all sort of Japanese dishes, from sushi to sashimi to beef tataki (which i ordered as entree and ate and forgot to take a photo...well yes it was really good and yes i was really hungry) and other japanese tapas, so don't worry if you are not a fan of soba or noodles.

I have ordered the Tempura Seiro,which consist of a plate of Tempura (Prawn & Veggies including my favorite sweet potatoes), soba noodle and its dipping sauce, with some wasabi & spring onions as extra seasoning if needed.

A light,sweet soy based dipping sauce to dip a chopstickful (if it is a word) of soba and then just slurp it. It is a light and refreshing noodle dish as it is chilled, just have to be careful of the sauce not going onto your shirt, if you do occasionally slurp the noodle a bit too hard/fast like i do.






Shimbashi is also a sake bar, as stated on their door sign along with "soba", so assumingly they are as proud and specialised in that as well. A variety of cocktail, beer and sake listed on the wall. The cocktail they offered is named after different bands and pop group.

Along with the menus, the wall is full of old posters and japanese style deco, with the wooden/bamboo furniture and fixtures it has successfully set it mood to create a izakaya,japanese taverns, sort of atmosphere. It was further enhanced with the number of japanese diners at the restaurant, which also is a good indicator of the taste and
authenticness for the eatery.

Shimbashi is a great cultural and dinning experience that you don't find everywhere at Melbourne. It would be great for a few friends to catch up, enjoy some japanese food and a few drinks. But probably best to book a table due to the size of the restarunt.

And they open for lunch at 11:30am till 2:30pm, which is great for a early lunch (like i did) and re-open at 6 for dinner.

street view from Bourke Street

Liverpool Street

Shimbashi Japanese Soba & Sake Bar 

Location 
17 Liverpool Street
Melbourne Vic 3000
Phone
9654 6727

The Bourke Street Tram stop is actually closer to Spring street
or maybe Liverpool Street should be further down...

Mr Tulk @CBD - Tuesday with Brekkie

 

Yes it took me a while to sort this all together and it is a story of my Tuesday.

Having to head to the CBD to get a few things in the morning before work, which means I have to be quick as it takes an hour to get to work on public transport from CBD, Mr Tulk had suddenly became my first choice over the other cafe that morning basically for one reason: its location.

It is right opposite to Melbourne Central, located on the side entrance of the State Library of Victoria. Surrounded by trams and next to a train station (See my map at the bottom), it is conveniently located and accessible for any pedestrian and passenger going to CBD and don't be bother walking anywhere more than 50m from Melbourne Central for a decent cafe/food.

Being honestly with you, I forgot the name of the cafe or maybe didn't even know the name of the cafe till I finished my meal. All i remember was that there's a cafe right under the state library.

The cafe area is not overly big, but reasonable size with a communal table in the middle surrounding by a few smaller tables and a couch at the dining area.

Serving alcohol as well and open for happy hours and dinner on Friday, it has a rather spacious bar/pub like area around the cashier

Being in the center of CBD and early morning just before office hours, there's a good mix of business looking people and people with a I-have-got-something-planned-today sort of face with a number of causal breakfast eater at the cafe. One table with three man in suits were even having a breakfast meeting there.Nonetheless, whether they were staring at their Mac, reading their Financial Review, trying to do the Sudoku or having a post-workout breakfast wearing Lorna Jane, they all seems to enjoying their coffee, which always a good sign.

a business man covered his face so i can illustrate my point
without the trouble of awkward photos

The decor of the place is typical Melbourne cafes these days: modern with some sort of arts around. Though doesn't have that vintage or retro mood that some cafes try to create even though it is attached to the century old State Library. It is also reflected on the menu with a good selection of classic small breakfast treats such as muffins and banana bread to something more unconventional like cornbeef hash (something i had last time) and of course the good old egg on toast with extra sides at your liking

The wall of old books/arts work that
reminded me of The Sedlec Ossuary

The usual deal when get into the cafe: greet by a friendly waitress, asked to sit wherever you like and sit down at the communal table as I am just by myself and get a glass water and order a coffee to start.

The staff are very friendly and generally attentive, but the one who sat me down had forgot to give me a menu after I order my coffee. However, the food was relatively quick once I ordered and that's when the attentiveness was shown, when I got a menu from another staff whom realise i didn't have one.

Not a huge list of choices but a good mix of a variety with one or two unique and special items, which is the way i preferred, rather than having a long list of breakfast items which often are just a mix-n-match of same ingredient combination. Hence at the end, I decided ordered something that I don't usually see at other cafe and which I was glad that I ordered and tried it.

something quick and small and on the go with your coffee

Just the usual Latte with no sugar, nothing too fancy

It is a nice place with decent food and coffee with a comfy environment and a super convenience location, but probably by yourself or one or two friends due to the setting of the table and the size of cafe.





Coffee Price:  Regular $3.7  Large-$4.5

MR TULK
Location:  328 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC, 3000 (enter via Latrobe Street)

Opening hours:  Mon - Thurs, 7am–5pm Friday, 7am–8pm Saturday, 9am–4pm  

Phone:  03 8660 5700
(Yep copy and paste the contact info from their website...)

The thing that I ordered: some pastries thing with eggs and tomato relish plus extra salmon

in case you haven't notice, map is not in scale...but fairly close....