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Brunching @ The Train Yard @ Saturday, September 02, 2017 Charlie & Co. dined as guests. Saturday 19th August Heading north for today's adventure we're off to brunch at 'The Train Yard' in Heidelberg. With a name like that you betcha it's within walking distance of the station, just on the main road. Eltham line. If you're in the area check out the castle. A modern setting, not hipstery with exposed walls or uncomfortable seating, however there's still plenty of man buns around. :P  Seated out back in the beer garden it was a lovely afternoon (surprisingly so given the wet and windy weather this week!) in the warmth of the heaters and later the sun. 
Oreo Milkshake & Espresso Martini
I love that if you don't drink that's ok, there's plenty of non-alcohol drinks to choose from including a range of house made cold pressed juices, smoothies and milkshakes!
 
What's your poison? We love a good G&T!
Coney Island Hot Dog
Poke Bowl - brown rice, red cabbage, broccolini, beetroot, avocado,
roasted sweet potato & hummus topped with Harissa grilled chicken
What's for brunch? Everything sounds amazing! Mushrooms, fried chicken & waffles, other waffles, pancakes, superfood salads. The menu is your oyster* and there's something for everyone.
*there are no oysters on the menu :P
Superfood Salad
Enoki mushrooms, tossed baby spinach, kale, beetroot, quinoa &
house seed mix with a honey & dijon vinaigrette + house cured salmon
Fried Chicken & Waffle with Maple Syrup
Pulled Pork Burger
Train Yard Benedict
Two panko crumbed eggs, smoked bacon, fresh chilli & herbs
finished with a housemade Sriracha hollandaise on grilled roti bread
 
Ronnie Biggs
100% wagyu beef patty w/ smoked bacon, American cheddar,
onion, lettuce tomato, pickles, mustard & housemade chilli jam
+ seasoned french fries served w/ tomato sauce & housemade aioli
+ sweet potato chips + sweet chili mayo dip
Meanwhile Fernando had a burger, not the most exciting thing on the menu, but there is something for everyone here *shrugs*. He did ask me to order for him, but I thought I'd let him choose, bad decision. It was a great brunch he said, the burger was a challenge to eat though really good. "I loved the extra kick the chilli gave it, but it did need a relish to tie everything together. Relish and chilli would have been amazing." He had it with a serve with sweet potato chips with a Red Rock deli sweet chili mayo dip - which he didn't share. "I feel like more needs to be said on the chips about how me not sharing was because I liked it too much ..." - Fernando. 
Wild Mushrooms on Brioche
Sauteed wild mushrooms w/ rocket & parmesan, a fried egg
& truffle oil on toasted brioche + a side of avocado rose
When your side comes literally on a side plate!
"I'd add a quick little bit about the avocado slices being put together, really cool, but only because I enjoyed watching you pull it apart" - Fernando.
 As my first meal today I went with savory, but still what to order... The classic mushroom dish, every brunch spot will do a mushroom dish. And I love mushrooms. Even better on brioche. A huge thick cut slice of beautiful soft buttery brioche, was the bed to this lovely dish, a marriage of mushrooms, cheese, an egg and that extra special something - truffle oil! It was delicious, I loved it and would most definitely order this again. Should mention that this dish is HUGE, that's why the food looks small - but it isn't . It's quite filling and the perfect size. 
Group shot with Wandering Ella & her +1.
 We can see this being quite a hit with warmer days creeping up. But then again there's always the great indoors! I've read that this spot, the beer garden in particular is a hidden secret! For dinner there's slow cooked meats from the smoker on offer, we simply must return soon!
Drinks @ Bubble Cup (Box Hill) @ Tuesday, August 22, 2017 Thursday 27th July  I've always thought of Bubble Cup as Starbucks for asians, or their coffee, as the lines are always out the doors in the city and there are so many brands, with Bubble or Happy Cup being the original. Flavoured milks with toppings, slushies, smoothies are co. 
Strawberry Milk Tea $3.50 & Matcha $3.70. + 20c to Upgrade to Large
Both recommended iced. Strawberry is weird not cold the guy serving me says. A light strawberry that wasn't very sweet. Lightly artificially flavoured and coloured, it wasn't as strong as Big M, and nothing amazing. I didn't have the matcha, but he said it was fine though he wouldn't get it again. We normally get the premium or more coffee colored drinks so this venture was a first. At under $5 each this place is cheap compares to our regular Chatime. Service from the guy was friendly though the manager was a slammer, condescending and aggressive towards him. I have no idea what you're saying but I sure as hell can see and hear you. 
Verdict? Might be back for less coloured milk teas.
Dinners @ Short Black Cafe @ Monday, August 21, 2017 Wednesday 26th July  Dinner at Short Black Cafe in Main Street known for their coffee art. Though the artist wasn't in tonight. It's a pizza and pasta place, one of many in the area hence we've never been here or noticed it before. Heard the menu had changed so many reviews no longer relevant. They also had a bloggers event to boost ratings. When you're invited service will be different. Hopefully not too much but it's like being the guest of honour.  
Hot Chocolate $4
No matcha latte so we had a hot chocolate. It was average, most places are average.
 
This place is huge!
Ravioli - House made filled with Roast Pumpkin $28
These are huge! Filled with pumpkin with more on top but saltier. Lemon ricotta. Sage. The perfect winter comfort food. Creamy. Though the edges were a bit thick. At $28 each piece is $4.60! That's pretty crazy for something that doesn't use rare or expensive ingredients.  
Desserts aren't made in house like many cafes, but ordered from a factory.
That's the most perfect tart I've ever seen!
Panna Cotta with Berries $12
Perfectly smooth, though not as good as Peppans it was huge! Serves 2.
I wasn't really a fan of the tart berries though, a bit on the tart and from frozen type.
Everything was good average, and expensive. Service was quite slow.
With so many good places in town I'd give this one a miss.
Little Bites @ Errol's on Errol @ Sunday, August 20, 2017 Tuesday 25th July
Afternoon tea v2 at Errols. Opposite town hall.
So many cakes to choose from! Who makes them all?
 I was after takeaway till I saw the window seat! The waitress said this used to be a bank and we're sitting in the vault. I love this space. I'd love to do a photo shoot just in this corner.  We had a matcha chia smoothie, icy like a slushie, a bit light on chia but I liked it. With full cream. Also had a pair of crescent cookies. Butter cookies are simple though wonderful. 
This used to be a bank, and the undercover area a vault.
But then why is it near the window? O.o
Super friendly service if I bought daily coffee this could be the place.
*Doesn't drink coffee, can't vouch it's good or not*
Drinks @ Mörk Chocolate Brew House @ Saturday, August 19, 2017 Tuesday 25th July Since 2012 Mork has been the place to be (in Melbourne that is) for hot chocolate, they also sell their powers and collaborate with LuxBite. What makes them different is that their ingredients, while both Lindt and Koko are about pure chocolate Mork is about a blend. The original 70% dark is made up of cocoa powder, coconut blossom sugar, cacao liquor (cacao paste), giving it "notes of stone fruit, almonds and ripe berries are rounded off with hints of toffee and lingering dark chocolate richness." I can't taste any of those things other than the dark chocolate though tbh. With a small cafe up in North Melbourne, though we lived there for a couple weeks (spent either working night shift by night and fighting the neighbours by day) we never made it. On the first day up there we actually walked past on a tour but never noticed it! They're like a block away downhill from Town Hall ( #57 tram).  
Chocolate, cakes/slices and tarts to go with your hot chocolate.
With very limited seats (16), the smallest dine in cafe I've ever been to actually (though Oscar Mikes is pretty small, they're takeaway based). There's often a line, luckily one Tuesday afternoon we walked right in and were offered the last two seats.  Boston Boy had the 'Layered' with chilled chocolate milk topped with a warm, creama Catalan custard infused with orange zest and vanilla bean $10.  Never have been here before I ordered the Campfire. 70% dark hot chocolate served with beechwood smoke, charcoal salt and a toasted house-made marshmallow $9. Reminds me of 'Mist in the Woods' by Dextrose.  A smoky glass. 70% dark. Pure novelty, smokes without the mirrors, you don't get to toast your own marshmallow. Riding on the food porn trends is what keeps them going.   I prefer the iced version at Maker & Monger (Prahran Market). Finally years after we've ticked it off the list. It was nice but nothing amazing or worth travelling for. Not worth the hype at around $10. I prefer Lindt or if you're after something fancy Dextrose back in the city, Little Bourke West.
Have you been to Mork? What are your thoughts?
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Hi. I'm Charlie. Capricorn. ISFJ. An Events Planner. An American, San Franciscan in Melbourne. This is a blog about food, events, desserts, hot chocolate & cupcakes, shopping, and the occasional beauty product review in between. A lifestyle blog by an American in Melbourne. Want to contact me? For invites, restaurant reviews and product reviews contact us at the address below. Click here to email me. I'm always after new places to try!  Follow Me? 
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