Thursday 19th January




Shiraaz Fine Indian is located on Flinders lane x William. Around the corner from Immigration Museum, towards the west end. We've never had fine dining-ish Indian before, but here's to hoping the servings aren't tiny! Naturally I'd expect everything to come separately to increase the price. 


The atmosphere was great, I could really feel that air con (it's summer). Date mood lighting, paper over white clothed tables. Lights that were like floating lanterns. It was lovely. This is an Indian date restaurant. You're paying for atmosphere. 

Tonight was empty except for one other couple, we left a bit after 7pm. Early days says the host, people still getting back from the holidays.




We sat by the window (best spot for lighting) the sill was a bit dusty.



Marinated boneless chicken cooked in the tandoor and served with a sweet oriental tomato, butter, cream and cashew nut sauce. Topped with cream and coriander ($18.50 via eatnow).

It was quite good and a bit hotter than I expected (for me that is) full of all those wonderful Indian herbs. Butter chicken is always good from my experience.



Rice and dish same size! So full, please roll me out XD we really need to learn to stop before we feel like this! The butter chicken was a little hotter than I'm used it, but other than that it was good. 

Through the liven app $20 code, paired with a $6-7 credit I had we ended up paying a total of $7! While Shiraaz is very nice it's not within our budget for dinner, but they do have a $15 lunch offer.








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Charlie dined as a guest, and is a regular at Movenpick.
Thursday 19th January



Movenpick is a brand we're very familiar with that offers premium Swiss ice cream with a vast range of flavours. With no artificial additives, flavours and colours its all natural and no wonder that they're sold in more than 30 countries worldwide!

At Melbourne Central there's a booth for takeaway only, though the one at QV as a boutique store there's a dine-in option with tasting platters (our favourite), milkshakes, waffles, fondue, brownies/cakes and more. You can check out the menu at QV here. There's something for everyone!



To launched their Ice Cream Sandwich Movenpick gave away 100 to celebrate! With 24 different flavours to choose from picking just one was a challenge! Luckily we were invited to the media launch where there was an opportunity to sample many different flavours.







Our recommendations? Oh gosh there's so many but I'd go for the limited edition ones like apricot sorbet. But I also love the classics and dessert inspired range.



There's 24 flavours to choose from! Personally we love the vanilla bean, white chocolate and tiramisu the most. You can't go wrong with vanilla and it always provides a baseline for comparison. And you'll be delighted with this one as we were!










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Tuesday 17th January



Hardware Lane, brunch is what first comes to mind. It was here and specially at the Hardware Society that we first heard of brunch. This is as far the west side goes in term of popular food areas, when the business food areas are closed (think weekday only lunch spots that close by 5pm).

Tonight we had an express dinner at Il Nostro Posto before speeding up to the East End. A Sicilian restaurant specializing in seafood, so naturally my +1 tonight is a meat eater... just like that time we took the vegetarian professor to the meat market. XD 


Being a summer's day it was too hot to sit outside, fortunately it's lovely inside! More so if you arrived early and snag a table by the window rather than towards the bar and kitchen. While its small inside I do believe there's a downstairs area too, closed when we were there at 6pm.








I had the Seafood risotto with super fresh but small mussels. Tomato based, I've never had a tomato based risotto before. It was quite good though I prefer creamy risottos also it was a bit more like rice than my idea of risotto which I'm told is actually overcooked, it's not meant to stick together?

Would I recommend it? Sure, if your $30 is my $15.

We didn't have time for dessert sadly, and actually consumed the meal within 20mins-ish.

The greeter was great (that's why he's the greeter :P ) but everyone else was just average, guy at the bar wasn't too friendly. Perhaps it's because we had an offer through dimmi or attempted split payment. Food took about 15mins to appear, I would have died if the family of 12 (the only other customers at 6pm) were served before us.

It was pricey and probably not worth it at full price, but with 50% off I'm happy. 
Would I be back? Probably not.






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Monday 16th January



We used to live up main street in Camberwell (3 houses ago) where there was a lot of pizza joints, Pepperoni was quite popular, then Dominos moved in, though if you go down a bit further near the junction you can find non-franchise less cheap pizza, though more authentic style, at Firechief. 

A fire station turned restaurant which has now relocated down the road (we're told). Just opposite the Rivoli Movies near Camberwell Junction and the on the other side of Camberwell Tram Depot (not the side with the 75/70 tram). 










Being a pizzary there's quite a selection off pizzas, and we had our eye on the wood-fire ones, from which Andy picked the Campagnola. He said it was good above average though not amazing. 

It's on par with most of the $18-20 something pizzas places, and Terra Rossa our last pizza experience. Thin and crispy bases this is my style, though I'd love to design my own pizza! The best pizza I've ever had was the mushroom & truffle at DOC, a year ago. 




I had the lamb salad which was good with a creamy dressing. Didn't like nuts though, as it didn't go well, the contrasts of hard ad soft. Pine nuts or seeds are the way to go. The cheese was a nice addition. A very generous serving of salad and lamb, I was full at 2/3. All the flavours and textures went well, though it wasn't amazing and a salad I'd return for its one of the better ones we've had. 

How can we make it better? Add more pumpkin and maybe onion jam on the side, also shred the lamb more rather than have large pieces.

There were dessert pizzas, which I've only ever had once and it was the $4 basic type. But we were too full as the pizza and salad were very filling! 

Service was decent, slow and minimal though friendly.

Would we be back? Yes for good local pizza, though we're only 15mins away from Flinders, so only if we don't feel like heading into the city or the next large town over. It would be nice to stop by before a movie.



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Monday 16th January



Lunch at Massi, located on Little Collins, in section we have never explored before, the legal precinct. It seems almost like a place you have to know about to get there, which we discovered through the Liven app.

With high ceilings set in a century old heritage building, it's bright and airy, though still a small/intimate dining space, compared to other places in the area. I do like that lighting in the shape of something sciency, a compound perhaps? Oh gosh its been years since I took a science class, probably back in middle school! 

*not pictured*


Jazz played in the background while suits and 'ladies who have time to lunch, all dressed up' and I had lunch. The atmosphere was quite nice, a quiet relaxed lunch. Meetings over lunch are the best type of meetings (other than when your client is not cool with you taking pictures). 




We had the tortelli with a pumpkin puree-ish base w crotons, seeds, crispy translucent leaves (it says sage, but I've never seen sage like this) with fried pumpkin cubes. It was small and delicious! Maybe a tiny bit saltier than preferred, but still really good. Surprisingly filling too, till afternoon cake time. 

• Should note that the menu online is not up to date
• They're open for lunch. Close for a break. Open dinner again.

Service was quick and friendly, and not judgy as some places of this level are towards anyone who doesn't look like they belong. Granted we were suited up today and not my usual creative self.

We used the Liven App we had a $20 credit combo, paired with 25% cashback (and using cashback from another time) we ended up with lunch for $1! This ladies, gentleman and those who have yet to decide, is a secret to how I afford my lifestyle as a grad student boarding on the fence of young professional.



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Monday 16th January







We did do things other than eat (and take photos), like attend meetings and appointments, also a trip to the salon.

Tuesday

Since Saturday night we've been crazy itchy, red hot itchy burning. Its a patch that transfers from my legs to back, arms and hands. Driving me crazy! Ice helps a bit though and fortunately there's a bar on every block and they have ice!





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