CH James
Station Street Fairfield is one of Melbourne’s most historical suburban streets since the 1870’s where entrepreneur CH James conducted his business. Franck Verschaeve (ex Pope Joan) is the Head Chef classically trained from a fine dining background, and has brought his skills to the cafe scene. The brunch option of House cured ocean trout, salted zucchini, and fennel and dill salad, with a poached egg, impresses on the eye, not to mention exhibits a delicious combination of flavours. Blog reference is – http://www.theworldlovesmelbourne.com/600-restaurant-reviews/694-ch-james-brunching-with-bloggers.html

Stagger Lee's
Brunswick St in Fitzroy is hipster central. There’s always been a smattering of cafes along this street but in recent times the number of cafes has exploded. Most of these cafes are distinctive by their quirky fit outs. Stagger Lees is a great example, in the centre of this brunch hub. This ultimate toasty features apple-wood smoked bacon, thick cut and super crispy, in between two thick slices of buttery bread. Gruyere fondue brings creamy delight with the Gruyere oozing over the sides. With an egg on top for good measure this toasty is a smash hit. To soften the blow a fresh green salad with spicy chutney is served on the side. Blog post http://www.theworldlovesmelbourne.com/600-restaurant-reviews/599-stagger-lees-hits-americana-home-run.html

Operator 25
Operator 25 is a revelation cafe set in a former telephone exchange located in the legal district in the Melbourne CBD. The place is pumping with interesting dining spaces full of patrons, featuring an intergenerational crowd. A standout dish is the Sweet corn fritters, fried duck egg, tomato salad, goats curd, and herb oil. Ticking all the boxes, this dish provided generous portion of fritters and the fritters themselves were fresh and moist and full of flavour. Complementing was the oozy duck egg - together with the fritters so rewarding! The salad wasn't a token but fresh and crisp. A welcome addition to the equation is the goats curd, creamy and delectable. The balance of this dish is superb and a cacophony of culinary delight! Kudos to Head Chef Felipe Guedes. Blog reference is – http://www.theworldlovesmelbourne.com/600-restaurant-reviews/656-operator-25-lighting-up-the-legal-district.html

Hugo's
A creative, modern European chef meets a master mixologist at this fabulous neighborhood find. Try the Hugo the Great cocktail (ask for it if it's not on the menu) and their fast-becoming-famous chocolate dessert... It's so good you even get to lick the chocolate mousse off a whisk!

Crawford Gallery Cafe
The inspiration for this came from the middle east. Looked like a work of art (had to squeeze that in, since the cafe is on the heart of the Gallery). Tasted rather well too, terrific flavors and textures, the rich fish enhanced by the juice and taking a wee lift from the cumin. Delightful. Very highly recommended. And do watch out for other dishes of this style here in the future.

Monvínic
Considered by many (even the Wine Magazine) one of the best wine bars in the world, a visit to MonVinic is worth it not just for the wines but also for the food served there. They enjoy working with seasonal products, local and organic when possible. There is always some vegetarian option, plus some poultry, meats and even game. They don't do a lot of seafood, but they also always have some wild fresh fish in the menu. And their desserts are amazing, aiming at suprising you with the combination of textures and flavours. In the picture, the crunchy chesnut mushroom with parmentier and citrus sauce I had last time. The wine list comes in a tablet where you can choose your wine by location, name or type of grape amongst other. I recommend you go for half glasses so you can try more wines.

6 Ballygunge Place
One hard boiled egg covered in minced goat meat, fried. Garam masala enhanced, crispy outside, soft and eggy inside. A special snack. Calcutta's version of devilled egg.

The Blue Poppy
Lovely minced pork stuffed dumplings. You can taste the garlic and ginger and green onions. Minimal spices but maximum effect. Served with a fiery chilli sauce and a pork broth brimming with umami. Never fails to warm the cockles of my heart.

Oyster Club
A genius collaboration between chef James Wayman (formerly of River Tavern) and manager Dan Meiser (Firebox), this farm-and-sea-to-table restaurant gets everything right. We arrived for Sunday dinner and feasted on a dozen local oysters, briny, bacon-studded clam chowder, a tasty pile of tuna crudo perched on guacamole, and, typical of James’ multi-flavored cooking, Vietnamese caramel braised chicken with star anise lime. (An unusual stew: Soeltl Farms chicken falling off the bone in a spicy, cilantro-scented broth with sweet potato chunks and jasmine rice. Yum.) There’s plenty to please the adventurous diner (southern fried quail, garbanzo bean – pumpkin curry) and elevated classics for the rest: hot lobster rolls and that perfect chowder are always on the ever-changing menu. Nothing is overdone or contrived, from the spare barn-board dining room to the waiter’s uniforms of plaid shirts and jeans. Reservations a must.

River Tavern
River Tavern introduced farm-to-table cooking to Connecticut fourteen years ago, and although many copied the format, it’s still the go-to for their daily changing menu and innovative use of locally sourced ingredients. While you’ll rarely have the same entree twice here, there is a dessert that their devoted customers would heartily protest if removed from the menu: Date Pudding with Dark Rum Caramel Sauce, otherwise known as sticky toffee. Warm, comforting and completely irresistible, the airy date cake sits in a puddle of caramel with a dollop of freshly whipped, barely sweetened cream. The combination of gooey sauce, steaming cake and cooling cream is a wonder. Sometimes we skip dinner and just order pudding, with a Vodka Pink (their signature cocktail) on the side. It’s on my short list of best desserts, ever. Plan ahead, each serving is made to order.