Had a Friday evening catch up dinner with my friend Stef in her neighbourhood. We didn't have a reservation so called beforehand and were told we could have a table if we returned it by 7pm. We aimed for that but traffic was not on our side so I called back to let them know we weren't going to make it. The waitress on the phone then advised we could have a table until 7:30pm and then she said 8pm so we decided to press on.

We ended up seated at 6:30pm and were at first at a table at the front of the restaurant but it was a tight squeeze so we were moved to the back which was better. But the waitress who moved us, didn't tell anyone else so we had to wait a bit before we could get someone else's attention for menus and water. Anyway after this little hiccup everything else went smoothly.

We ordered a few things to share:

• Tori kara - fried chicken
• Agedashi tofu
• Double salmon roll and spicy tuna roll
• Tempura
• Wagyu sukiyaki hotpot

It's a family style casual restaurant. So casual that one of our neighbouring diners sat cross legged and barefoot on her chair...The food comes out quickly and it's homely and mostly satisfying.

The tempura is probably the stand out for me and it came with a type of tartare sauce mayo rather than the usual soy based ponzu which was delicious. The fried chicken was also good. The hotpot was a good serving size with lots of thinly sliced beef and mixed mushrooms. 

The sushi rolls were probably the disappointment as the fish wasn't very generous and with the tuna one, the spicy sauce completely overpowered the little fish that was there to the point of obliteration.

Other than that, as a neighbourhood restaurant for a Japanese fix it's a dependable option.

This was a long awaited visit and there was much anticipation on my part. I love Tipo 00 so I was keen to settle in and enjoy and I had two fine and charming dining companions to accompany me on this Italian adventure.

Right from the off, the service was attentive and so personal and friendly. We loved our waiter and he helped us with all those difficult food and wine choices. He even wangled it so we could keep our table a little bit longer than we should have done!

The dining room is spacious and I like that they could have squeezed in more tables but they didn't. It's a big contrast to Tipo 00 which has that squeeze your elbows in feel whereas Ilaria is about stretching out.

We started off with:

• Porcini mushroom croquettes
• Spanish mackerel tartare, wild garlic, turnips

Whilst those little croquettes weren't the biggest on the block, they were truly delicious. Small they may be, but they were just so full of mushroomy goodness, the tastebuds were crying out for more more more!

The mackerel tartare was fresh and light with a heavenly garlic scent that wasn't overpowering and there was a slight citrus tang to those delicious cubes of fish. I loved that the cubes were a good size too giving each mouthful a good bite and the flavours of the fish came through. Sometimes ceviche and tartare etc. can be sliced too small or thin and the dressings overpower but this was just so well executed and balanced.

The tastebuds continued their party:

• Baby octopus, n'duja
• Pecorino cheesecake, celeriac, pistachio pesto

Classic flavour combination of spicy salami and chargrilled octopus - definitely works well. The cheesecake was a little more divisive. To me, a bit like a souffle gone wrong and a bit too dense. Interesting to try but not something I would have to order next time unlike everything else we'd eaten thus far.

And the black truffle tortellini - sigh...I had seen so many Instagram posts, I needed my fix and it absolutely did not disappoint. So amazingly delicious along with the wine we were drinking. Can't remember what it was - our super amazing waiter helped us choose but it was just perfetto!

And the culinary adventure continued:

• Whole whiting, pippies, sea herbs
• Roast corn fed duck, hazelnuts and radicchio

The fish was delicate and tasty and the duck was hearty and robust. Both didn't quite shine as much as the previous dishes but they were still very good.

And of course we had dessert:

• Olive oil, chocolate mousse, streusel
• Mandarin, cream cheese, oat crumble

Like the course previous, we had two contrasting dishes. The chocolate was rich, decadent and silky smooth reminiscent of the Tipomisu from next door. The mandarin dish was zingy and fresh and probably my slight preference given I prefer fresh fruit based desserts over chocolate. Our lovely waiter had arranged for some extra white chocolate rocks to adorn our dessert which went down a treat!

This was a wonderful and memorable meal. Ilaria is someone I need to be best friends with and see regularly!

We started off with:

• Spinach and Paneer Samosas w/ tamarind and date chutney
• Crispy Spinach Chaat - Battered spinach leaves w/ tamarind yoghurt

The crispy battered spinach leaves were a hit and delicious. We found the pastry on the samosas a bit thick and brittle and flavour somewhat muted.

We ordered 3 main dishes and a side of cauliflower for our main courses along with naan and rice. We needed another serve of rice but otherwise, the quantity was about right.

• ​Bathak Peri Peri - Goan spiced roast duck
• Gobhi Korma - Charcoal roast cauliflower w/ almonds, raisins, honey and yoghurt​
• Balichao Do Porco - Goan slow cooked pork w/ shrimp sauce and tamarind​
• Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa - Rich red lamb neck curry from Maharashtra

I thought the curries looked quite vibrant and attractive although the small tin pot of pork curry was more canteen food presentation than restaurant.

Surprisingly it was the cauliflower that seemed to work the best and that was because the sauce was thicker. And that was really our main concern about the food. We found the curries to be less Bhang and more a whimper...a bit weak and watery really. The duck curry had some mashed vegetables so that with the sauce thickened it up a bit but if you just had the sauce it was too watery.

The pork curry tasted like a Chinese pork stew - not bad but not really the spicy, Indian cuisine we had in mind.

We had hoped for some spicy whallop but really found it much more muted than we'd hoped. It wasn't distasteful but just lacked richness and depth so I'm still searching for somewhere to match that UK curry benchmark.

Pastuso is one of the Flinders Lane jewels, I have never quite got round to visiting. What I have heard about is mixed - there are some serious fans and some that still need winning over.

Steve and I joined our friends Zoe and Kirsty for a late Sunday lunch on a sunny September afternoon. We were early and our table wasn't quite ready so I enjoyed a refreshing pisco sour beforehand. 

The restaurant is large with tables well spaced out. We were quite comfortable at our little round table which aided the sharing of the dishes we ordered. We put ourselves in the capable hands of our dining companions whe had visited several times before.

We started off with a couple of ceviches and a couple of entrees:

• SALMON - Ora King salmon with a sour orange dressing and plantain chips
• TIRADITO DE CORBINA – Hiramasa kingfish with aji mirasol and miso dressing, crispy nori seaweed and flying fish roe
• ​SALCHICHA DE HUACHO – Traditional Peruvian house made sausage, caramelized onion puree, soft egg and herb panko
• CHICHARRON DE POLLO – Spicy fried chicken, lima bean and aji amarillo puree, salsa criolla and Asian celery

The kingfish ceviche and the fried chicken were my favourites. Some great flavour balances and crispy non greasy fried chicken. I found the sour orange dressing for the salmon too one sided and sharp, overpowering the fish.

The cheese and mayo dip were yummy. The texture of the chips are pretty dense and starchier than potato. They're probably no better than potato but it's fun to try new things and they're an interesting alternative.

The vanilla parfait was more of the texture I was expecting and I enjoyed the light, fresh, tropical flavours.

Pastuso is solid place for that Peruvian, South American influenced cuisine. It's interesting and there's plenty of choice to satisfy all preferences. I think it's better to dine here in a group and enjoy the large main dishes and feast family style. Personally I prefer Asian flavours but that's only a personal preference and not a reflection of the food on offer. I found our time there enjoyable and the food mostly hit the mark.

Don't get me wrong; I have enjoyed the "modern Indian" food that Melbourne offers at Tonka and Mukka and whilst it's delicious, it's just not the same and it's pricier. And then the more traditional Melbourne Indian offerings have been ok but off the mark.

I arrived early on a Thursday evening and was warmly welcomed and shown to a table.

​Decor is very classic and traditional and so we expected the food to follow suit. There's a glitzy, shiny gold panel wall and some colourful dimmed lighting. I found the staff friendly and helpful and as I waited for Steve to arrive was served some poppadoms and dip.

The mint yoghurt dip was thick and creamy with a nice balanced flavour. The dark chutney was fruity and sticky and both went so well with the crispy, fresh poppadom. This serve of poppadoms exceeded my expectations and raised the bar for what was to follow.

As we were guests of the owner, I thought it would be a better idea to leave the menu choices to the restaurant staff so they could showcase what they were most proud of. Our waitress who was friendly and obliging helped us and we started off with:

• Veg Manchurian - Homemade Vegetable Balls cooked in chef’s special sweet and sour Indo Chinese Sauce
• Chicken Tikka

The Veg Manchurian was unexpected; potato patties almost suet dumpling like (but obviously not suet) were soft and pillowy topped with a spicy sweet sauce. At first I felt that the serve of 8 balls was going to be too much but surprisingly I managed to eat my share!

The chicken tikka was a classic representation executed satisfyingly well. Juicy and well flavoured; it was like chicken tikka should be.

The butter chicken was creamy and rich with the tang of tomato in the background. The lamb rogan josh was well spiced, not with chilli but with aromatics like warm cinammon, black pepper and cardamom that could be tasted. The meat in both dishes were tender.​

But it's no UK curry house...rogan josh in UK has bags of flavour; onion, coriander, tomato. The sauce is thick and the flavours run deep. And then there are baltis and bhunas and dupiazas and jalfrezis and none of this exists here on this side of the World. If it does, I've never found it and not for want of trying.

So the verdict is that the Punjabi Curry Cafe is a good neighbourhood restaurant offering classic Indian cuisine. It doesn't try to be modern or offer anything out of the ordinary but what it does send out of the kitchen is satisfying by Australian curry standards. Out of the Indian meals I've had in Australia, it fares well enough but it hasn't satisfied my craving for king prawn puri and a chicken rogan josh!

Whilst the story behind Papirica intrigued me; home cooking becomes a pop up and then a permanent cafe I have to admit that my experience of okonomiyaki, that Japanese pancake, hasn't really been all that positive. Granted I have never had it in Japan so have nothing to compare it to and the versions I have eaten have been on the heavier, mushier and greasy side of things so I'm not sure I'll enjoy this but happy to give it a try...

The menu is short and the meat is mainly pork. There are three different types of okonomiyaki, three rice dishes and three sandwiches. There is plenty for vegetarians too. We order:

• Pork with bonito flakes okonomiyaki with extra of mochi rice cake and a fried egg
• Buta kim chi donburi which is stir fried pork and kim chi with a sesame mayo dressing on rice topped with a fried egg

It's not too long before the dishes arrive. I do wonder if the place is busier whether there would be time delays. Both dishes look appetising. The okonomiyaki is pretty much smothered in sauce so we have to pull it apart to try and see what's in there. When we do so we see thin discs of pork, some dense rice cakes and the layered pancake with what looks like cabbage - almost rosti like.

The homemade sauce and mayo is not as overpowering as it looks and the pickled ginger adds a nice tang that cuts through some of the density of the dish. It's rib stickingly good. Great to share - not sure who I would fare with a whole one. I'd like to try it with cheese next time which is on the add on list.

The donburi isn't the biggest bowl of rice in the world but it's sufficient. The quality of the kim chi is up there. It's not as astringent and strong as some and I really enjoy this mellowed out version. There's tang and spice but just enough.

Special mention to the two fried eggs - perfect egg yolk cooking!

The okonomiyaki ends up being $21 with the extras and the rice dish $15. I'm sure there are cheaper and likely larger versions out there but I am convinced of the quality of both dishes that I think it's a fair price to pay.

New kid on the Queen Street block and the Asian hipster family, Homi is a smartly decked out and fun noodle bar. I'd seen some social media on it so paid a lunchtime visit with friend and work colleague. It was a cold and wet Melbourne day so soup noodles were going to be a saving grace.

I arrived first and the welcome was friendly and I took a seat up at the bar. There was one other person there so it was a pretty quiet vibe. Whilst we were there a couple of other diners came in but it's still pretty much a slow crowd. The menu was explained to us with some sparky personality and passion and we both went with the banh canh cua which are rice drop noodles in a crab broth with soft shell crab, quail egg and a prawn a $15.90. We also went with the Eggplant Balado; grilled eggplant with balado sambal, an Indonesian chilli sauce.

The food didn't take too long to arrive. The eggplant looked pretty small for the $9 or $10 charged. Three thin slices making it at least $3 a slice, I can get a sushi roll for $3! The eggplant was a bit chewy. I like it when the eggplant goes mushy and creamy whereas this was still pretty cardboardy. The coriander and chives were nice enough but not good enough to rescue this dish.

The noodles come in a deep, stone bowl that looks chic. It's deceptively deep and there are a lot more noodles in there than you first think so it's better value for money than the eggplant was.

Surprisingly the crab broth is actually that almost gelatinous, thick kind of soup like chicken and sweetcorn soup from a Chinese takeaway or restaurant made with cornflour. I don't mind that kind of soup but I know it's not for everyone and coupled with slippery thick rice drop noodles it gets kind of thick and gloopy. The flavours are pretty good though and the fried soft shell crab is tasty and manages to stay reasonably crispy. It's a pretty carb heavy dish though so it is very filling and isn't the light Vietnamese style noodle dish you might expect.

Although it wasn't quite what I had in mind, I did enjoy it enough to perhaps visit again and try something else. Maybe something less thick and heavy next time. Initial service was friendly but water glasses weren't topped up regularly and wait staff stayed behind the bar rather than working the floor. I guess perhaps it was because the restaurant was pretty empty. I think there's some fine tuning needed but all in all for somewhere new it was a decent start. Onwards and upwards Homi!

Our first visit to Faraday's Cage wasn't quite as successful as we'd hoped and it appears that owners Kim and John felt the same way after reading the review. Consequently, they took on board the comments with the most gracious of attitudes and very kindly invited Steve and I back to experience their improvements. Lots of respect to them for the way they take on feedback.

​The first review is below this one.

The warm hospitality started from the moment we sat down. Kim offered us a croissant to start proceedings accompanied by a choice of 3 jams from the Yarra Valley. The croissants are pretty big but they're not heavy on the tummy as they are super light and airy and aren't greasy or overly buttery. We've had the joy of sampling croissants from all round Fitzroy and our comments are that that the offering from Faraday's Cage don't have the gloss of Lune but they're still pretty damn good and there's no queue! Babka croissants have a bit of chew about them which depending on preferences can be appealing but they are more filling and greasier.

Like the previous visit the dishes were very prettily presented with lots of vibrant colours, They're also generous in size. This time the flavours were a lot cleaner and clearer. Sweetness and spice in the fritter dish really came through and that crispy cream cheese filled jalapeno popper was so delicious we were sad to have to share! If these make it on the menu as an extra, fill your boots and add them to every dish! In fact just order a bowlful...

The mushrooms were heady with truffle. I left my half of the crispy poached egg too long so it lost its crispiness and the coating became more gluey and gelatinous so if you go for this dish, eat the egg quick.

And then we were onto the final course...the pancakes were fluffy and light. I loved the pairing of the burnt white chocolate and the strawberries. In spite of having eaten so much, we were able to finish this off because it was so delicious.

We had a problem with the tea last time and I'm pleased to say this time it was piping hot and flavoursome. 

We were sent on our way with some more pastry goods and a baguette which Steve used to make sandwiches for his packed lunch and declared it good!

Thank you Faraday's Cage for inviting us back and treating us with such warm hospitality and to some great breakfast fare. We love the fact we can book a table which is rare for brunch places and will take advantage in the future. Thank you for receiving feedback so graciously and for acting on it. You deserve every success!

The review below reflects our first visit. We were invited back later and our thoughts on the second visit appears at the top of this page.

Faraday's Cage is really close to home but we've never quite made it there so we decided to try it out one Sunday morning after a pilates class. Peak time to rock up for brunch but we are able to secure an outside table underneath a heater so we settle in and order.

First drinks, orange juices arrive pretty quickly but our second drinks, English Breakfast teas take so long and I actually ask to cancel them as we're at the end of our meals but I'm assured they're on their way and it just takes a bit longer to make teas! I'm confused by that statement but I wonder if it's because they like to brew them longer but when the teas arrive, they are so weak that is far from the truth and it's hard to extract flavour as the water is not boiling hot. Fail on the tea front!

So onto the food:

• Eggs Benny - 12 hour pulled pork shoulder, poached eggs, chipotle hollandaise, bacon crumb and pickled chilli
• Chilli Scrambled Eggs, Persian feta, sourdough toast and bacon

The dishes are attractively presented and generous in portion size. Given how busy it is, they don't take too long to arrive. Steve and I both feel that they look better than they taste. My Eggs Benny could do with some better seasoning and just a general whallop of more flavour. And Steve says the chilli scrambled eggs could do with amping up on the flavour front. We conclude that the other neighbouring competition such as Sourdough Rustica, Addict, Sir Charles all fare better.

The waitress we had was very apologetic for the tea. She was also very apologetic to the neighbouring table as she had to convey the message from the very busy kitchen that there could be no alterations to dishes but for dietary requirements they would alter dishes...some flawed logic there I think or a situation that could be taken advantage of...Anyway she tried hard.

Unlike the waitress who took our money at the till. I'd heard so much about the sausage rolls here we decided to order some to take home and I also spied a pastry on the end but didn't know what it was and so I asked. The response was to the effect of that she didn't know or know how much it was and the chef had left for the day so there was nothing more she could really do or help on that front...strange situation! Again she was apologetic and friendly but it was a bit awkward and ineffective. 

So in all, I was a bit disappointed with Faraday's Cage. It's a nice space but the food and their tea making skills lacked lustre.

The menu is mainly chicken; brined and marinaded for 48 hours in spices and dark beer, smoked and chargrilled on site. The smoker is an impressive shelved cupboard behind the counter and yes, it smokes enthusiastically so it's not just the chicken that gets a good smoking but anyone and anything within 10 feet!

There's also 4 tyopes of empanadas, fries and condiments, some tasty sounding salads and ice cream. Although the machine looked like it was out of action and someone was tinkering with it when we were there so no ice cream for us.

Steve placed our order at the counter and sat and waited. The food wasn't particularly quick and our empanadas didn't materialise so I'm guessing there's still some teething to be teased out. It was pretty obvious, Chef was training one of the guys behind the counter and we saw some fries get thrown out for not being prepared correctly.

So the chicken arrives first because our empanadas got lost. It looks dark and juicy and it is delicious. It has a kick of spice to it so it's probably not one for the kiddies; and although the place seems family friendly I'm not sure how many kids would actually enjoy this chicken as it's quite adult in flavour...maybe an idea is to have a toned down, non spiced version for the little ones?

The fries (unpictured) are super crispy and also delicious. I love the herby, garlicky chimichurri. We also have the chicken salt but I find it's not necessary with all the other flavours going on already.

The empanadas are good - my fave is the chicken. They're filled nicely and the pastry is a great texture. But the chicken is better. And at $26 for the whole chook it's pretty good value. If I'm to be super picky, I like the look of the earthernware / terra cotta dishes but the feeling of using the knife against it is like nails on blackboard and it cuts right through me. All the more excuse to dig in with the hands right?

I'm definitely a fan of this new neighbour; that chicken is yummy. Hopefully with a bit more time to bed things down the food will come out quicker, empanadas won't go missing and ice cream will be available. In the meantime, I'm happy enough with that chicken to forgive the rest!

I really don't want to impose on the other couple so I ask about the tall bar table we stood around and if we could sit there. I figure if she's prepared to cram us in a small corner space then, this bar table is not off limits either and she replies briskly with an affirmative and says she'll have someone set the table for us. She's pretty scary actually and we hear her being quite directive to one of the waiters to move another table out quickly; straight to the point and no niceties!

It's actually not a bad table. The stools are comfy enough and the table has plenty of surface area for lots of dishes. Slight downside is that every time the door opens, there's Winter breeze blows through and when it gets busier and people wait for tables they hover around us. But it's better than squishing or waiting till 8:30pm. I'm just surprised she didn't offer it to us.

Anyway we settle in and although Zoe is 10 minutes away we make the decisions and start ticking that order sheet.

Lobster rolls are as good as ever. I always think they're pricey at $15 each but admittedly they taste wonderful. We also enjoy the pan fried dumplings and the steamed chicken and chilli dumplings. 

The duck bao which Zoe shreds for us goes down well. It's really all the favourites that are as good as I remember and no surprises.

Dessert is a new one for us - that taoyaki. Fish shaped waffley, spongey things filled with chocolate. Again classically good. Wouldn't say no to a bit more chocolate filling though or Kirsty's great idea of a chocolate dip to lift the deliciousness stakes higher.

The food is the standard I've come to expect from Andrew McConnell and I don't think there's any difference to the quality when comparing to the CBD offering. It calls itself a canteen but it's not canteen prices, it doesn't feel like a canteen in setting and the speed the food comes out is also not canteen. The only canteen thing about it is perhaps the brusquely efficient way the front of house manager turns round those tables getting people in and out; a task which would be easier if the food came out quicker no doubt.

So in terms of dining experience I prefer the CBD option as it's just a bit more relaxed and the hospitality is warmer. There's little if not no price differential, the food comes out at the same pace so why wouldn't I take the non canteen option? I can't see the benefit of the canteen unless I was a St Kilda resident and didn't want to travel.