Big Boy BBQ, Caulfield South

Not just for big boys. Promise. Some of Melbourne’s best ribs and slow cooked meats with killer onion strings.

4 / 5 yums! 
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Where? 764 Glen Huntly Road, Caulfield South, VIC

Da Massimo, Bentleigh

Keeping locals on that side of the Nepean Highway. Italian pizzas at their best.

4 / 5 yums! 
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Where? 189 Centre Rd, Bentleigh, VIC
What? Medium $14, Large $18

Yangma Noodle & Dumpling, Bayswater

Crispy bases, clear porky and prawn flavours. Auntie's Dumplings of the far East.

Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Gardenvale

There’s only room for one coffee sheriff in each neighbourhood, and this is Gardenvale’s.

3 / 5 yums!
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Where? 124 Gardenvale Rd, Gardenvale, VIC
What? Around $15

Kozoz Pizza and Double Dogs, Chadstone

Maxi Dog - Double the frankfurt dogs taking you back to the days of Wendys, pizza toppings wrapped in a calzone.

Mr Foxx, Glen Iris

Lunched... Like a Foxx!

Florentine and royale mash up: Potato rosti, tomato salsa, rocket, spinach, smoked salmon topped with a poached egg and hollandaise. Indulgent.

Sumalee, Bentleigh

Centre Road Bentleigh is screaming out for a leader that will move the shopping strip forward into the 2010s. With signage that wasn’t installed in the mid 1970s, Sumalee is trying.

As a café by day, there are breakfast and lunch choices that break free from the norm.



It might look something of a novelty prank, but the fried eggs on sliced bread, topped with a Thai style sweet and sour sauce, peas, carrot, cashews and fried shallots is interesting.



Potato rosti and smoked salmon stack with sautéed spinach and poached egg.



Tonkotsu Cutlet burger.



Duck red curry with the chef’s blend of rice.

Transforming into a Thai restaurant at night, here’s to hoping this humble café will be here come the 2020s.


3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 264 Centre Rd, Bentleigh, VIC
What? Around $10-15

Wonton House Secret Kitchen, Glen Waverley

It’s pretty hard being a secret when your restaurant is smack bang in the middle of Century City walk where you can enjoy crab and be in line for the 9:15 movie session of Bridesmaids. Yes it’s a very open restaurant, where you and your table’s moves and reaction are part of the advertising.



Crab – a meaty specimen, done in the standard ginger and spring onion sauce.



Steamed free range Chicken



Scallops & stir-fried asparagus



Steamed roasted pork with yam and sweet potato, braised to a tender mash.



Kang Kung

The food won’t be so different to the other Chinese restaurants in Glen Waverley, but you will have prime position for a boysenberry choc top.

3 / 5 yums!
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Where? Century City Walk, 285-287 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, VIC
What? Dishes around $20

Tan Lac Vien, Springvale

So we headed away from the St Johns and Windsor Ave part of Springvale and I immediately wanted to reach for a GPS for redirection to the pho and three colour drink that I’m used to.



But the hard pull of a pippies dish with fried Chinese doughnut to soak up the spring onion and chilli spicy gravy was way too good to pass up.



Give the mapo tofu a miss though.



Stir-fry chicken with lemongrass.



Spicy salt and pepper pork ribs: the onion, chilli and garlic garnish will make the tongue tingle. Scrape with rice.

Drop a pin on the map for deliciousness.

3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? Shop 2, 310 Springvale Rd, Springvale, VIC
What? Dishes $10-15

Kam Fook, Doncaster

No issues with squeeziness as you sit in Qing styled bucket chairs and feel like an Imperial boss. This is one glitzy yum cha place that’s more than fit for the newer wing of the sterile Donny Westfield.





Drink tea, eat dim sum… Like a boss.

3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 2/619 Doncaster Road, Melbourne, VIC
What? Around $20

Tokyo Sake, Ringwood North

Move past the Japanese souvenir shop and you’ll find a friendly, relaxed Japanese local doing all the classics.



Seaweed salad



Gyoza – more like the Korean style mantu.



Okonomiyaki



Tempura & cold soba noodles with dipping sauce – refreshing



Generous sushi and sashimi platter



Rolls


3.5 / 5 yums!
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Where? 174 Warrandyte Road, Ringwood North, VIC
What? Around $15-20 per person a-la-carte