Monday 7 July 2014

Top Paddock

658 Church St, Richmond 3121
Phone: 0394294332
Twitter: @TopPaddock
Top Paddock on Urbanspoon

Lining up at 9am. The lengths we go to, to get a table at @toppaddock on a Sunday  Chilli Scrambled #Eggs and The Top Paddock #breakfast for course one... #richmond #sunday #brunch #nom #foodie
Chilli scrambled eggs with local seasonal mushrooms and feta on toast $17
Top Paddock: chorizo, pickled onion, peppers, basil, bacon, Adelaide green tomatoes, poached eggs & relish on toast $22
Long macchiato $3.8
English breakfast tea $4
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... And then we had #dessert  Sticky Black Gingerbread with Drunken Berries & Chocolate Ganache  OMFG #nom #foodie #brunch #sunday #richmond
Sticky black ginger bread with drunken berries & chocolate ganache $16.5

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My bestie Dave and I have been trying to get a table at Top Paddock for months, no exaggeration. Every time we turn up at 11:15am on a Sunday, the wait is at least 1 hour. We always end up piking and walking down the road to our old faithful, Pillar of Salt.

Last Sunday, Dave, Hayden and I set our alarms for 7:30am; to allow for at least 6 hits of the snooze button; and rocked up at Top Paddock at 9:45am. The wait was only 30 mins.

I'm not usually a fan of "big breakfast" style dishes, because they usually end up looking like something that came off a greasy BBQ; but this time I made an exception. So glad I did, the Top Paddock was amazing. I ate everything but the pickled onion, just in case I had to kiss a certain boy later on :P

Dave also had the Top Paddock, Hayden ordered the Chilli scrambled eggs. He enjoyed it, however would have preferred the more chilli in the scramble.

After our first course of eggs, we ordered a second round of drinks and a "dessert" to share. Sticky black ginger bread with drunken berries and chocolate ganache, OMFG. I die. Dave, being a chef, took the time to plate up my third of the dessert, even strategically placing the flowers on there for my Instagram photo, hehe. How good does it look!!

By 11am we were done, Dave wanted to go for a drink, but it was way too early. We usually brunch at 11am, finish by 1pm then hit a bar, lol, Sundays. Bill split 3 ways was only $35 each, best $35 spent in a while.

Loved Top Paddock, can't wait to go back.

Thursday 26 June 2014

Pabu Sake and Grill

190 Smith Street, Collingwood 3066
Phone: 0394196141
Twitter: @PABU2012

Pabu Grill & Sake on Urbanspoon

Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Standard Flight (40ml x 3) Onigoroshi, Hatsumago & Kohro  $17.8
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Buto Gyoza (pork) $8 | Ebi Soba $16
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Pabu Sumiyaki Set $16.5
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Watari Kani Karaage (soft shell crab) $11
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Choyo Yume Wine, Osaka, Plum Wine | Alc/Vol. 8.9% $8
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Shabu Shabu Salada (beef) $13
Pabu 26/6/2014 for Dave's Bday
Kani Sliders (soft shell crab, 2 per serve) $13

Last night, my bestie Dave flew home from Sydney after spending the weekend there celebrating his dirty-thirty. Happy birthday gorgeous.

After a relaxing one hour remedial massage and cupping session, I drove over to Dave's apartment smelling like essential oils to wish him 'Happy Birthday' and to take him out for dinner.

We drove from Southbank over to the Northside and went to Pabu because my friend Libby has been there twice in the past month - her birthday and a Tinder date. Libby's food blog is my food bible, so I was confident that we were going to have an amazing meal.

Started the night with sake and edamame beans; moving on to the skewers, soft shell crab, soba noodles and pork gyozas; finishing with plum wine... oh and more food!! Soft shell crab sliders, shabu shabu porterhouse beef salad and another serving of gyozas. They were so good!!

The dinner was incredible, will definitely be returning. Thanks Pabu!