Home away from home

The problem with living in a new city is not knowing where to go for a special occasion dinner on a brisk autumn evening. I discovered Home Dining Room as the result of typing my local area into Google combined with a bit of good luck. Situated in Hawthorn, one of the beautiful leafy suburbs in Melbourne’s East, Home Dining Room could be easily missed in amongst the hub of Burwood Road.

From the outside it appeared small and actually had us wondering whether it was closed, because there wasn’t a customer in sight. We were greeted by a smiling, efficient waiter who led us upstairs, to where – much to our relief – there were a few other groups of people sitting at tables in the cosy candle-lit upstairs section. I’m sure most people can remember an awkward, uncomfortable dining experience being the only table in a restaurant, so I was pretty relieved to see other patrons! The interior truly made me feel as though I was visiting someone’s home – warm, rich tones, well-loved old books as part of the table settings, shelves filled with teapots and various bits and pieces, old-world picture frames and regal-looking mirrors. It was a unique take on restaurant décor and certainly evoked a homely, welcoming vibe. Our waitress presented us with a taste of Rosé from the wine list in what seemed like a slightly-too-pushy bid to persuade us to order a bottle of wine. She seemed disappointed when I said I would stick to my one glass, but I didn’t want to have to point out that I was taking my cousin out to celebrate turning seventeen…and getting on the vino could wait for next birthday!

To start we shared the bread and dip of the day, which if memory serves me correctly was some sort of delicious pumpkin and fetta concoction. For mains, we were very unoriginal and both ordered the same dish! Perhaps the ultimate food blogger’s sin?! Regardless, it was a phenomenally tender breast of chicken with a lovely apricot sauce which I am sure was worded much more eloquently on the menu! What blew me away was the beetroot gnocchi on which the chicken breast was served. Those velvety little purple mouthfuls of bliss were the highlight for me. The dish was a surprisingly delightful combination of flavours and textures.

For dessert, we shared the Eton Mess: a martini glass brimming with white chocolate mousse, mixed berries and wonderful little white puffs of meringue. The tartness of the berries complemented the sweetness of the white chocolate, while the meringues added an extra dimension by giving the dessert a lovely crunch. Divine.


More recently, my good friend S came down from Brisbane to visit me for the long weekend. I had read great reviews about Home Dining Room’s breakfast menu, so we braved the icy winter winds and spots of rain and decided it was too tempting to resist. This time, we were seated in the downstairs section of HDR, tucked away in a cosy corner in front of the warmth of the coffee machine. I once again admired the innovative interior design: the stacks of books on each rustic wooden table, tiny flowers in little glass jars and old-fashioned glass milk bottles being recycled as water carafes. S and I couldn’t make a decision so we decided to order the two most appealing-sounding dishes and share.

The final verdict came down to the Eggs Benedict served with spinach on olive bread and the Potato Rosti with poached eggs and chilli jam. While both plates were scraped absolutely clean, both S and I agreed without hesitation that the Rosti beat the Benedict hands down. I’m not sure whether the slightly over-cooked poached eggs (I like mine seriously runny) on the Benedict was the decider for me, or whether the chilli jam on the Rosti was just so damn scrumptious that nothing else stood a chance. Either way, Home Dining Room provided truly pleasant breakfast and dinner experiences. I would highly recommend Home Dining Room for a satisfying weekend brunch. The coffee was outstanding and the servings were adequate but not so filling that you’re forced to go back home and sleep it off. The staff were relaxed, friendly and happy to have a chat with us. I would happily call this place Home any day!

Home DIning Room
601 Burwood Road
Hawthorn VIC 3122‎
(03) 9819 5555‎

Living la vegie loca

With a sign that looked like it hadn’t changed since the eighties, I was initially hesitant about The Vegie Bar in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. That and the fact that there was absolutely no sign of meat anywhere in sight, which scares me just a little bit. Step through the front door and into a dark, hip, converted warehouse and it becomes clear that this Saturday hotspot is anything but your conventional restaurant. At the same time, it is far more than a big room full of tofu-loving hippies and communal seating arrangements as the daggy sign out the front may have suggested. From groups of stylish 20-somethings swapping their weekend gossip over burgers and wine, to conservative-looking families sharing coffee and dessert – The Veggie Bar has such a diverse range of patrons and menu options, it could be easy to forget about the whole vegetarian thing.

My cousin H and I were seated by a friendly staff member in between two groups of people, on one of the long communal tables. The place was absolutely packed, yet it had a great relaxed atmosphere. Despite being run off their feet, our waiters were friendly, helpful and attentive. I felt completely comfortable sitting among strangers and admittedly, quite enjoyed listening to rather entertaining snippets of other people’s conversations. While we each guzzled down a huge freshly squeezed juice and perused the huge menu selection, we found ourselves distracted by a giant slab of decadent mud cake being shared by the couple next to us. Having sufficiently worked up an appetite by this point, H and myself decided to share a wood fired Margherita pizza to start. The simple combination of tomato, sliced mozzarella, basil and olive oil on a delicious crust: not too thick, not too thin. Next on the table was the Mee Goreng: yellow Hokkien noodles fried with plenty of garlic, onion, vegetables, chilli, peanuts and garnished with a sprinkling of bean sprouts. We took one look at it and wished we had brought a few more friends to help us eat the mountain of noodles. Both dishes were extremely flavoursome and not what I would consider your stereotypical vegetarian meals. The Vegie Bar is not your average vegetarian restaurant so even if you’re a bacon/steak/chicken/lamb-loving carnivore like me, you will be nicely surprised to find something other than a lettuce leaf to satisfy your craving.

The Vegie Bar

380 Brunswick Street

Fitzroy VIC 3065

Ph: (03) 9417 6935

Milk crates, fake grass and damn good coffee

A few weeks ago, I had to drop everything in Melbourne and make an unexpected, last-minute trip back to Queensland to be with my family during a difficult time. The end of an emotionally draining week was brightened slightly when I got the chance to catch up with a few of my beautiful friends over some Friday night drinks and dancing. This was, of course, followed by our long-running tradition of The Morning-After Breakfast. We arrived at Campos in Fortitude Valley at peak-hour and had to wait in line to be seated. Might I add here - it is always worth the wait. Having to line up at somewhere so tucked away down an unlikely little side street immediately says to me that the place is good. And it is. Really, really good. So good that we are rarely satisfied when we go anywhere else for a mid-morning feast.

Definitely a spot for discerning coffee drinkers and locals in the know, Campos is up there with the best in Brisbane. From its funky industrial fans to the converted milk crates for stools and fake grass in the outdoor seating area, Campos has some unforgettable elements that give it a certain likeability and quirky charm. Even more endearing is its unusual location virtually hidden from passersby - tucked behind the dumpsters down a back alley of the pretentious James Street. Many of the Campos regulars tend to think this aspect gives the café a certain authenticity and ‘local’ vibe and some believe it keeps their favourite spot a secret. Perhaps not-so secret anymore, Campos won 2009’s I LOVE FOOD AWARD for Australia’s Favourite Deli/Café. The efficient, friendly and knowledgeable staff are an absolute asset to the place. For me, the service must be as outstanding as the food itself, or the entire experience can be ruined.

On the subject of food, Campos never ceases to impress. Great quality, fresh produce makes for a thoroughly pleasurable dining experience. The Campos Fry Up was my menu item of choice on this particular morning, and was worth every dollar. It included all the standard items you would expect, but with a few special twists - in true Campos-style. Bacon fried to crispy perfection nestled alongside two whopping slabs of fresh, crusty sourdough toast, on top of which two soft poached eggs oozed golden goodness. With this, an oven-roasted tomato, sautéed mushrooms, a beef and basil sausage, fried haloumi and a house-made potato and sage hash. The perfect big (well, huge) breakfast. The only problem was where to begin! Rarely does every item on the plate look so ridiculously good that I want to eat everything at once. My friend S raved about her Ham Eggs Benedict in between mouthfuls and from the speed at which she scraped the plate clean, I think I can safely attest that it too, was amazing.

After all my gushing over our mouth-watering feasts, it would be criminal to overlook the core Campos passion – the coffee. They are crazy about it. Renowned for their wide selection of coffee which is roasted on site, be sure to expect a consistently excellent cup of damn good coffee at Campos every time. It is fundamental to the institution that Campos has become and a testament of just how far Brisbane café culture has come.

Campos Coffee

11 Wandoo Street

Fortitude Valley

QLD 4006

Ph: (07) 32523612