Tao's - Bulleen

A special event requires a special dinner and so we found ourselves recently at Tao's in Bulleen.  What can I say about this Restaurant with its intriguing Modern Japanese/Australian Menu?

.... Be prepared to try ANYTHING but do not hesitate to go.

We arrived for Lunch and so had the "Set Menu" for the day - our choice of 4 dishes for each of the 4 courses.

This is the Starter - it wasn't on the menu, it just came.. with instructions to eat from right to left.
(I have never had Oyster before - Oh Yum!)

DH chose for his Entree the Sashimi platter.

I had the Thai Style Crispy Chicken with Lime Chilli Sauce.

And from then on it was just one delight after another ....


The Staff were, of course, very polite and attentive.
The courses came quickly so if you were on a tight lunchtime schedule there is no need to worry.



Oh.... and the Dessert -
I'll leave you with Perfect Creme Brulee









Tao's Restaurant
201 Bulleen Road
BULLEEN  VIC  3105
www.taosrestaurant.com.au

The Mills Cafe - Coburg

When they built The Lincoln Mills Homemaker Centre in Gaffney Street Coburg, it was good to see a cafe set up in the far corner. What more could you ask for when you have spent the better part of the morning at Bunnings?
Unfortunately the Original owners sold up and the new people.... well, lets just say.... we stopped going there.  So I was very pleased the other day when I saw that it is now "Under New Management".

The pleasant new owners may just have won us back.  The Cafe felt fresh with new table tops and a clean approach. (A staff member not only wiped down the tables but the chairs as well, and then returned with a broom to get the crumbs from under the table - now that's good service!)
The menu is basically the same but a glance at the Specials board out the front showed a few new additions - like Barramundi (Fish).

With any Cafe, the Coffee is only as good as the Barista.
Our first visit the coffees were perfect - yes, even DH went back to compliment the lass behind the machine.  And the Soy Latte (for the Lactose Intolerant one) was made by someone who understood, as she too 'had to drink soy'.

The second visit - different Barista, different quality coffee, I gave 'brownie points' for the coffee art but - - I couldn't drink mine.  (I didn't fret over it too much as it was included with the poached eggs breakfast menu.)

I will return, as I really want to check out the new menu, but my drink for the day, Coffee or Tea... or maybe one of their freshly squeezed fruit juice concoctions, will be determined by my mood and who is behind the Coffee Machine.






The Mills Cafe
Lincoln Homemaker Centre
6a/64 Gaffney Street
COBURG  VIC  3058

Ph: 9354 - 5001
Open 7 days

Charlie's at La Trobe University

I have been hearing a LOT about 'Leo' over the years from DD who has had ample opportunity to check out ALL of the Coffee shops at La Trobe Uni during her time there doing 2 degrees and a Phd.
Leo, works at Charlie's and I understand makes the best coffee on Campus.

So - when I had cause to visit the University recently I  just had to see for myself.
I must admit that arriving between lectures gave me a good indication as to how this team works.
I was initially dismayed at the sight of the queue outside and I was told "No Mum - those people are waiting for their orders...."  I was then led inside where one lass took our order (greeting DD by name).
We then went to join the others and in no more than 10 minutes, while I watched Coffee after Coffee and the occasional Tea being dispatched efficiently to the waiting throng, had our Coffees and were on the way to find a shady/quiet seat to enjoy them.

And for the actual brew... Not bad at all, but next time I won't ask for a weak one!