Open House Melbourne 2016

After a very disappointing Open House Melbourne 2015 where we did not manage to view any of the buildings we had on our list due to sell out crowds, we were well prepared for OHM 2016. This year was fruitful, we managed to tour 3 places.

We started early to queue up for the Port of Melbourne cruise. The cruise took us to the Swanson Dock, Appleton Dock, and Victoria Dock. There was a Port of Melbourne employee on the cruise who gave us information on the history and stats of the dock.

Besides seeing container cranes which lifted containers onto vessels for transportation, we also saw some silos near the waterfront - grains are transported unpackaged, from these silos directly into the vessels to save time.

The great sunny weather made the trip even more enjoyable. Soon we began to forget the 30 minute wait in line for the cruise and immersed ourselves in the scenery.

Mission to Seafarers Church was next on our list. The church still operates today, and has seen many sailors from other countries visiting the church to pray for a safe sea journey or simply just as a sightseeing trip. The church reminds me of a Matzu temple near the coast I visited while in Taiwan. Nature is a most powerful force and people no matter which religion recognises this.

We also visited Substation J at the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale Streets. This substation used to distribute power to a part of the Melbourne CBD but now acts like a time capsule to provide the public with an insight into place when it was still operating. We can see newspaper of the time, notepads etc lay undisturbed on desks in the office when we were there, as though employees could walk in any time and start work (they will be told off for infringing the clean desk policy, for sure!).

Next on the list was the City of Melbourne Art and Heritage exhibition. We were taken on a guided tour around the place, which is where artworks reside when they are not on display. We saw many items which had been gifted to the City by other cities, and also items that had been purchased by the City of Melbourne.

We thoroughly enjoyed Open House Melbourne 2016 and wishes its longevity for many years to come.

BBQ Code, Glen Waverley

Gaz went out for a simple dinner with me but came home with a lighter than expected wallet tonight. What had happened was a typical scenario when the guy asks the girl what she would like to eat. The girl says, 'Whatever you like', only what it really means is 'Whatever strikes her fancy within the next 5 seconds'.

BBQ Code on Springvale Road, Glen Waverley is a new Korean restaurant in the area (which was why it caught my eye). Initially we went into the restaurant with the intention of ordering the usual Korean main dishes such as soondobu, and bulgogi with rice but found their main dish menu to be quite limited at the time. Instead, we ordered their pork BBQ set.

The set came with four types of marinated pork belly, most of which were indistinct from one another, and an unmarinated serve of pork belly for grilling. There were also side dishes, salad and a stew.

The restaurant's plus point is that it was fairly well ventilated so we did not smell too much after the BBQ session, and the staff was very attentive which meant that they helped us cook the meat rather than leaving us to overcook or undercook our food. Interestingly, all the staff on the floor that night were young Korean men.

We enjoyed our dining experience in this restaurant but the marinated pork belly each needs to have more distinct, punchy flavours. The taste of most of them were mild, and indistinguishable from one marinade to another.

What I liked was the balanced amount of meat and vegetables on the table. Unlike other barbeques where the ratio of the meat usually far outweighs the vegetable, Korean barbeque provides vegetable side dishes, vegetable for bbq and salad. Traditionally, lettuce would also be provided on the table for wrapping the cooked meat (not provided here).

Overall, BBQ Code provides a new Korean BBQ choice in the Glen Waverley restaurant scene.

Piggery Cafe, Sherbrooke

The Piggery Cafe is the latest venture by Vue de Monde's Shannon Bennett. It is part of a grand plan to convert the large 22 ha site into a luxury hotel, spa, restaurants, and private accomodation.

There is also an existing dwelling attached to the site called 'Burnham Beeches' which was first designed and built for Sir Alfred Nicholas, owner of Aspro brand. When we visit the Alfred Nichols garden, we can see the building from the gardens. It is run down, but the art deco lines are still beautiful and evokes memories of a time long gone. It is also part of the plan to restore the mansion.

The cafe is located in a renovated old shed. It now resembles a canteen with communal tables and benches, uncovered concrete floor, exposed beams. In short, a very rustic and minimalist furnishing which blends with the surrounding area.

There is a lawn outside the cafe where customers can play boulles, a giant chess set, and other games. There is also a pig pen, but unfortunately the star has decided not to grace us with its presence when we visited..

Pork belly bun with salad

Wagyu beef with fries

We ordered the pork belly burger and wagyu beef burger with fries. Unfortunately on this ocassion, what stood out for me was the chipped plates and plastic cups which has seen more scratches than a scratchy ticket. I understand the concept of rustic furnishings but how does it translate to hygiene when it extends to plates and cups?

What is the deal with chipped plates!

And scratched plastic cups?

Satu Produk Durian - Midcity Arcade, CBD

This cafe confused me a little.  The name suggests Malaysian or Indonesian origins but this is a franchise from Macau?  I didn't think Macau was famous for durians..

The cafe serves mainly durian or mango desserts. We ordered one of each just to be safe. The verdict?  Durian mille crepe wins hands down for me! After eating the mille crepe, the mango pancake was tasteless to me.

Portions are small for the price paid but I am happy with the amount of durian in the mille crepe. When I burped later in the evening, I could smell durian and relive the experience!

Shandong Mama - Midcity Arcade, CBD

I have heard so much about Shandong Mama that I just had to try it out. Last weekend, I invited a girlfriend for lunch at the restaurant. 

We ordered the famed mackerel dumplings and Daryl noodles. 

If it was not described in the menu, I would not have guessed they were mackerel.  I guess I expected more mackerel and less flour in the filling. It was a bit salty as well. On the other hand, the filling is original and not fishy.

Daryl noodles is a dish of wheat noodles with a sauce of potato cubes, little prawns, and veges. It was a tad salty, and not as special as the dumplings.

There are some unique dumpling fillings being served in the restaurant like salmon, lamb, and tofu. It is definitely good for a change from the usual pork and prawn dumplings.