Deedot Coffee House

It doesn't hurt to venture out a bit from the CBD for brunches and cafes. Try Deedot Coffee House on Logan Road in Holland Park--judging from the small crowd spread out among cute outdoor and semi outdoor tables--its not a bad place at all.

Menu is a bit of everything--they even have a plate on the menu called 'something of everything' or along those lines featuring everything from bircher muesli to avo on toast on the one plate. Servings are generous and yes they do take-away.

I tried their Chia pudding with generous drizzle of honey and loads of  fresh seasonal and slightly exotic fruit. Chia pudding wasn't stodgy and perfect for a hot day's brunch. Will be adding Deedot to the list of go to brunch / cafe places and it's a lot closer to home too.

TimHoWan

What do you do when you just happen to be in town when a Michelin Star Hong Kong yumcha place opens? Got to try of course! Even if you have had it in Hong Kong before. Such is the pull of TimHoWan that I was willing to line up for it again just as I did in Hong Kong.

To be fair, I gave it 30minutes and then decided to come back the next day at 10am when it opened. So did it stack up to Hong Kong?

My memory of TimHoWan in Hong Kong was that it was fabulous but not absolutely amaze balls. I put it down to that everything was so fresh (you order in line so when you sit down your food is right in front of you) that it HAS to taste better than yumcha food thats been stewing in a trolley for most of the morning.

TimHoWan Melbourne opened 2 days before I tried it--still some teething problems with some staff obviously new as the paint and not sure how things worked. Service no where near as fast as Hong Kong but you will get your food--eventually, in dribs and drabs.

THE BBQ Pork bun

Must eat the BBQ pork buns-- nowhere else has them and if the short crispy buttery bun doesn't win you the melt in your mouth sweet pork filling will. As for the other 3 specialities: liver rice vermicelli roll, pan fried turnip cake and steamed egg cake--a small notch above what you find at a mainstream yumcha place with a higher price tag.

Chive and scallop dumplings

Liver rice vermicelli roll 

Dim Sims or sums--which ever you call it--TimHoWan does do them better than other yum cha places with stretchier, more translucent pastry filled with discernible ingredients (in other words visible bits of prawn, scallops, pork)--not your usual mush of possible pork mince and mystery meat.

Yes they do takeaway--as in provide doggy bags for you but no take away direct orders. FYI the buns taste great even after being toted around Melbourne for the rest of the day and reheated in the microwave for a snack at 10pm.

Sometimes there really is not much difference between good and exceptional but if you can --why not go for the exceptional?

Bacchus Southbank

Hotels, especially Rydges isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think 'fine dining'. Bacchus at Rydges Southbank however is an exception. Clamber up the stairs from the street if you like and you'll find yourself stocked with everything needed for a date  night or any night out.

Gorgeous pool area with bar and lush, gold toned main dining area including high backed leather chairs and a sommelier as bubbly as the champagne he serves. Its hard to create ambience in a restaurant and it's at ambience that Bacchus has done remarkably well. Not too posh to be stuffy with enough warmth to create a place as suitable for a date as it is suitable for a catch up with friends. In our case it was double date night.

While most Brisbanites may have noticed Bacchus for their high teas and dessert degustation the savouries are well worth a visit. Menu is well designed with something for even the most casual and less adventurous diners (steak for my friend who is your 'meat and 3 veg kinda gal) mixed with some more 'fancy' touches (foie gras). I don't often go for vegetarian and yes there is foam but the traditional wild mushroom wholemeal gnocchi was a standout. Don't skip the  fresh herbed bread and accompanying olive tampenade as it is sensational and could stand on its own as a starter. Fantastic options for gluten free as well--can't ask for much better than plump sweet well seared scallops with tender octopus.

Scallops and Octopus 

Top: Souffle Bottom: wild mushrrom gnocci

At our insistence our friends saved room for dessert and weren't disappointed with the lush souffle. There's always something about a lush chocolate soufflé fresh from the oven and arriving at the table in all its puffed up glory before being dressed in front of you with a hot rich Valrhona chocolate sauce. Decadent but at least a souffle is mostly air so naturally the calorie count I'm sure is quite reasonable.

You can't fault much with Bacchus as it delivers in not just the food but service and the much harder ambience.