Saigon Rose is one of my all time favourites for authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Prahran. It's a…read moregreat option for very generous servings of more than affordable meals in a casual, relaxed and laid back atmosphere. It does however tend to get very busy on the later nights as well as weekends, so call ahead to secure a table. There are lots of great things on the menu, any of the fried starters like Crispy Spring Rolls, Fried Calamari or Stuffed Chicken Wings are perfect to nibble on while you wait for mains. Main courses I've loved have been Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork or the Chicken, Chilli and Lemongrass Stir Fry, Yum! Another great draw card to Saigon Rose is the fact that it is BYO, corkage is about $8 and with all the main meals costing well under $20 it is easy to walk away from Saigon Rose with a full belly and plenty of change still in your pocket.

Saigon Rose is an unassuming Vietnamese restaurant down the Prahran end of Chapel Street…read more It was a last minute decision and we were lucky to get a table for 6, the place was packed! Nonetheless we were first met with much crying and tearing of the hair upon discovering that the Pho was not available for dinner! We quickly settled on the mains to share, lemon chicken (theirs comes out as delicious sliced chicken breast, not little balls of mystery meat), salt and pepper fried tofu (not the best I've had but ok), beef with chilli and lemon grass, a vegetable dish, and rice. The entrees we had were the rare beef salad (excellent!) and... and this is the kicker... banana chicken. Initially we ordered this because we were curious. Banana chicken you say? What on earth is that? None of us had seen it on a menu before. The description was strange, banana and chicken on toast with plum sauce. It sounded quaint. We ordered for the hell of it. MIND. BLOWN. This stuff is amazing. It's crispy, its soft, its salty, its sweet, the deep fried crumb on the outside is crunchy, the plum sauce is tangy. It's like the unholy love child (I say that a lot, don't I?) of a banana fritter and a chicken schnitzel wrapped up in a grilled cheese sandwich. Except there isn't any cheese. It's difficult to describe and sounds strange but it works. Go here. Order Banana Chicken. You're welcome.

Asia Garden Restaurant isn't exactly an Asian Garden but it is Asian food in a restaurant... no…read moregarden unfortunately. The food here is delicious and it is somewhere that is good to go with a group of people. The prices are cheap so I tend to order lots of different meals and then my table can sample a lot of different dishes at once - it's really good. There are banquets available both to eat in the restaurant or to take away. They don't do deliveries but they do take phone orders and will let you know when to come down to pick it up. Service here is great and the menu is extensive and very clear. I really like that they have an abundance of vegetarian options - this is a massive plus. Most meals are around the $10 mark if they are veggie, otherwise you're looking at around $15. The exception is soup, which is a mere $4. Who can beat that?!

I know this is a Vietnamese restaurant, but somehow it felt like a quintessential Fitzroy…read moreexperience. Both the food and the vibe. It had that college-y, slightly hippy vibe that reminded me of Ithaca, NY or North Adams, MA. Laid-back, friendly, and just genuinely welcoming--from both the staff and the customers. That caring atmosphere is reflected in the menu, too. There's a whole page dedicated to vegan and vegetarian options. Not that I personally gravitate toward those, but I'm impressed when a restaurant goes the extra mile to cover all bases. I stuck with the basics: chicken pho. The broth was so gentle, hearty, and comforting. The noodles had that perfect texture. Sometimes you don't need to reinvent pho. Just make a damn good bowl of it. We also tried the soft-shell crab, which is surprisingly hard to come by. The last time I had it was during my Boston days, about 17 years ago. And yep--it was every bit as good as I remembered. The lady who served us was absolutely charming and kind. Just the kind of warm, casual service you hope for in Fitzroy. If you have friends with dietary restrictions, this is an easy recommendation. Everyone can find something here, while you get to enjoy a very solid Vietnamese meal. Win-win.

Nice little restaurant on Brunswick, not a whole lot of seating but very friendly staff. I ordered…read morethe grilled pork vermicelli that came with spring rolls in the bowl. The meal was quite good, really enjoyed it, but dropped a star because the amount of pork that you get is not at all plentiful. The menu looked really good, and would consider coming by again and ordering something different.

Yum - we happened upon this place tonight as we got a park out the front, so glad we did. The…read moreportions were huge, the soup was fresh and clean and the herbs plentiful. I had the Pho Ga with Crispy Fried Chicken (Large $11) and he had the Bun Bo Hue (Large $10). We couldn't believe the size of the bowls, there is no over-claim in the name of this Pho & Bun Bo Hue joint. Looking around as we waited for the food to arrive we saw a couple sharing a Super Bowl... I cannot imagine someone eating that by themselves - it is ridiculously large! The young guy who served us was super friendly and really welcoming and the place is nice and clean. We will certainly be going back. Yay for Super Bowl's arrival on Victoria Street.

Good? Yes. Cheap? Yes. Fast? Yes…read more Super Bowl hits the mark with the three essentials when in search of the perfect comfort food in a casual yet efficient setting. You will be seated quickly, given hot tea and a menu, which is also on the wall. Generally I go straight for the Pho but this time I went with their specialty, Bun bo Hue. It was my first time having this delicious alternative to Pho. The soup base is lemongrass and chilli. There is no shortage of either in the broth, along with heaps of spices, veggies, noodles and your choice of meat. Their menu has many varieties and combinations to suit. I was impressed with the flavourful broth which was spicy and fulfilling. I could have sat all night slurping it down had I not somewhere to be. Noodles differ from the traditional Pho as they are rounded, so it can make for a tricky situation if you are trying to eat subtly. I nearly forgot another perk, the portions! There are 4 - YES 4 - sizes to choose from with prices that will sit easy on your wallet. I went with the medium size for $11 and could not finish it all. Their version of a medium would be another place's large. Props if you can finish a Super Bowl size. Insane. Morale of the story is that I will eat here again, as I may have found a new alternative for Pho. The end.

Wow. This place goes off. I got here about 7pm and it was deathly quiet. By 7.30 it was busy, by…read more8 it was off the charts busy. I was greeted beautifully on arrival. With a handshake no less. The recommendation was for a wine the name of which I don't recall but it was very nice. I had it with spiced almonds which were nice and pleasant. I had the mussels diablo for main with a white Grenache. The mussels were initially a little salty which didn't trouble me at all. The tomato sauce was very luscious and very spicy but very good for my taste. I really liked them. I enjoyed the place and it seems very popular with all tables full and virtually all bar seats taken. There was good music playing and everyone was having lots of fun. And, in the end, that's what it's all about eh.

This is one of my favourite places in Melbourne. If you live in the area it is an absolute must if…read moreyou are on the lookout for a cute, romantic, and charming tapas bar that caters to all. Prices are reasonable and the staff are accommodating. Each time i have been there i have ordered the mussels. They are sourced locally and are the star of the menu!

Great night at Two by Two. Very good food, and a very nice serving vibe. The lamb was amazing, and…read moremy partner told me that the snapper was also spectacular. A fairly limited dinner menu, but that was pretty easy to cope with, because everything else was pretty good. I'll be back.

Two By Two is one of a number of new-ish cafes and restaurants along High Street, Northcote,…read morebetween the Town Hall and Separation Street. If you're unfamiliar with this strip, you may need to go past at night to get a true appreciation of how many venues there are here. I've been here a few times for coffee, or a beer, and I think it is a great space for proofreading reports (especially with a coffee or a beer). While I have never eaten at Two By Two, colleagues tell me the food is great and from what I have seen it appears to be fantastic. It can be a little noisy as the venue s a bit of a cavern, but not in a bad way. It is a phenomenal space, with an undeveloped outdoor area. Caters to all tastes throughout the day, so a good changing crowd. Good prices and never anything but friendly service.

A quick bite to eat here one day while in Melbourne on business. It's was just around the corner…read morefrom where we had been and was an easy choice after I read fellow yelpers reviews. We got the express lunch for $20 as it was light and quick to come out and came with a pot of beer which hit the spot as it had been a testing day. My calamari salad was good. The calamari was crispy and light while the large salad was quite nice and refreshing. My partner had ravioli and that was only a small serve but was also quite good for a quick lunch. The staff were courteous and quick to attend to us. I didn't look over the whole menu as time was limited but going by the food we had I'm sure the rest of the menu would've been quite nice.

This was a gem of a find. Set off the street and up a flight of stairs, the bar has a very nice…read morecovered outdoor area, well heated, large tables, great for groups large and small. The beers ranged from cheap to expensive, and seemed to vary depending on who served us :-) Lots of seating both inside and out. Have not tried the restaurant, but the fries we had with our beers were rather tasty. If I'm down that end of the city again I will definitely be visiting Slate.

This restaurant isn't too bad, though I should point out that they don't serve alcohol, which isn't…read morea bad thing unless you like alcohol with your meal. Actually, it's quite different, and can be a little confusing at times. Basically it is a share plate restaurant, though they do do individual dishes, which I have to admit is pretty cool. Actually, what I really like about this restaurant is that they offer lamb on the menu, which honestly, is something that you rarely, if ever, see in many of the others one's that I have visited.

Overall I thought the mixed grill was ok. Portion god to share for 2. But found it to be salty. I…read moredrank so much water afterwards