My first visit to Light Years was for breakfast; a delicious and unforgettable meal it was…read more The location was off the beaten path, it took me about 15-20 minutes walk from the nearest metro. I was wondering why such a popular spot would be so isolated? But all is well worth the effort to get here. The venue is brimming with natural lighting, classic charm and warmth. For my breakfast, I ordered the Pixelated avocado (on a sourdough toast) because it just looked so darn intriguing. I didn't expect anything else to be honest, and turned out this was GOOD!! Every single element in this dish has complex flavors that compliments each other. The chili dried air kale, diced pixelated avocado and the soft shell crab was especially stunning. The dish certainly performs to its Instagram ability. For my drink, I ordered their matcha latte; it was strong tasting yet smooth. I could drink this all day! The Light Years is certainly not disappointing in any way, from the beautiful venue to the outstanding food, supported with service and ambiance for days. Easily, my favorite brunch spot in town at the moment and much to recommend you :).

Went to Light Years for Sunday brunch and was relieved to find that, although very busy, the wait…read moretime was only a few minutes. Recently opened at the bottom of a new apartment block just along from the Camberwell tram depot, it should not be confused with Lights in the Attic cafe which is a bit further down Camberwell Road. The fit out is the now common scandi/minimalist affair with a smattering of potted greenery. Coffee is from Dukes, but the star of the show here is the food. All the dishes I saw coming out looked great and were good sized portions. I had the bircher and it was a generous serve, looked pretty and tasted even better. Overall a good value and tasty option for brunch/lunch in the leafy inner east.

I really like this place, I have been here plenty of times and it continues to grow on me…read more Definitely time for a review. I'm a little surprised to see people queuing at Axil when this paradise awaits upstairs next door, don't get me wrong I love Axil, but this place is pretty stunning. But please don't tell them, it's rare to be able to get a seat outside on a gorgeous sunny deck under an umbrella surrounded by trees and a veggie garden in Melbourne without a queue. The food has never disappointed. From the porridge and oats to the cooked breakfasts, I always enjoy my meal. Good specials on offer too, on the weekend I had corn and ricotta fritters with heirloom tomato salad and avocado cream, it was the goods and I'd love to see it on the menu. Their coffee offering is pretty solid, from the standard milky affair to the fancy filter stuff I don't understand but order to impress our interstate guests with my Melbourneness. Their green smoothies are tasty too. The staff are great with a sense of humour that I really enjoy, the owners in particular are cool (banter with them is a highlight for me), they're friendly and it's a family affair and they welcome families alike. But don't worry this place isn't overrun with yummy mummies, it's not really overrun with any 'type' it's just full of people who enjoy good food in breezy, relaxing surrounding. They also do yoga on the deck on Saturday mornings.

Fight the lure of Axil and take the stairs to this gorgeous new comer. The coffee was perfection…read moreand made even more enjoyable on the sunny deck amongst the succulents. Choosing a snack was difficult as everything looked delicious. The custard donut did not disappoint. I'll be back to try something from the breakfast menu or for yoga on the deck Saturdays!

I don't usually eat dumplings but colleagues rave about this place .. lifting it up on a pedestal…read morelike it was a new discovery! Anyhoo have to agree they were pretty good. Need to control yourself otherwise may find that during chit chats that ur munching more than your belt size can handle! I have also tried their noodles as well.. pretty good.

Their fried dumplings are the absolute BEST! I come here probably once a week - just can't resist!…read moreKeep it up guys!

Excellent dumplings. Steamed too order and very quick. I had the vegie ones and they were very…read moretasty with a nice range of vegies and tasted fresh. They also have rice and noodle dishes and pretty much everything is under $10. Good place for sitting alone and reading your book.

A kingdom where meat is the monarch, Charcoal Grill On The Hill is a Melbourne Institution, and the…read morebest venue in the city for steak. Be warned, it isn't for the light hearted: cases of meat will catch your gaze as you enter, and make sure you order your steak rare or medium-rare (you may get some strange looks otherwise). Melbournians and visitors travel miles to sample some of the quality steak that Charcoal Grill On The Hill delivers. Call ahead and book a table to be sure that you'll get a seat. While the entrees and desserts are worthwhile, they pale into insignificance when compared to the main event: the steak. My advice would be to get a simply get a premium cut; the sizes vary from the modest (300g) to the enormous (900g). Add a bowl of coleslaw for the sweet flavour, and a serve of fries (because you need chips with steak after all) are the perfect accompaniments. Charcoal Grill On The Hill also boasts an impressive wine menu. The staff are extremely helpful when it comes to choosing the perfect bottle of red to go with your steak.

Wow. Well. What can I say about Charcoal Grill on the Hill that hasn't already been said by someone…read moreelse in some glowing review. If you love steak - and I mean LOVE steak - this is one of two places in Melbourne that I (so far) insist you MUST go to. It's not cheap, but if it takes you a little while to save up to go here, you still won't regret it. This is an up market but minimalist restaurant. There is not fluff and decoration, it is all about the steak. The menu is short, and covers the essentials. When you order your steak (I had the scotch fillet) don't be afraid to order at least one degree rarer than you usually get (e.g. rare if you normally get medium-rare). When you're eating meat of this quality, all you'll notice is the flavour and the melt-in-your-mouth magic of perfectly cooked steak. While the steaks are served on a plain white plate, there is a minimalist salad and some fries brought out to the table to share. No, there isn't a large variety of sides available, however if that's what you are after there are plenty of other places you can go to, particularly the abundance of creative modern Australian restaurants. Grill on the Hill is for when you want to focus all your attention on steak. That slightly charred, flavourful outside and the meltingly tender, juicy meat on the inside. The restaurant itself is quite intimate with a simple white and (reddish) color scheme, it's quite small. Recommend for groups of 2 to 4 people. The wine list is also astounding, and there are some great cheeses on the dessert menu here too. On both counts be prepared to spend a bit, but the staff are incredibly helpful and happy to discuss the (constantly changing) wine and cheese list, and make recommendations if need be. If you are a regular, they will remember you and go out of their way to cater to your preferences.

The food here is amazing. Have been here a couple of times and have loved every bite. We stopped…read morefor lunch and had the 5 selection deal for $32 per person. You get to choose 5 plates from the menu and they come out tapas style so a share plate. There are so many great choices on the menu to choose from. But sharing the 5 plates is enough for you to feel satisfied with out being overly full. Every plate was a delight and the accompanying salads were light and refreshing. I especially lives the tempura eggplant dish with the green mango salad with chilli it was delicious. The crying Tiger was also amazing with the wagyu and the spicy citrus dipping sauce. It's to die for as is the sticky pork belly The staff were great they were attentive and happy to explain any part of the menu we were unsure about. Also very friendly and made sure we were happy with everything. I will be back here for sure pity it's so far away for us but it's a good place to look forward to coming back for a great feed.

Having lived in Japan for a full year (365 days), and Japanese cuisine being my favorite, I was…read moreexcited to try this restaurant And I have to say that my expectations were met It has a good amount of seats inside, and a few outside The look and atmosphere is typical Japanese, including with the open kitchen, loved it Staff is very welcoming The menu offers a good variety, with very different items that are popular in Japan, both in regular restaurants and street food/ good trucks type: gyoza, takoyaki, tempura, okomomyski (savory pancakes), ramen, udon, soba, katsu (cutlet), donburi, bento, teriyaki, curry, niku (BBQ), sushi, sashimi... As for drinks they have done typical ones, such as Ramune, which I ordered I was willing to have takoyaki and gyoza, and so I did But I also followed their recommendation and tried niku tadaki Good choice. You get your personal grill, allowing you to cook it exactly as you'd like. It came with green salad, miso soup, and steamed rice. A must try Just like this restaurant Recommended!

Enjoyed dinner here on a weeknight. Started with the appetizer of 6 takoyaki balls (octopus), they…read morewere a bit small from what I am accustom to, but were hot and delicious. My companion tried the Gyukatsu Tadaki (raw beef), which was grilled at the table on a small personal grill. Beef was fresh and tasty and he enjoyed the dinner very much. I ordered the Miso Ramen which had a delicious pork broth, however, I could not discern any miso in the broth. It may have been there, but it was a very mild miso flavor. Otherwise the ramen was very good and it was completely enjoyed! Service was very polite & attentive and they frequently refilled the hot tea and water. I recommend this Japanese restaurant with good food at a reasonable price, but I'm guessing there will a line at dinner time due to the small space.

The egg noodle soup with wontons was nice (maybe a bit sweet), was served in 2-3 mins which is…read moreprobs why they are usually empty! Cost me only $8.80

This Vietnamese restaurant is on campus at Swinburne university. The flavours are fine and prices…read morequite reasonable for the area. Without doubt they cater for the Uni students, but it is a well priced option if you're in the area.

This petite and charming place is always a crowd pleaser. Cheap, huge and delicious - seriously, is…read morethere anything to dislike? Hmm... well, aside from the super cramped seating and not-so friendly servers. Anyway, that aside, Samurai is Glenferrie little gem as they offer solid Japanese comfort food, for mostly under $10! ~best deal in town! Ordered the Chicken Katsu curry, and it arrived piping hot. The curry was on the milder side, a little watery for my liking, but appreciate the chunks of carrots that included in the mix. The bomb, however, has got to be the generous, tasty chicken katsu... so so good! If you are a fan of anything green tea, do check out their dessert menu! They carry green tea ice cream, milkshakes and even cheesecake. I wasn't too crazy about the green tea cheesecake (dry!) but I loooove the ice cream, so creamy and sweet! Overall, I had a great dinner experience at this humble Japanese eatery; fantastic food, pocket friendly and a bright ambiance, would definitely be back for more of their satisfying, hearty food. Tips: minimum use of $25 for credit cards.

My friend and I came here for dinner about 30 minutes before closing time and they were happy to…read moreaccommodate us. Bonus points~ Ambiance: A nice and modest restaurant that's clean with cute napkin holders. Don't come here for anything fancy though. Customer Service: I really liked the customer service for several reasons: a) The woman who served us was very friendly and attentive. b) The food came out pretty quickly. c) I love the whispyness of Japanese accents. Food: I had a really worth-your-money bargain dinner box for $16 which gave me soup, entree, main, and dessert. SO FILLING and so worth the money. I ended up choosing: Miso Soup Gyoza Chicken Curry-Don Green Tea Ice-Cream All of it delicious! --- I highly rate this place and would recommend it to anyone who loves Japanese food.

I always look forward to Friday night dinners and was especially looking forward to Hellenic…read moreRepublic since it had been raved about by a fellow yelper who goes here often as well as my client friend who had been here once and was ready to go back in a heartbeat. I booked for the 6.15pm seating on a Friday which is for two hours. Due to traffic, we got there at 7pm having informed the restaurant beforehand that we were running late. We were told that we would only have the table until 8.15pm and I jokingly said well that's fine as long as the food comes out quickly. It was quite busy and very very noisy and by 7pm, my friend and I were starving. We ignored the drinks menu and went straight for the food. My friend had had the Saganaki, Cauliflower Salad and the Lamb Shoulder before and wanted to have it again. The thick pita bread looked quite enticing but I decided I would save my appetite for the lamb and cheese as my friend had warned me that both dishes were quite heavy. Food arrived quite quickly. The saganaki covered in sweet glazed figs was quite bland and very stretchy. The cold figs were a stark comparison to the stretchy fried cheese that was just impossible to cut. I've had fried cheese in Eastern Europe and Saganaki at other Greek restaurants and this was no different or special. It lacked flavour. Was just fried cheese. Then, the cauliflower salad arrived. It was still quite raw and was surrounded by dollops of wasabi mayo. I could barely taste the wasabi. The fried onion/zucchini like veggie covered in sesame tasted nice but again it lacked salt. My friend kept saying that previously when she had this dish, the wasabi had her nose stinging but that this wasabi didn't even taste like wasabi. I couldn't taste anything either. So, now we had two really bland dishes. Hence, we had to do the most dreadest thing ever - request the salt and pepper shakers. So, we hailed a waitress and asked for some condiments. She crinkled her face and came back with wooden salt and pepper shakers. Both of us took turns at each of the shakers, twisting clockwise and then anti-clockwise, and nothing came out of both of them. Surely, we couldn't both be so hopeless with these shakers. I mean it wasn't rocket science. We even shook them, looked for a hidden opening and nothing. They were empty. We called another waitperson and told him about our predicament. He seemed confused and brought us little saucers of visible salt and pepper. Had the waitress played a prank on us? The salt and pepper made some difference, but yeah the food was still average. Then, the lamb shoulder arrived. Yes, it fell off the bone and was tender but despite the squeeze of lemon and the small garnishing of parsley chutney, it was bland. My friend again said that last time she had had this dish, it had a cinammony flavour. Something was seriously wrong. Why were all three dishes so average? We then asked for the bill. It arrived swiftly and we asked for split payment. 35 minutes passed. We asked to make a payment again. Another 20 minutes passed. Then we asked to pay again, we were told that we could stay in our seats for as long as we wanted as tables had been moved around for us. We said we wanted to pay for our bill. We waited and waited and asked 3 more people. An hour and 15 minutes later, we were able to make our payment. So much drama. Both of us felt full (portion sizes are quite good) but not satiated. What a disappointment for a Friday night! :(

first time back since their renovations... food is still pretty good .. we took out the guess work…read moreand went for the $59 set. of the memorable I think would be the cauliflower croquette!! mouth watering soft centre... and the rice pudding desert. very airy and balanced with just the right amount of sweetness... having said that... if after a supposed $59 pp price tag and all I could remember was a croquette n awesome desert!! something's wrong here! I got served bowl of chips, a bowl of lentils and salad.... amongst small serving of swordfish on skewers, 1 scallop each.... and for main slow cooked chicken n lamb shoulder... it's lost the wow for me in all honesty... and for the price tag I think I better go elsewhere for the same non wow but still great Greek food.. YMMV