Alpha Ouzeri

We’ve always breezed past this restaurant on our way to Vegie Bar or Bimbos.  Maybe we were intimidated by the ambience and chalked it up as one of those out of the realm of our humble budget. But Thursday night we saw the tables out on the side walk and it seemed a lot friendlier than usual. We checked out the menu and decided the prices seem fair.

And boy were we glad we finally decided to try it! Aside from the famous Souvlaki King, I haven’t really tried any other Greek food in Melbourne. The fare we ordered reminded me so much of food in Kazahkstan, skewered meat with a distinct flavour. Servings are huge! We ordered the mixed meat platter with salad for one ($26.50) and we couldn’t finish it between us. The bread and 4 dips were delicious as well ($11.50) and again there were so much of it. So for food that was more than enough for a hungry couple, a glass of wine for me and a bottle of beer for the boy, we paid a little less than $50. Not bad at all!

Best thing was the service was superb! Even if we were the only ones dining outside, we never felt like we always had to catch the waiter’s attention. Food was served quickly. The man who waited on us was such a lively and funny character and there is nothing better than getting excellent food for a fair price with a healthy serving of friendliness and good humour.

Alpha Ouzeri 342 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Gastronomic Delights on Brunswick Street

Jack and I love eating out (or maybe we just hate eating at home.. could it have anything to do with my non existent culinary skills?). Some nights we have full intentions of cooking something for dinner and then get too lazy so we invent a reason to eat out..

Lucky for us there are a myraid of places to choose from 3 flights of stairs down from where we lie prostrate prodding each other to get up and make a half decent meal. But these choices could be overwhelming. I mean there are just so many to choose from on Brunswick Street alone!

Jack’s decision process on choosing a restaurant? shaking his iphone so Urban Spoon could suggest a place..

Me? I fast type it to my two favourite (and my most trusted) review blogs in Melbourne: fitzroyalty and mel: hot or not and let their previous experiences or mouth watering photos make a decision for me.

I don’t do reviews very well. I will limit myself to one line per establishment but I did take really bad photos that you can salivate over. If you want a proper review of any establishment featured below, click on either of the links provided above and it is likely they’ve already given their 2 cents about it.

Akari

177 Brunswick Street

~ good old japanes food done really well~

Mixed Tempura, Wafu Salad, Yakitori

Red Rice

193 Brunswick Street

~Incredible food we couldn’t stop raving about!~

King Prawns, Salmon Spring Rolls, Calamari & Red Rice

Monties, Smith St

Jack’s morning off, the sun shining and my intense craving for pancake brought us to Smith Street via our less trodden streets of Fitzroy.

• A block of flats (at least we think they’re flats) that Jack thought is very reminiscent of Europe on Kerr Street (i think?)
• My chocolate pancake smothered (yes SMOTHERED) in Vanilla icecream
• Jack’s Big Brekky
• and the fine establishment where we had them

Neighbourhood Watch

Sunday, 2 August

Sundays are made for sleeping in; long, lazy brunch and idle talk. And so we did just that.

Living where I do, we are alway spoiled for choice and I am ashamed to say we haven’t really been exploiting the variety available to us.  We have made it a point then, not to go to a cafe or restaurant that we have already tried, until we have given at least half of the other establishments in this charmed suburb of ours a chance.

Why, it was only last week when we realised that there is a whole area we have yet to explore. So instead of turning right towards Johnston Street, we veered left to get to Gertrude.

And there we were confronted with brunch heaven. We decided to walk the length of Gertrude Street from Brunswick to Smith before deciding on where to eat and this exploration lead us to Arcadia.

Arcadia 193 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

The place was packed but had a fast turn over and in no time we were led to a table out in the small courtyard. There is no table service, orders are placed at the counter so while Jack and I deliberated over what to eat, next table’s meal arrived and we looked at it wistfully. We knew what we are getting! Who needs menus when you can stalk other diner’s food instead?

The food was fantastic! Service friendly. And for two of those plates in the photo + 2 lattes = $40.50 the price was ok.

back from our sunday stroll

Thanks Gertrude Street, so far you haven’t disappointed us.

gone to gertrude

I met up with Jack over our lunch breaks at Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. The boy got himself a Crumpler backpack as a belated birthday gift and I went to give him advice on what to get. Reckon he made the right choice going by the smile on his face.

I was late to meet up with him, so I was huffing and puffing my way through Gertrude Street, but the vibe and charm of the place did not escape me. Pretty and unique shops, beguiling cafes and intriguing restaurants line the street.

I’ve lived in Fitzroy for four months now but I have never really explored that part of our small suburb just yet. Jack and I are determined to check it out soon. Such a shame that I live in such close proximity to it but have not even been down there til today.

Not being familiar with the fine establishments on Gertrude St., we went to one of the first cafes that we came across which happened to be here

238 Gertrude St., Fitzroy

What a lucky find! We shared these

Pork Barbeque Ribs and Green Leaf Salad

all the while muttering, “this is sooo good” and “ooh yum”.

An exploration of Gertrude Street is imminent and a definite second visit to this fantastic cafe!

On the Tram 112: Spencer St Station to St David Street, Fitzroy

Melbourne is such a picturesque city and it is so easy to forget that. Going back to Melbourne after 3 weeks in Vanuatu, it hit me again.  Just on my usual tram ride home there are so many remarkable, beautiful sights to take in which we take for granted because we are tired, the tram is crowded, we are lost in our thoughts, we have become immune to the beauty that surrounds us everyday.

Here’s something that would hopefully remind me to see the beauty in everyday’s mundane.

Fridays are for FUN

Jack & I were feeling celebratory (for a reason that will remain undisclosed) and planned a night of ‘things we’ve never done together before’. So we started with an early dinner at Houndstooth on Johnston Street inspired by this rave review.

The place is a great find! Excellent service, awesome atmosphere (if it is nice out, ask to be seated in the courtyard), great music selection and sumptuous and cheap food!

Finished the meal at 7:30 and made our way to the Comedy theatre along Exhibition Street. Saw Avenue Q and loved it!

because i have photos but no words..

This is what I came up with when I fumbled around my closet for something to wear to run errands around the neighbourhood..

To Jasper’s for 250 grams of Blend #8 Coffee. To the Photo Shop for a present. To Coles for milk, bread and addictive mandarins.

I should really clean that mirror, hey?

Also.. Years from now when I move out to much inferior digs I would like to remember that once..

I lived in a flat I love in Fitzroy with this view of the Melbourne CBD.

Is all.

i REALLY didn’t mean to..

I went for a 20 minute errand run to withdraw money, rent out our car space, post a parcel and pay our water bill. Simple.. I don’t even have to cross the road to do any of that. That’s what I love about living off of Brunswick St in Fitzroy.

And that’s what i hate about living off of Brunswick Street because in this wonderful, eclectic street, many many things entice from the evil shopfronts. And I don’t have the will power to resist.

And today I was back at our flat half an hour after I left but I came back with these:

One could never have enough hosiery in these winter months. Specially me who wear mostly dresses and skirts. Cute detail, huh?

and two awesome scarves:

love the skull print! Very Avril of me, no?

love the silver threaded one too (and would probably do a better job at keeping warm than the skull print one)

Jack reckons I am addicted to scarves.. but in my defense….. ok I don’t have one. But at least scarves are a handy, useful, affordable addiction. It’s not like I buy hermes or vuitton ones, right?

Living off of Brunsick Street isn’t helping me overcome this scarf hoarding either. My proximity to the many wonderful scarves out there for my taking is like an alcoholic living on top of a pub. Oh well.

the family in melbourne

Parental units and my two Australia-based siblings (one from Canberra, the other from Adelaide) were  here for about a week to check up on me, experience the awesomeness that is Melbourne and to celebrate mum’s birthday and mum and dad’s 30th anniversary. It was a whirlwind week of activities, laughter, taking the piss, eating (heaps), shopping, a LOT of walking, tramming, seeing, playing Wii and enjoyment!!

Make a Smilebox postcard

Unfortunately.. Anj, my eldest sister couldn’t make it so this is the only complete family photo we could take:

Oh well.. one day hopefully soon this wacky and wonderful family unit will be all together long enough to have a family photo taken. And not just on the Wii screen.