[MELBOURNE] Mirka
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Mirka
Add: 42 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, Melbourne
Tel: (03) 9525 3088
Hours: 7:30am~11pm
Website: www.mirkatolarnohotel.com
Price: [small dishes] ~22 AUD [main dishes] ~34 AUD
Visited on: 2012-05
What I remembered most about Mirka is the vividly-colored Mirka Mora wallpapers that line the entire dining room. The dishes we had that evening, on the other hand, all seem like a blur to me now, and I debated whether to blog about this restaurant at all if the food wasn’t so memorable. Oh well, let’s take a look at the pictures anyway.
To start, a complimentary plate of fried polenta sticks with sea salt.
[SHANGHAI] Mr. V
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Mr. V
Add: 93-C Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Xinle Lu / 襄阳北路93-C号，近新乐路
Tel: 6417 9928
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 9:30am-8pm [Sat-Sun] 10am-8pm
Website: www.mrvbanh-mi.com
Price: [banh mi] 25~37RMB [drinks] 10~32RMB [sets] 40~52RMB
Visited on: 2012-05
Please note that this is an arranged tasting.
Mr. V is not much more than a tiny stall with a tiny patio, but from its kitchen out pours some authentic Vietnamese sandwiches (a.k.a. banh mi) with traditional Vietnamese drinks to match. Could this be your new favorite lunch delivery?
[MELBOURNE] Hosier Lane Graffiti
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Hosier Lane, only a few minutes walk from Flinders Street Station (and where your must-visit Spanish tapas restaurant MoVida is located), has graffiti-covered walls that are ever changing. So surreal, it’s simply amazing.
Here are some graffiti artists at work, and each has got his own style.
[MELBOURNE] Little Creatures Dining Hall
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Little Creatures Dining Hall
Add: 222 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
Tel: (03) 94175500
Hours: [Sun-Thu] 10am~11pm [Fri-Sat] 10am~midnight
Website: littlecreatures.com.au
Price: [snacks] 3.50~14AUD [larger dishes] 10~19 AUD [desserts] 7~10AUD
Visited on: 2012-04
We popped our heads into Little Creatures, and were instantly stunned by its sheer size. This massive concrete-and-steel warehouse has 260 seats in total, and in all imaginable permutations too: bar stools, high tables for two, spacious booths, and long communal tables. What people come here for are the beer (there are no spirits and only a limited wine list) and the food, which involved some all-time favorites like pizza, fish & chips and nachos, as well as some Australian specialties like grilled kangaroo. Despite its size, this ultra popular beer hall is often packed and does not take reservations, so be prepared to line up should you come on a weekend evening.
[MELBOURNE] MoVida
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
MoVida
Add: 1 Hosier Lane Melbourne CBD VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9663 3038
Hours: 12pm~late
Website: www.movida.com.au
Price: 40+AUD/person
Visited on: 2012-04
If you live in Melbourne and haven’t been to MoVida, go. This Spanish tapas restaurant, nestled in a graffiti-covered cobbled lane near Flinders Street Station, serves innovative small bites that will keep you on your toes. The only thing you might not like about this place is how difficult it is to secure a table, and we tried to get around this problem by coming at a less popular hour - 2:00 in the afternoon – though we still had a 20-minute wait before we got seated at the bar.
But let me tell you, it’s well worth it.
To start, we cooled down with a glass of 2008 Yarraloch (12AUD), a chardonnay from Yarra Valley VIC.
MoVida offers both tapas (small dishes to be finished in a bite or two) and raciones (bigger plates to be shared amongst two or more people), and after taking a quick look at the menu, we decided to give the waiter full control over what to serve us.
[SHANGHAI] Salute
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Salute
Add: 59 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu / 复兴西路59号, 近永福路
Hours: 6pm~2am
Price: [food] 38~88RMB [house wine] 40RMB/glass
Visited on: 2012-05
Cold cuts, cheeses, and a bottle of wine in a green shaded courtyard. In this perfect weather (perfect for Shanghai, that is), one does not need much to be happy, and you can find this simple equation at Salute, a casual Italian nook on Fuxing Xi Lu.
The menu is written on a blackboard, and it’s kept short and simple. There are some antipasti items, cold cuts, cheese, panini, bruschetta, green salad, and a few desserts like chocolate profiterol and tiramisu (not house-made though). Note: Salute doesn’t accept cards, so bring your cash.
[MELBOURNE] The Hardware Sociéte
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
The Hardware Sociéte
Add: 120 Hardware Street, Melbourne
Tel: (03) 9078 5992
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 7:30am~3pm [Sat] 8:30am~2pm
Price: 20~25 AUD/person
Visited on: 2012-04
Ok, I can now say that I’ve eaten at the most popular brunch spot in Melbourne. When we arrived at Hardware Sociéte at 8:46am on a Saturday morning, only a mere 16 minutes after it opened, it was already full. At 8:46 in the morning, on a Saturday! What’s the charm?
[TAIPEI] The Sparkle Spa
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Sparkle Spa
Address: 2/F No. 294, Section 1 Dunhua South Road, Taipei / 台北市大安區敦化南路一段294號2樓
Tel: (02) 2784-9883
Hours: 12:00~11:00pm
Website: www.thesparklespa.com
Price: [body treatment] 3,000~5,500 NTD
Visited on: 2012-01
When I was looking for information on day spas in Taipei, The Sparkle Spa – opened by Jeffrey Huang (黃立成) - caught my attention. This is apparently a favorite among celebrities in Taiwan due to its very private setting: hidden on the 2nd floor of a non-descriptive building on Dunhua South Road, you wouldn’t even notice it unless you are specifically looking for it. Let’s explore, shall we?
Upon entering Sparkle Spa, the spacious rest area made quite an impression. The design is modern yet comfortable, with sharp geometric lines softened by the combination of natural wood and olive green. It’s almost like entering a well-manicured forest.
At the reception, I was greeted by a therapy consultant, who led me through a brief questionnaire regarding my body condition and needs. She then presented 7 different blends of essential oils, each focusing on a different part of the body: heart, throat, stomach, head etc., from which I was to pick out one that I particularly fancied. So what are we in the mood for fixing today?
[SHANGHAI] Le Petit Franck
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Le Petit Franck
Add: 374 Wukang Rd, near Hunan Rd / 武康路374号，近湖南路
Tel: 64331213
Hours: [Tue-Sun] noon~1:00am
Price: [snacks] 15~60RMB [plates] 50~170RMB [drinks] 25~180RMB
Website: www.franck.com.cn
Visited on: 2012-05
In weather like this, sitting outdoor while sipping a glass of rosé at dusk is almost mandatory. That’s how I found myself on a late afternoon just a few days ago, out on the charming (and much coveted) patio of Le Petit Franck in Ferguson Lane. Wine, simple snacks, evening breeze, warm glow, buzzing conversations. It’s quite perfect.
A glass of rosé (45RMB/glass), Chateau du Puget, Cote de Provence 2009.
Terrine de Campagne (80RMB), house terrine served with salad, bread, and some pickled olives and cornichon.
[SHANGHAI] Yuan Spa at Hyatt on the Bund
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Yuan Spa at Hyatt on the Bund
Add: Hyatt on the Bund 1/F, 199 Huangpu Lu, near Qingpu Lu / 黄浦路199号1楼, 近青浦路
Tel: 6393 1234
Hours: 10am~midnight
Website: www.shanghai.bund.hyatt.com
Price: Yuan Massage 60 min. 780RMB
Visited on: 2012-03
I had never been down to the lower lobby of Hyatt on the Bund, and as I descended the spiral staircase in search of Yuan Spa, I wondered why I didn’t discover this calming space earlier. The open plan design, with a boulder-lined river that spanned the entire length of the vast atrium, literally has “water, water everywhere”, which makes perfect sense for a spa that’s named “Yuan” (源), the Chinese character for “source of water”.
After checking in with the receptionist, I was led to the locker room area with access to the spa’s saunas, whirlpool, and showers. The space didn’t feel very private as there were quite a few people coming in and out of the pool, so if you prefer more privacy, you can choose to change and shower in the private spa treatment rooms.
My therapist led me across the hall through a four-cornered waterfall corridor (yes, more water) and into my spa room, which is minimally decorated in subdued earthen tones. The space is natural and modern, and I especially liked the window design which allowed in some natural light from the atrium while still guaranteeing privacy.
