Girls Weekends Away Blog

Yes girls it once was a Mortuary but thankfully that was a very  long time ago. The only thing that remains now of this buildings past is it’s name. This establishment is quirky and oozes warmth and charm. I have eaten here a few times and can I say on this visit the food was outstanding, thanks to a new Chef. For entree my friend and I shared the duck confit and walnut croquettes with duck parfait  and shiraz black pepper jelly and Sesame and pepper calamari. The croquettes were  outstanding, so good in fact that I am still craving them now! For mains I had the Pasture Fed Gippsland Tenderloin which was cooked to perfection, it basically melted in my mouth. My friend had the Roasted Pork Belly which was served with cider stewed apples and a pickled mushroom salad, with each bite my friend almost replicated the scene from when Harry met Sally. The wine list had a good selection and the staff were friendly and attentive. I can’t wait to get back to try the roasted pumpkin risotto with almonds crème fraiche and honey or even the The  Hawthorn (a waygu burger).

This new menu is to die for…To visit the website and see the menue  Click Here

Why not give in to temptation and get two adult tickets to attend Taste of Melbourne’s annual premium food and wine festival ($50 value) for $25.

Enjoy foodie heaven, when Taste of Melbourne brings together the city’s finest restaurants, for an unforgettable gourmet experience, all under the one beautiful, heritage-listed roof. From September 15-18, patrons can indulge their palates by sifting through the mouth-watering menu of dishes prepared by Melbourne’s most exciting chefs. Appreciation of coffee, cheese, fine wine and cocktails is enhanced with expert-led tastings, tutorials and the occasional dance off when things get heated over a parfait appreciation session. Follow the three ‘S’ motto and sip, sample and savour the gastronomic delights of the Taste Producers Market Just  Click Here. to enjoy… YUMMM.

Yes it is possible to have a great day in Sydney for Just $50 and here is How:-
- Breakfast, egg and bacon roll with coffee at picturesque Circular Quay $6.50
- Public bus to Bondi Beach $4.30 each way ($8.60)
- Swim in the ocean, FREE added bonus Lifeguard Watching
- Back to City for Lunch in China Town, Super Bowl has a Huge Bowl of of noodle soup with dumplings, prawns and pork for $10.50
- Then stroll down George street to the Rocks; wander down the cobble streets and hidden laneways and explore the shops..Free  and
- Now you’ve worked off lunch; it’s time for dinner, we suggest the First Fleet Bar & Bistro, where you can get a steak or chicken burger for $12 and with your change from $50 treat yourself to a glass or two of wine!!

Girls this is a must do! Take a group of girls and laugh yourself silly at the Saturday night Spag and Drag show. The Manly Sisters Drag Show is Melbourne’s best Value night out and is ideal for Hens Parties, Birthdays, Social Events, work function and or just a night out with friends.

Doors open from 7:30pm pm for pre-show CockTails and Drinks, with food from 8pm, then get ready for Melbourne’s favourite Manly Sisters bouncing onto the Stage at 8:30pm, with Camp Classic’s’ drag shows throughout the night. Watch out for the “Drag Stars” competition, where they  ‘drag’ audience members onto the stage to watch them strut there stuff! And after the shows, dance to the beat of DJ ‘Claire with the Hair’ playing the best retro, disco and top 40 hits! …and don’t forget your Camera to take a photo with the Girls!Dinner and Show package for just $49.
Book now on Tel: 0434 679 616 or
online at www.themanlysisters.com

Okay, Gertrude st Fiztroy is not exactly the CBD but we at GWA just had to give this fine establishment a plug on many fronts.

Firstly it is a high quality restaurant, that means it is a place to go on special occasions, especially for dinner, however they do have a great two course meal and glass of wine, lunch time special.
The food is exotic, using unique australian produce and  more importantly; is delicious.
From exquisite palate tempting treats like, wild barramundi, samphire, cucumber, spanner crab ravioli to dark chocolate parfait, honeycomb, marshmallow desert. YUM!
The restauarant is a great place to dine with a vibrant feel and staff that are friendly and attentive.
There is contemporary Aboriginal art and stories integrated throughout but more importantly is the incorporation of these truly Australian flavours into Charcoal lanes modern cuisine. There is a reason for this, as Charcoal Lane provides some of the best work experience, hospitality training and supportive environment to enable Aboriginal and disadvantaged young people to transition to mainstream employment. This as well as the food, is why we at GWA are such a big FAN. So girls why not treat your taste buds to the real taste of Australia and be comfortable and support a fantastic program at the same time. Charcoal lane is located at 136 Gertrude St Fitzroy. Ph 9418 3400 or visit the web site at http://www.charcoallane.com.au/about/ to find out more.

Just an hours drive from Melbourne in Yarra Glen is the Grand Hotel. This majestic heritage listed property is representative of the history that is the Yarra Valley;Victoria’s premier wine growing region. The Grand has traditional pub food, and finer delicacies for the discerning palate. In the warmer months they have live music Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Beer garden, what a great way to end the day after trying the local wines. The pub has large tables so that a group of girls can gather and giggle and also some cute nooks with open fires. The food is reasonably priced and when we ate, our little party were seated in one of the side dining areas. This provided us with a little more privacy and quiet; until we got there of course! Our meals were well priced and so was the wine (good wine list), later we headed to the public bar, another great nook. If you like you can also stay as they have guest rooms. Good idea if you do the wineries, lunch and then take in the entertainment on a weekend. For more information check out their web site at  http://www.yarravalleygrand.com.au/index1.html.

I had great expectations for this establishment; that from all appearances had a funky up market feel, especially when perfectly positioned in Argyle street on The Rocks. Unfortunately by the end of the evening I felt like I had stepped into an episode of Faulty towers. Where do I start… Firstly the establishment is known for its selection of wines, so it was no surprise that when my friend ordered a beer that they had to ask for a glass, after being delivered a bottle; yes it’s not elegant sucking on a stubbie in the middle of a restaurant. We even had to ask for additional glasses for the sparkling water as two people cannot drink from one glass. Obviously glasses only come with wine as they got that bit right. We ordered an octopus terrine to share and I  ordered King prawns on sweet potato gnocchi and my friend ordered fish stew. The terrine was satisfactory but the main meals took a long time, nearly one bottle of wine long to be precise. When we did get our meals they were wrong. The response from the waitress was amusing and I quote “Oh, I just heard you say fish”. So I guess to simplify things for the waitress they should only have one fish on the menu as the Mulloway delivered was not fish stew. Now can I say fish stew  and Mulloway have no phonetic similarity whatsoever, except that they are both fish. We were then told that they would start the main meal again and suggested that I can eat my meal while they prepared a new one for my friend. Or I could wait; with of course no assurances from anyone that my meal wasn’t going to sit under heat lamps while we waited for a new meal to be produced. We chose to leave as one hour had passed and were impatient and annoyed, not to mention being hungry. Anyway we went to the front desk to pay, at this point one would assume that the waitress had informed the management of the mix up. Well NO!  The two behind the counter left us standing there while they sorted out the price of a bottle of wine on someone else’s bill. Yes we encountered the “You don’t exist” I have better things to do now mode.  So in summary Wine Odyssey should be confined to wine and not food; based on our experience.
Like all restaurants we review, that do not meet expectations, we usually revisit them. This ensures that we are sure that the first review was not a one off misadventure.

Melbourne offers so many diverse things to do and if you don’t have local knowledge then where do start??
So here is our weekend suggestions to ensure your time in the city is full of fun and laughter.

Friday night check into your accommodation ( check the GWA site for suggestions)
Start out by putting your party shoes on and head off to one of Melbourne’s bars. Here are some of our favourites:

• Silk Road in Collins Street
• Collins Quarter in Collins Street
• Transit in Swanston Street
• Seamstress in Lonsdale st
• Blue Diamond Club in Queen St

After a few quiet bubbles its time for dinner and as Melbourne is full of fantastic restaurants the choice is almost endless. Here are our suggestions again

• Chocolate Buddha at Fed Square
• Movida in Flinders Street
• Scusami at Southbank
• Eurpoean in spring st
• Punch Lane top of Little bourke

Or stroll down china town, there are plenty to choose from. Our favorite is Longrain at the top end of little Bourke.

After dinner why not head to one of the bars, where people watching is always fun but remember not to stay out toooo late as there is shopping to be had on Saturday.

Our suggestions of late night bars where you don’t need to yell to have a conversation are:

• Long Room in Collins St
• Madame Brussels in Bourke St
• Society in Bourke St
• Martini bar in Collins St

Saturday if breakfast is not included in your accommodation then my suggestions are:

• European in Spring St
• Ludo in Queen St
• The Young and Jacksons opposite Flinders Street Station.

Now your tummy is full its time for shopping!

Melbourne is renowned for our funky boutiques, outlet stores and high end fashion.
If its bargains you want then catch a tram and head to Bridge Road Richmond for factory outlets or for Shopping under one roof get a bus to Chadstone; which is the largest shopping centre in Australia.

For High end fashion head to the Paris end of Collins St. Alternatively why not check out the laneways and secret shops, take a ”hidden secret” tour.

As we know shopping can be tiring so Saturday night why not stay in put your feet up and relax, you can order in dinner by using cuisine courier.
Sunday:
After breakfast head down to the weekly outdoor market along the banks of the yarra, just near the Arts Centre and Southbank. You will find  lots of homemade gifts, funky jewelry and street performers.

If you are like me, by now you would have had enough of shopping. So why not indulge in a spa treatment before heading home.

My suggestions are:

• Aveda on Spring
• Ella Bache at Melbourne Central
• Orchid Day Spa in Hardware Lane

We have now shared a few things to do in Melbourne, so whats holding you back? Why not start organizing your weekend away now!

 We at Girls Weekends Away can also help you to plan and organize your weekend for you. That way you can focus on having fun while we focus on making things happen. This includes all of  your bookings, we even provide you with a daily itinerary.

For more information email at bookings@girlsweekendsaway.com.au

Well, a little bit of the Melbourne CBD has found its way to East Doncaster. The Tender Trap, positioned on an eatery and shopping strip on Blackburn road is almost unnoticeable from the main road. When you step inside though, it has a personality of its own and one could almost be anywhere from the CBD to South Yarra. The locals have well and truly embraced this establishment and dress to impress as the decor, food and waiting staff all combine to remove any suburban feel that this establishment could have had. We enjoyed an entree of zucchini flowers (a special), I had the slow cooked chicken breast and my friend had the fish of the day. Both meals were well in line with city standards and definitely worth a trip to East Doncaster. Special mention goes to our waiter Ben who was attentive and well mannered, (without being stuffy). Well done Tender Trap! The Tender trap also has set menus and Tapas. 

Where:- Shop 2/266 Blackburn Road
East Doncaster Victoria Australia
(Melway Reference 34 C12) Phone +613 9842 3466

The Eco Resort Cafe & Bar is a part of the Phillip Island Eco Resort complex managed by Accor. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa and decided to try the restaurant for dinner. As it was a warm night we sat in the outside area that overlooked the pool. The restaurant has a very rustic beachy feel and our waitress Erin was pleasant and attentive. We ordered a share platter for entree and the pork for the main. The share platter was okay and we chose the pork as we had received verbal accolades from locals that, that was the way to go. Unfortunately we were bitterley disappointed as the meal was tough and we were forced to leave most of it. The saving grace on the night was Erin, who ensured that we were well catered for with refreshments (due to the fact that we did not eat all of our meal) and cheese. Thank you Erin for your happy smile and great customer service, as with all our reviews we will probably give the eatery a second chance.

Melbourne is renowned for its lane ways and the culinary treasures that await those who are prepared to do a little research and explore these sometimes hidden gems. Movida is one of those exceptional eateries that is nestled down a laneway hidden away, even though it is almost directly opposite Federation Square. This Spanish restaurant is a must if you are visiting Melbourne and reflects the depth of culture the city has on offer. The food is exquisite and is perfect for a group of up to 6 (this is their booking limit). Bookings are essential and it is not unusual to have a que waiting to be seated. On this visit, as in the past we left everything to our attentive waiter. This way you get to taste a range of mouth watering Tapas as well as any daily specials. This is not a place to go if you are looking for a cheap night out, nor should it be. So you should be prepared to invest a little in yourself, and it is well worth it. Movida is located at 1 Hosier Lane. for reservations call on 9663 3038 and their web site is www.movida.com

This has to be the best authentic sichuan food that I have eaten all year. Now can I say that that is a big statement coming from a person who spends endless hours visiting restaurants. We only found this after a recommendation from a friend, (thanks Michael) who themselves had stumbled across this little delight. It is hidden away up one of the lane ways that Melbourne is famous for- 26 Corrrs Lane and if you like spicy food then this is the place for you. You can BYO wine and I do suggest a cold bottle of Sav Blanc to compliment the food, and or if you are partial to hops then order a Chinese beer. The meals are large and well priced and can I say they are delicious! Be prepared for lots of noise and lots of spice, if you don’t like spice then you are missing out on this little gem. This almost has to be the pick of the year in 2009 for my taste sensation. You can book on 96508589 and they are open for lunch from 11.30am to 3pm. Dinner from 4.30 to 9.30. Girls this is definitely one not to miss.

This little gem is on the outskirts of the city in Queens Parade, Clifton Hill. Girls if you want to share meals, this is the place to go as the meals are HUGE and I mean big. So if you are planning to go there Think big! Can I say though that one meal (if you are not sharing) will last you the day, good fuel for shopping!! Mosskito is everything you want it to be, drinks lounge, cafe, restaurant and bar. The best thing is that the food for what you get is reasonably priced.  With an open fire place, large Chesterfield couches and a huge projector screen it’s an ideal place to watch Friday night footy. If you are there to eat, then come hungry. The menu has many of the old pub and cafe favourites including; parmagianas, pastas, calamari and steaks (just to name a few) and they come in huge serves!

This place has not changed for years. Don’t expect fancy tablecloths or even a wine list, Pelligrinis boasts authentic home cooked pasta and lots of it. Its cheap fresh food with friendly fast service. This place a must if you are a fan of Italian food and culture. Mains cost approx $12- $14 and deserts $5.

The environment there is fantastic and you may even get to sit in the kitchen where you can watch the experts tossing the pasta and of course finish off your meal with one of their great coffees. This girls is also great for people watching. Pelligrinis is at 66 Bourke St Melbourne

Want to sit and watch the world go by??  Why not start the day off with brekkie at  Young and Jacksons opposite Flinders St Station.

This hotel offers one of the best of brekkies at half the price of many 5 star hotels and has the advantage of you being able to eat while you people watch.

We had the big brekkie which sustained me for a full day of shopping, and my girl friend had the pancake stack which  was covered with fresh berries and syrup…yum just what we want for a cold winters day.  The coffee was great and so was the service and we were warm while we watched the people outside pass by.

High tea girls? Yes our Grandma’s were doing it years ago and now so can we. Cucumber sandwiches, tea and girly gossip all seem to work so well together. So for something different try the Strangers Corridor at Parliament house. Now girls, this little gem is usually reserved for MP’s and on their days off we get to share salmon & cucumber sandwiches, scones, jam & cream (yum) while having a cuppa, or maybe a glass of bubbles. The corridor is open weekdays between 2.30 and 4.30 unless the members are in session. Bookings are essential so phone 9651 8583.