We ordered from here last night when my friends' usual Chinese takeaway was closed for the evening. It was good to try a different place for exactly that reason ... sometimes you don't know when your favourite place will be closed!

I found the Special Fried Rice to be a bit bland and uninteresting with very few tiny prawns to be found. The chilli chicken was meant to be of Szechuan origin but as a fan of Szechuan cuisine, I found there to be little resemblance. This is usually to cater for Australian palates though. It was tasty enough but a bit too cornflour-y for my liking.

The dim sims and spring rolls were overcooked but still very enjoyable and nicely crunchy.

My friend enjoyed his beef dish.

Prices are a bit expensive to be honest. What we did appreciate was the helpfulness and manner of the lady who answered the phone and took our order.

Would probably try again.

This place just opened very recently and my friend read about it so we headed over. It's a very interesting little joint, settled into a Besser block warehouse space with cement floors. There is seating outside and inside, and the decor consists of old op shop finds, some repurposed, a range of odd chairs and tables plus some fine examples of taxidermy ;). There's a big buffalo head and at the front, a stuff antelope to greet patrons. Vegans beware: there are also cow-hide covered seats.

We enjoyed the soup of the day and a steak with ratatouille and fantastic mashed potatoes. Later, we shared a chocolate mousse studded with candied pistachios and served with mascarpone. All the food was excellent.

One issue we had was with the ceaseless topping up of our water glasses which we found annoying after a while because it constantly interrupted our conversation. Just leave the bottle at the table so we can top up our own glasses! We found it intrusive and unnecessary. Service was good otherwise.

We were also 'invited' to add a tip to the EFTPOS transaction or, if not, just to click ok. I found this a little presumptuous too.

The ambience is good, prices reasonable and the service friendly (if a bit over-attentive). You can park on the streets nearby but make sure you read the signs and drop some coins in the meter.

The interior is inviting for a lingering lunch or to sit with your ipad and pass some time. No real negatives and especially being so new, Depo will improve as the weeks pass and it'll be enjoyable to check back in.

Since discovering acupuncture, I haven't looked back. It's worth every penny, especially in the capable hands of Heidi who owns the business. Heidi isn't Chinese, nor old, nor stuffy ... she's young, vibrant and very good at what she does. In fact, when I have neck and shoulder knots, the first remedy I think of is to go to Acuhealth.

Heidi has also helped me with a respiratory problem and I literally couldn't believe the almost-instant results.

Don't suffer in pain; make an appointment with Heidi and she'll tell you straight away if she can help you or not. Bet she can though! Health fund rebates available.

You really do get what you pay for, and at Zone Fresh, you pay for top quality. The meat at the butcher is amazing and the deli offers an incredible array of products, from antipasto ingredients to lots of cheeses, ready made meals and even roast chickens.

The fruit and veg is a little on the expensive side, but again, you won't find inferior quality here. Zone Fresh also stocks a massive range of interesting pantry products including things you didn't know existed. It's always nice to try something new.

In the fridge and freezer are similarly high quality (and high priced) products. My favourite is a chilli chocolate ice cream.

The service is always friendly and you can always get a park right outside.

If you need anything in particular, Zone Fresh will do their best to accommodate, e.g. deli platters, meat trays, special orders and so on.

Next time you need inspiration for dinner, this is where to go!

I had high expectations for Outback Steakhouse, especially as I'm from Brisbane and was eagerly awaiting the Aspley one to open. I happened to be in Sydney and we drove out to Wollongong instead.

The food is excellent! Can't deny the goodness of the world renowned Blooming Onion. The ribs were superb and my cocktail was well made.

Unfortunately, the prices are a bit out of reach for most. The ribs meal was $35 and I don't feel the price was justified.

The decor is lovely and it does feel upmarket - for a steakhouse - but the service let us down too. I think we must have had the work experience waiter! Anyway, we enjoyed our evening, even if we did have a little indigestion from the high prices. Would go again but only for a special occasion.

Tucked away with low visibility but for a sandwich board on the footpath is Brother Espresso on Maygar St at Windsor. Don't blink or you'll miss it, but once you discover it, you'll be glad to have somewhere new to stop in for brekky.

We had a great breakfast feast here, very fresh and tasty. Enjoyed the coffee and will definitely go back again.

The service was a bit aloof but that's the only drawback. You can park right outside on the street, and if you're in the market for a good pair of shoes, you only have to step through the door of the podiatrist business next door!

A friend who lives on the other side of the river introduced me to Paw Paw Cafe. Ordinarily, I may not have discovered it but it was a pleasant surprise and worth the trip.

The interior of the cafe is well decorated and comfortable, with a variety of seating options. There is a standard menu plus a blackboard menu which changes daily. If you want to see the kinds of foods they offer, click on the web link and it'll take you to their Facebook page where you can view the photos. Part of the fun is not knowing what's on offer until you get there.

The staff are really friendly and efficient. There's also an express window for people in a hurry so they can buy their coffee without having to walk around and through the cafe.

Plenty of parking on the street and there are a few spots in the car park behind the cafe.

Campos coffee is used and served with flair. In fact, Paw Paw Cafe has great personality. They even hold cooking classes there and at night, the cafe becomes Green Papaya restaurant. Very nice!! Make a point of going there soon.

A recent promotion (free soup of the day) led to us trying the Newmarket Hotel's restaurant for lunch recently. We were very pleased with the quality of the food and the efficient service. The restaurant is fairly spacious and airy and if you want, you can also go and play the pokies (we didn't).

The Newmarket runs trivia and many other promotions so it makes an excellent 'local'.

Parking is free in Reading Centre and the restaurant is easy to access.

I called the Hospitality Superstore looking for a particular item and thankfully, they had it in stock and put it on hold for me to come in later that day.

The store is irresistible! There's so much to look at and buy; everything from cutlery to bakeware, aprons, dinnerware, gadgets and even high end commercial appliances.

The staff are all exceptionally helpful and friendly and, being a family business, they obviously take pride in their customer service standards.

It was a pleasure to discover this business and I look forward to making many trips there. Park behind the store for free, access via Amelia St. Open til 2pm on Saturdays.

The food is seriously good here; it's like walking into your Nonna's house and smelling her cooking. We had plans for bacon and eggs but hey, you can do that at home. The lasagne was excellent!! Coffee's good and the service is friendly, even if the place is extremely busy.

There's so much to choose from, good luck deciding what to eat! While you're there, browse the deli and take home some good eats!