On day 1 of moving to Chadstone we stumbled across this strangely named Korean/Japanese restaurant, and have frequently re-visited because of their rock bottom pricing, quick service, and satisfying portion sizes.

The food quality is surprisingly good for a budget Asian restaurant. Serving sizes are generous and all dishes come with bonus kimchi and complimentary tea and miso soup.

The staff are courteous and attentive, and you won't have to wait more than 10 minutes for your meal after ordering.

Yummy Bubblepia is great for a quick bite and feeding the family on a tight budget!

Approximate cost: $8

Taipan is an established leader of Yum Cha in the eastern suburbs and has a well deserved reputation.

Because of their popularity you always need to book ahead if you don't want to risk a long wait.

There is a huge variety of delicasies to choose from, each of which has been prepared carefully and authentically. When choosing dishes with your eyes it's hard to be disappointed!

Expect a lot of hustle and bustle, which is the mark of a successful Chinese restaurant. For non-trolley orders (such as asking for water or bbq pork buns to take home) you also need to expect that it will take a reasonable amount of time to be fulfilled (~20 mins, which is fair enough given that their service model is built around the yum cha carts).

Overall: Awesome Yum Cha with reasonable prices and service.

Approximate cost: $30

Upon arrival I was taken aback by a large sign "CASH ONLY." For a restaurant that can potentially charge in excess of $500 per table this was only a sign of the poor service to come.

45 minutes after arrival and our stomachs were grumbling and foots were tapping. No waiter had yet approached our table, so we had to approach them to ask what was happening with our pre-ordered ducks and if we could order additional dishes. 30 minutes later our duck orders arrived, which turned out to be a far cry from the hype that a friend (not present) portrayed it to be. It was acceptable at best.

Another 30 minutes of wondering whether our next course was going to arrive, the “Duck Fried Noodles” was placed on the table… Only the noodles were Udon and not the crispy fried noodles we wanted. I'm not sure how the order could have been taken down wrongly given there were only two types and we read word-for-word what we wanted and pointed at the menu. Already frustrated, we decided to eat it anyway. Now, how would you rate a plate consisting only of noodles stir fried with oyster sauce, bean shoots, and offcuts of duck meat? I'm not even going to dignify it with a star.

Save your cash (literally) and try another place for your Peking duck!

Approximate cost: $30

Coffee: As one of the best cafe's in Melbourne, Maling Room's attention to detail can be plainly seen and tasted. Their choice of quality beans and their brewing processes result in a coffee that freshens your senses and makes you feel that little bit happier!

Food: For a dish as simple as the "big breakfast" (bacon, scrambled eggs, spinach, tomatoes, bread etc) Maling room differentiates itself by preparing its fundamentals flawlessly. I have heard (and wouldn't be surprised) that they source their ingredients only from high quality suppliers, and prepare much of their food on-site. They produce a consistently delectable dishes every visit, and even offer daily specials if you want to try something a little different (Sunday's special was "Latin Breakfast" which I highly recommend!).

Service: Within only minutes of ordering I was pleasantly greeted with my hot fresh coffee. Meals were also prepared within very reasonable time frames.

Ambience: Built from a heritage Mailing room, the furniture and flooring emit a certain warmth through its rugged "aged wood." Noise levels are as expected for a successful cafe but tables are not packed close enough to cause any problems for conversation.

Overall: Maling Room's passion for coffee and good food is well reflected in the quality of their beans and ingredients. Prices are very reasonable and their service is highly efficient.

Approximate cost: $16

Food: Having eaten from the best hawker stores in Penang and many Malaysian restaurants in Melbourne, I was pleased to have a fairly authentic experience at Papa Rich. Serving sizes were reasonable for their prices. I had the Ipoh Hor Fun (flat white noodles with creamy egg gravy) which hit the spot for texture, consistency, and flavour. I'm looking forward to going again to try the delicious looking desserts!

Service: I like the idea of writing down orders on a pad as it reduces the chances of miscommunication. Also, rather than raising your hand and hopelessly trying to establish eye-contact with a waiter, you can simply press a button on the table and be attended to. Generally staff were friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable.

Ambience: Busy and bustling, as any successful Asian restaurant would be. Furnishings are clean and trim with classic dark wood. Menus have been masterfully created with professional food photographers, making choosing your dishes and drinks a pleasant experience. There is even a toddler play area which was great for our active two-year-old!

Overall: Papa Rich met all of my expectations and more, the only reason I'm holding back one star is keeping in perspective higher class restaurants which provide over-and-above quality of food, service, and ambience, but sacrifice on price.

Approximate cost: $11