As with many places I visit for a meal, you need to know what the kitchen is good at and what they are not good at!

I visit this place for lunch and dinner and depending on what you are looking for, there are some dishes that are brilliant and others you could do no worse by cooking it at home by yourself!

The Char kuey teow (fried noodles with seafood and chicken) is well done here as is the Nasi Lemak (coconut rice with curry and condiments). At lunch time they offer a lunch special which includes a drink for around $11 - not a bad deal!

For dinner I recommend the Beef Rendang Curry and the Belachan Kangkong. Add coconut rice and you would think you're back in Malaysia! Also recommended as an entree dish are the ling goreng and the lobak, however with a single roll, the lobak is expensive for what you get.

Dishes that you could probably find better elsewhere include Hainanese Chicken Rice (very plain, picked veggies did not go well and the vinegar flooded into the Chicken meat), Roti Chanai (which seemed to be rubbery) and Laksa.

If you know what to try (and now you do!!) then hopefully you can see the other side of this place!

Approximate cost: $12

For those who have seen Charlie and the Chocolate factory... this comes pretty close! The place is a temple dedicated to anything chocolate related and the quality of the menu items reflects their dedication to ensuring that your experience is bar none!

I ordered the banana praline crepes and had a mint chocolate hot chocolate with it and it was pretty much chocolate overload... but it was soooo good! The crepes were thin and just the right level of softness with crispiness and the bananas were not over ripe blended with a smooth hazelnut praline topped with chocolate on top made it one decadent dessert! The choc mint hot chocolate had just the right hint of mint flavor and did not overpower the chocolate flavor. The prices whilst we initially thought were high, are actually good value for what you receive as the quality is very good.

Highly recommended after a meal or a movie!

Approximate cost: $20

For fast, tasty food on the run, visit China Bar in Doncaster Shoppingtown. This store has some menu items that do not feature in other China Bars - such as the Teriyaki Salmon Rice and you can also buy dim sum frozen to take home. There is no free tea like other China Bars, however you can always grab a drink from Coles or Woolworths which is a short walk away. Most of the time the dishes come out quickly, however on a Friday night you might be waiting a while as the place fills up fast.

Approximate cost: $15

Golden Dragon Palace was setup to be one of the top places for Yum Cha in Melbourne.

However we find that this place is similar in concept to Plume which is not too far away.

The place exudes luxury with its high class paneling and elegant tables and chairs, however the proof of any yum cha is not in the decor but the food and its offering.

We found that the dim sum was good but not as good as our number 1 place, Taipan. However the price does not reflect the value that they claim to offer. Some dishes also came out and were cold so we needed to send them back to the kitchen to be reheated. Basics such as har gao (prawn dumpling) lacked "springiness" and freshness in taste. Siu mai tasted overly porky (perhaps lower quality meat?) and should have shone through with a hint of prawn however we could not taste it!

It was also a bit frustrating as we had to also flag down staff to help refill our tea, which for a high class yum cha place we should not need to do.

The value vs quality equation did not match up for us, we find that there are other places that offer better service, better taste and better value.

Approximate cost: $10

There are some things this place does well and actually we found the Chicken rice okay. It's not the top of the line place for it however it is better than many other places we have been. Note, the original chef who used to work here is back and hopefully those that found things not quite up to standard before should see an improvement.

Something new that I really enjoy is the Popiah. That's freshly made spring rolls Malaysian style - the skin of the spring roll is not fried and the ingredients are a great blend of veggies and a tiny hint of meat. All that is needed is to ask for some hoi sin or chilli sauce and you are set! The price is also a very reasonable $5 (at the time of writing) for about five pieces which is quite a large spring roll.

Also good here is the belachan spinach and the fillets of sweet and sour fish. The lobak has dropped in quality as the meat inside tended to be a bit more like soggy mince however it's a case of knowing the dishes that they can do well and the ones that are better left alone. As mentioned by other reviewers we also found the Yam ring a good dish as is the carrot cake with its great blend of white raddish, spring onions, dried spring onions, and soy. Other recommended items include mixed vegetables with tofu, pork hock (leg), belachan kangkong, pepper fish fillets and fried spicy salt flounder.

Menu item pricing has gone up a bit and servings sizes tend to be reasonable. We enjoy the fact that this is one of the few places that offers plain, coconut and chicken rice so you can mix and match your rice with the dishes you order. Although some find the plain rice too wet for their liking, so go for the chicken or coconut rice which is drier.

The decor is, well, suburban, but you couldn't expect much else, and the service can be a bit frustrating as they seem to have wait staff come and go quite a bit - students mostly!

Overall a good place to visit for Malaysian at okay prices - it's still better than our experience at Papa Rich which is not far away!

Approximate cost: $25

Looking for a place with authentic Malaysian and Asian flavors? How about mee goreng the way it is in KL or Singapore, or Char Kuey Teow? Chicken Rice - Hainanese style? This food mall has it and it's very authentic.

The only thing with this mall is that you have to look past the decor and setting - it does look quite worn out, and you should get some hot water to rinse the knives and forks from the self serve counter, but the taste of the dishes on offer are well worth the effort. Prices are also reasonable at around $10 for a good sized dish of noodles or whatever else you are looking for.

On Sundays Durian fans (definitely not my thing!) should try the durian puffs - light flaky pastry with a durian filling that many consider heavenly!

This food mall has a variety of restaurants which also serve Japanese sushi, Indian, Chinese Dim Sum (to me it was not up to standard!), and some Western dishes. The main reason (and the queues prove it) for coming here though is for the Malaysian style hawker food.

Just make sure if you go there on a Saturday or Sunday you go early. The place fills up fast and the Malaysian Hawker stall - if you don't know which one it is, just look for the queue! You have been warned!

Approximate cost: $12

Breezes is a restaurant with a relaxed and open atmosphere which has simple yet elegant settings, and overlooks the Yarra river. It's a great place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with family as the place has an emphasis on space and light.

The food on offer is a mix of Australian and French inspired techniques with an emphasis on keeping things simple to let the quality of the food shine through.

The tenderloin steak is recommended here and is cooked medium to medium well to ensure that the steak is not too chewy but at the same time not too raw. The peppercorn sauce provided was a little on the short side (A bit more would have been nicer to cover the steak fully) and had enough bite to add intensity to the flavor of the steak. The pan fried salmon presented well with the skin seared just so that it was crispy but not burnt and the smooth chickpea puree blended well to provide a smooth texture against the chunkiness of the salmon. The King George Whiting was also a favorite which was fried in batter and presented with chunky chips. The batter proved to be well drained so that the taste was not oily and no oil seeped onto the plate. The roast pork loin proved to be also well prepared. The meat was easily cut off the bone and the flavor of the pears and macadamia blending well providing a semi sweet and nutty flavor. Unfortunately the crackling was a little too hard and part of it when cut ended up flying onto the floor!

Overall the dishes are well prepared and well seasoned with ingredients that ensure that the main ingredient is the showcase. The only issue was that the serving size, apart from the whiting was adequate or the accompaniments were not quite enough to make a fully satisfying meal. Side orders such as french fries, salads and mash proved to be average value for the size offered. The French Fries were more like large chips - not thinly sliced but actually more like the thickness of chips you would find in the supermarket.

The service by wait staff was always friendly and helpful, if a little slow sometimes and not all dishes arrived at the same time - a bit of a wait for some.

On a value equation the meals represent only fair value for money and as with other diners we used the Entertainment card which made it good value for money. Had it not been for the card then we would have considered this an expensive place to dine when compared with other offerings in the area. There is an option of a special for lunch which provides two courses ($44.50) or three courses ($49.50) plus a side dish which brings the value equation back into line. However this omits the top of the line dishes like the two top line steaks, rack of lamb, and Moreton bay bugs.

Overall a very nice place for semi casual dining with good ambience and service.

Approximate cost: $40

Looking for fresh seafood but don't want to go out and catch it yourself? Make life easy by heading down to the city and booking a table at Golden Century.

If this restaurant doesn't have the seafood you are looking for then it probably has not been caught yet! They have over 20 tanks of live seafood ranging from oysters, scallops and pipis to fish to crabs to lobster. Just walk up to the tank with the waiter and select the one you want. Within 20 to 30 minutes or less it will be on your table made just the way you want (Chinese style options - such as with ginger and spring onion for crab or lobster, gently steamed with soy sauce and spring onion for fish or black bean for the huge New Zealand oysters that fill a plate!

Even if you are not a fan of seafood, there are many other options of Chicken, Duck, Beef and vegetables, all cooked with the same level of skill to enhance and bring the best flavors out of each ingredient. A favorite of ours is the Crispy skin chicken for non seafood lovers.

The question of quality and value are well answered by how busy this restaurant gets on most nights. It is highly recommended you book ahead to ensure a seat. Understand that many very popular seafood items will run market price which is not determined by the restaurant but by the markets that sell them. If you are after quality, this is the place to go. Put it on your top 10 list of restaurants to try in Sydney!

Approximate cost: $50

Looking for highly authentic Vietnamese cuisine? Then it pays to take a trip to Indochine in Box Hill. This place prides itself on genuine, authentic high quality Vietnamese cuisine. Its prices are not the cheapest in Box Hill but what you are paying for is quality. The Pho noodles here isn't something that someone just threw together with a bit of msg in water - the soup has depth and taste - stir in the onions with the beef, coriander and noodles and the flavour bursts through each bite of noodles and beef.

Vietnamese crepe here is also highly recommended here - crispy yellow shell filled with a mix of prawns, pork and veggies that provide a great mix of textures with the nuoc nam (fish sauce).

Prices here as mentioned are a bit higher than most places in Box Hill however this is reflected in the quality of the food.

Approximate cost: $15

This place has been in Box Hill for 30 years, surviving and even flourishing in the light of competitor after competitor. It has even outlasted its competitor across the road - a restaurant once called Sunny Court. The only other place with equivalent longevity is Indochine (please see my review of this place)

As a testament to its consistency and quality, the restaurant is busy almost every night which means that bookings are be best way to ensure a seat. Whether it be a Tuesday night or a Friday night the place is busy.

Favorites at this place include the Vietnamese crepe - a nutritious and tasty blend of prawns, lean pork, bean sprouts, and veggies all wrapped in a golden yellow, light and flaky crepe. Cut a piece, add the sauce and lettuce and away you go - textures of crispy crepe mixed with the smoothness of the veggies, prawns that are cooked just right and crunchy bean sprouts provide a taste sensation.

Sizzling Rockling fish is another recommended dish - add the fish and the sauce to bowls of rice and the flavour shines through the rice and the fish pieces.

Chicken Maryland with tomato rice, a traditional Vietnamese dish is also recommended. A piece of deep fried chicken with rice infused with tomato flavour blends well to make a great dish if you are not sharing dishes but ordering single serves as does the broken rice with its mix of fried egg, various meats and veggies.

Some may complain about serving sizes - they re not large by any means but can be considered sufficient given that prices have not risen significantly and remember you are looking at quality over quantity.

The longevity of this place reflects its quality, however from time to time service can be slow or abrupt as there are so many diners in the place whether it be 6pm or 8pm dining - especially on Fridays or Saturdays. Sometimes there are insufficient staff for the floor when the place reaches peak capacity. On a value for money vs quality comparison, it represents good value for money for good quality food.

Approximate cost: $15