I have been to this place a few times, however on my last visit, it will probably be my last! When I saw flies buzzing around inside the display cases and landing on the cakes and buns in the display, I immediately informed the cashier that the food was being contaminated. Instead of immediately taking action she continued to talk to the other assistant until I asked whether they are going to do something about it. She then casually walked over and chased the flies out of the display. I asked whether she was going to throw out the buns on display now that flies had been all over the food and she did not say anything. She just left them there and walked back to the counter. If I am going to buy bakery items from a shop I don't need the extra germs and bacteria from flies wandering all over the food! There does not seem to be any mozzie zapper or other deterrent to flies from wandering into the displays and on the food...

Approximate cost: $3

Looking for value for money, great tasting dishes and complimentary this and that? Well you can't go past Raramen. This place serves Northern Chinese/Taiwanese based foods - Dumplings run a plenty at this place and at around $10 for 15 you know you're gonna leave as full as! Top that off with complimentary tea, slurpees (with just enough sugar to have your kids bouncing off the walls - albeit a little watery) and dessert (red bean soup) make this one place that is a bargain. The quality is okay, remembering what you are paying, so there are no complaints and the serving sizes of other dishes such as noodles is generous. Service is average however you have to remember that the deal is about the food, not the service or the ambience!This place rules by its value for money offering in a hotly contested foodie district - there are in excess of 60 restaurants, cafes and food shops around this area! Whilst some may complain about quality, the number of people sitting in this restaurant is a testament to its offering of value and quality.

Approximate cost: $12

Nestled in the heartland of Doncaster is a restaurant that looks like it could be a contender to the always chock full of people at lunchtime yum cha restaurant, Taipan.

The place has plenty of room, lots of parking spaces and easy access because it is along Doncaster road and not far from the Eastern freeway.

Unfortunately the good news stops there!

We were there for yum cha and whilst there is a good range of dishes, the quality vs price equation is mismatched. Three people and about eight dim sum baskets later we were hit with a bill of almost $90!! The quality of the Har Gau was good but not exciting. The other dim sum such as the
Prawn dumpling with ginger and spring onion we found had too much salt resulting in drinking copious amounts of tea. The Kai Lan vegetables were okay, although some of the stalks were a bit chewy. We can understand why this place was not very full at these prices and average to good food quality it will need to lift its game to remain a place to recommend for yum cha.

Approximate cost: $10

When school holidays come around who are you going visit to keep the kids amused and yet doing something that keeps them active?

Give yourself and the kids a step back in time to an age when life was simple and the simple things are appreciated! Take a ride on a train line that has been around for 100 years traveling through natural Australian bushland and scenery. Bring a picnic lunch with you and when you reach the end of the line have a break and enjoy the natural surroundings of the park nearby. Then have a wander around and watch the birds and other wild life before the train heads back to Belgrave.

Alternatively you can elect to have a meal provided for you - check the website for different travel options: http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/wine-dine/ and http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/services-fares/

One of the best times to go is when there is the race between the train and the runners who compete to see if they can beat the train going from Belgrave to Gembrook! You can either ride the train or be one of the runners... (I think I'm ready to stop running and grab a taxi!!!(

The fares may seem a bit high but you can relax knowing that your contribution ensures that this blast from the past continues to exist and provide fun and enjoyment for current and future generations.

Approximate cost: $40

There are so many Thai restaurants around Melbourne nowadays you would think that we had as many Thai people as Greeks living in Melbourne. The problem with most is that they lack authenticity.

This little shop in the arcade however breaks that mould with some pretty authentic tasting Thai food. The cashier takes your order in English and then writes it on the order slip in Thai and gives it to the chef who also speaks Thai.

I order the garlic fried fish which is good and tasty, and tastes like that you would find in Thailand, however a little over salty from time to time - the quality varies on some days! The prawn spring rolls are interesting and contain the tail on the outside so you can grip the spring roll with your hand and dip it in the sauce. The fish cakes are better than most other places I have tried, however still lack the "springiness" when taking a bite and perhaps not enough fish to give a full bodied taste.

Pricing is reasonable with most dishes around the $10 mark which is generally a less than most other full service restaurants will charge for a similar dish.

Overall, this is one of the better fast food Thai cafes to visit. The good thing is that there's a Woolworths next door if you don't want to drink the water they supply or like the drinks in the fridge, you can always drop by and grab a drink you like!

Approximate cost: $10

For fans of Crystal Jade in Asia... hold your breath... and keep holding!! It just isn't so! I am sorry to disappoint! This is not the Crystal Jade you would find in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hong Kong or Bangkok!! :(

The owners of this place have taken the name of a famous restaurant chain in the hope of attracting fans of Crystal Jade restaurants around Asia. Unfortunately their food does not build on the reputation of Crystal Jade in Asia and when compared to other similar restaurants around Melbourne the question of good quality, value, and great service does not come up to standard. We were there for yum cha and the har gau, and other dim sum were just okay. It was nothing to write home about. The dishes do not compare to the "industry standard yum cha" of say Tai Pan or Red emperor. The pricing is also higher at around 20% more for some dishes than similar offerings at Tai Pan. Service was frustrating in that if our tea ran low we had to constantly flag down a waiter wheras in Tai Pan there was a waiter that constantly came around to fill the teapot.

Unfortunately this place does meet the high standards set by other restaurants in and around Melbourne. The thing to realize is that we are really fortunate to have such a high gastronomic standard in Melbourne which forces those less than satisfactory to lift their game or they will not be around for long!

Approximate cost: $9

For authentic Northern Chinese food at a reasonable price you can't go past this place. Highlights of this restaurant include Spring Onion pancake, Crystal noodles with chicken and mustard, turnip pastries, xiao loong bao, four season dumplings, hot plate chicken and vegetarian goose. Well, there's actually more but rather than spoil it for you it's better you visit the place to try the other dishes. They are also offering yum cha, however that is Cantonese or Southern Chinsese cusisine and their expertise is in Northern /Shanghainese food. One last suggestion, save room for the custard pancake or if you're a fan of red bean, order the red bean pancake for dessert.

A great place to enjoy Northern Chinese food.

Approximate cost: $20

Looking for Ski gear for the upcoming season? Check out the website of Riderplus at www.riderplus.com.au. The store operates via the internet during the summer season and they will be opening their warehouse during the Winter season to provide full service to their customers.

Last season I had a problem with another store who was supposed to be an expert at bootfitting (which is in another review I have made). However because of the other store's incompetence I ended up with severe damage to my foot as a result of the footbed not fitting properly in my ski boot. I ended up missing out part of the ski season last year as a result. Towards the end of the season I visited Rider plus and the owner David was very helpful and patient. He provided me with a range of things to try including providing other insoles to test in an attempt to fit the footbed made by the other store to my ski boot. After several tries there was a much better fit than before which made my skiing a lot less painful and no further damage to my foot. Despite spending about an hour with me, there was no charge for testing and trialling parts.

I ended up purchasing a few other items from them as they were having a clearance sale, although if you check out their website they have many things on sale now at greatly reduced prices.

I recommend rider plus as they are not chasing money like the other store I visited. They showed that they care because they spent the time to make sure that my needs were taken care of first. They were more concerned about making sure that it was right for me than trying to charge me for everything that they did. It's that kind of service that will keep me coming back to buy from them and when it comes time to renew my boots or other equipment, you can be sure they will be one of the first places I check out in Australia!

Approximate cost: $50

Purchased a few of these however you've gotta eat them pretty fast as they went soggy after doing the shopping and taking them home. Taste was okay, but nothing really special to write home about. I am not sure whether these are full of artificial flavorings and colorings like some bubble tea manufacturers. If you are after some cakes like eclairs or similar, it'd be better to get some from a real cake shop or even Bread Top stores.

Approximate cost: $5

TGI Fridays is an American staple. Starting in New York and spreading worldwide, this restaurant provides generous sized servings of Burgers, Pastas, Seafood and Steak.

Currently the Doncaster Store is closed and you need to go to Forrest Hill, however the fare is still consistent with what we got at Doncaster and unfortunately, the service is still slow when the restaurant gets full. Favorites at this place are the Fajita Tower, Burgers, and Jack Daniels Grills (Prawns, Steaks, Ribs).

Approximate cost: $30