Flavour Town Hotpot, Melbourne CBD

I came here with the girls to celebrate their graduation. There were about 8 of us and we were seated at one of the roundtables.

Although it's not a buffet like most other hotpot places, the ingredients were much more delicate and it didn't actually cost us that much more p/p. The egg dumplings are a must try.

Gaylord, Melbourne CBD

When R wanted to find a place to celebrate his birthday, Gaylord immediately jumped to mind although I had never been here before. It's certainly a Melbourne institution and I finally had a good reason to visit.

We had a large group and the staff were rather accommodating with our various demands. The dishes tasted typical and the tastes were familiar. The prices were fair and the portions were filling. It was a good venue for a large group and we had a good experience.

Eat, Drink, Bento, Melbourne CBD

A highly enjoyable midweek meal with N. The banquet contained some of our favourite dishes such as soft shell crab and beef tataki. The food was of exceptional quality and we savoured every morsel.

The mood lighting, the intimate seating arrangements and the candle on the table made the meal feel like it was a special occasion.

A special mention must be made of the waitress who served us - she was just simply magical!

Gaijin, Chapel St

Koala reluctantly agreed to come out so that we could celebrate his birthday.

We found ourselves at a cute little place close enough to the heart of Chapel St to make it popular, but not too close, such that we could still find nearby parking.

The boys were very hungry and ordered a series of substantial dishes until the kitchen announced that they were closing up.

As for us, we ordered an ice cream each and shared them amongst ourselves.

I would love to come back to try their sushi buffet option.