Frugal Foo

Last minute accommodation online booking websites are still useful despite hotel price guarantees.

The Stock Exchange symbol for wotif.com is WTF. It is also a three letter acronym perfectly describing how I felt recently when I discovered how much money I could have saved by booking my weekend accommodation with WOTIF, rather than directly with the hotel.


So last minute discount websites are still a great way to find stunning bargains, even several weeks before your holiday is due to begin. But that is not the end of the lesson.

Many big hotel chains other than Crown, have a price guarantee for bookings made directly with the hotel. They promise you won’t find the same room, with the same restrictions, for the same date, at a better price elsewhere.

 
By and large the big hotel chains such as Hilton and Accor, are holding true to the spirit of these lowest price promises, with equal or lower prices to be found on their websites. Potentially, however, there are more weasel words in these hotel price guarantees than a ferret convention.

There is still scope for the wotifs of the world to offer a better deal. And they often do. Last minute discount websites may offer competitive packages, adding food and extras, while tightening cancellation restrictions. Over all, the package could be a better deal than what the hotel offer directly. I suspect that if you tackled the hotel on their rate guarantee, sighting a better value for a package on a discount website, there would be enough wriggle room for the hotel to weasel out of the guarantee since the package is not directly comparable given the special inclusions and restrictions.

Frugal tips for the best last minute accommodation deals Websites such as WOTIF are handy for planning the holiday. All available options are displayed.  Find a room you like, then check elsewhere to confirm you have the absolute best deal. The best rate is often a phone call away, especially for small family run accommodation businesses. When booking online, check both the last minute website and the hotels own website.  The best deal could be on either. Last minute websites charge booking fees, usually between $3 and $6.

Last minute discount accommodation websites still offer the best deal for some hotels, but not always. However it’s rare that you would be much worse off booking via a discount web site. The best last minute deals can be found by a good old fashioned telephone call to the hotel directly.

How did you discover your best accommodation deals?  Please comment.

Tags:  Melbourne, wotif, holiday, hotel, Hilton
Also of interest: A Free Hotel Room in Melbourne, Cheap Hotels in Brisbane, Budget Travel Tips for Those Who Plan, Melbourne Is More Than Fun, It’s Free, Hoteliers - Prices tumble, so live it up!

DFO in Melbourne city is now harder to find, and bargains even harder.

A DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) conveniently located right in the middle of Melbourne CBD above a major rail and bus terminal was just too good to be true. Late last year DFO in Melbourne CBD moved away from the very central Spencer St address, to a previously unheard of location (unheard of to me) called "South Wharf".

Where is DFO South Wharf Open 7 Days 10am-6pm and until 9pm Fridays www.dfo.com.au/southwharf/
View DFO South Wharf in a larger map
Tram	Catch either the 70, 71 or 35 free city circle tram to the Docklands Park stop. Then walk 10 mins south across the Yarra and follow signs.
Car Park	$4 per hour up to $28 daily. 50% parking discount if you buy from DFO and validate ticket. Frankly there are cheaper options in town if parking on a weekend.

Still within a 20 minute walk from Southern Cross Railway Station, I'm quite sure that fellow die hard bargain hunters will continue to make the extra effort and flock to the South Wharf DFO, just as we do now, travelling epic distances to either of the other two Melbourne DFO's situated in far flung locations around the suburbs.

DFO’s are generally a little more difficult to find compared to major shopping malls. They are the shy cousin of the retailer clan. At family gatherings, the shy cousin can be spotted at a measured distance away from the raucous centre of all the action, serving some useful self-appointed purpose, such as official photographer or plunger coffee operator. Likewise, DFO's around Australia are often found away from the main shopping and town centres, dressed down architecturally, and a little tricky to find.

DFO South Wharf is no exception. It’s not all that convenient to public transport and driving will cost you in petrol, tolls and parking. So there is sunk cost before we even begin raking in the savings from factory outlet bargains. Being able bodied, and having an understanding of the city circle tram network, I chose to walk from the nearest free tram stop north of the Yarra River across Webb Bridge. From there it’s 10 minute walk across the river and following the signs to DFO. See the map at the end of this post.

Upon arrival I’m ready to shop. And having completed the epic journey to find the place, I expect some kind of worthwhile pay-off. I'm ready to buy something. Anything. Even if it's an irregular end of season man-purse, sporting a glitzy fashion logo and made by sewing together left over eye-patches from last years Pirate show-bag. DFO’s obscure location seems to be actually working in its favour judging from my must-buy-something frame of mind.

Perhaps it was naive of me to expect that the shelves would be lined with “reduced stock made up of discontinued lines, previous season’s stock, current end-of-season lines and special purchases” as described in DFO literature. Boy those silly clothing labels sure are making a lot of mistakes oversupplying their retail stores at start of season with such regular predictability that an expanding DFO industry can thrive season after season on surplus goods which could not be sold at retail prices mid season. Oh but there are those “special purchases”. I wonder what they are? Could it be that some lines are produced expressly for the purpose of stocking factory outlet shelves?

At this DFO, the shops look just like regular shops. Some of them reassuringly have the word “Outlet” somewhere in their signage above the door, but not all. The stock looks remarkably like that which I would find in any normal shop and the prices don’t look cheap. And I do wonder what would be considered “last season” in camping gear, jewelery or home kitchen shops. Not wanting to expose my fallible credentials as a male, but does jewelery have seasons?

Still we press on hunting for bargains believing that somehow smiling approval will shine upon us from Livinia Nixon, the face of DFO, who does not seem to have aged one day since first appearing on our screens eating Maltesers 15 years ago. Perhaps I too can halt the aging process by shopping at DFO.



At DFO I found a mix of both regular and discontinued lines. All shops boasted massive discounts when compared to a full retail price. I trust that the full comparison prices were once the actual asking price in shops for these items. But was the full price a fair price or wildly over optimistic to begin with? I choose to ignore amazing discount prices and consider only the current price compared with the prices for similar products available at other shops I can easily buy from that day. Disregard history. Prices for fashion items generally head downwards and stay down. If it’s cheaper than the other shops right now, then that’s a bargain.

But I wanted to be sure I would walk out with a genuine factory outlet bargain. Something I couldn’t get from a regular retail shop to make the extra effort of DFO worthwhile. I picked 3 shops to be the subjects of a little closer scrutiny – Wallace Bishop Jewellers, Colorado and Levis. At each I asked what factory outlet bargains were to be had.

All 3 outlet shops had stock which was also available at regular shops. Colorado and Levis also showed me discontinued lines which are what I came to DFO to find. If not for asking, it was not possible to easily determine which stock was that which would be found at a regular shop, and that which was factory outlet discontinued or outgoing seasons stock. But they are upfront about it when asked.

Wallace Bishop at DFO explained that their range of watches were the same as the retail Wallace Bishop, but at lower prices just because it was a factory outlet. I’m sure the retailers would not be happy to be undercut by the factory outlet channel. To be fair, my inquiries at this jewellery shop were limited to my sphere of knowledge in such a shop, which is watches. There may well have been a discontinued diamond ring or last seasons gold-plated clock under glass dome somewhere in the shop, but I didn’t see any glaring “discontinued” signage or labeling in this shop.

Colorado showed me a range of end-of-season men’s slip-on shoes no longer available in regular shops. Of course the price tags were a patchwork of markdowns on top of markdowns, but discounted comparison prices are to be firmly ignored.

The Levis at DFO seemed to be the most genuine factory outlet of the 3 shops in this experiment. It sold clearly labelled samples and seconds at cheap prices.

After my weekend visit to DFO, I followed up with a little tour to the retail counterparts in central Melbourne. At Wallace Bishop retail shop, I found their range of Seiko watches to have the same 40% discount as the outlet. At the retail Colorado, I did not find the slip on shoes I was shown in the outlet, so direct comparison is not possible. I felt that the prices were in the same ball park for similar lines seen in the outlet, plus the retail store offered 50% off a second pair of shoes.

In the end I thought the bargains were few and far between at DFO in South Wharf. Sure, eternal youth might be possible if you eat enough Maltesers at a young age, but at this DFO I found bargains to be unlikely. I remain unconvinced that DFO shopping centres are all that much different from regular shops. Bargains can be found if you know the going price of an item, just as they can at any shop.

What’s your experience with factory outlets? Please comment.


View DFO South Wharf in a larger map

An entire journey around the Earth ends at my table in a coffee cup at The Brazilian Bean cafe in Collins St. Those who are the best at their craft have had a hand in making my coffee where ever they are in the world. Beginning in Brazil where the coffee beans are grown, the green beans are then roasted in Italy, before being imported into Australia, ground and brewed by the proficient barrister here at this cafe in Melbourne.

A small coffee at The Brazilian Bean is $3. Initially I'm drawn in from the footpath by the blackboard special of fruit toast and coffee for $5. However once at the counter the egg, bacon and spinach rolls ($5) seem to call out my name from under the glass. Since my frugal breakfast budget is $5 which must buy the food and the compulsory morning coffee I go with the original plan and order the fruit toast and coffee special for $5. My coffee loyalty card is stamped which sets a cunning frugal plan in motion. If I keep coming back to The Brazilian Bean for breakfast I will achieve the free coffee and order the egg, bacon and spinach roll while remaining within the $5 budget. Dare to dream people!

And I will keep coming back. The fruit toast is the kind I always seek, packed with figs, dates, apricots, seeds and so on. The Italian coffee goes down smooth against the crunchy seeded fruit toast. Looking straight down Market St from the dining room at The Brazilian Bean I can count the number of illegal turns made by drivers in and out of Collins St. Otherwise there are newspapers to read if counting cars some how does not excite you.

Cooked breakfasts at The Brazilian Bean such as eggs Benedict start at $9.50.

Criticism: Its possible that the landlord is more of a miser than even Foo. On winter mornings at 7:30am when I eat breaky, The Brazilian Bean cafe is intolerably cold. For this reason I favour this cafe in the warmer months only. There are cosier budget cafes nearby in winter such as Moat, Hydra and the Bee Hive.

The Brazilian Bean
440 Collins St, Melbourne.
Open Mon-Fri Breakfast and Lunch




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It's not enough that I tell you where to go (and I mean that in the nicest possible way). Knowing where to eat in Melbourne city at value for money prices is as much about knowing a thing or two about how to seek out the best value cafe's and restaurants for yourself. After all, it is one of Melbourne's great simple pleasures to discover your own unique dining experiences. And when you do, be sure to share what you know with others, including Frugal Foo! You can eat out in Melbourne for under AU$30 per day for a whole day of good food, not junk. Don't worry, you won't be missing out on the diverse array of interesting and fresh food for which Melbourne is famous.

Conventional wisdom when traveling on a budget is to "eat where the locals eat". That way you avoid the tourist traps and experience a more authentic side of local culture. True, but generally Melbournians eat at home if they can possibly help it. They eat out only when working, shopping or for a special occasion when cost is not the primary consideration. So outside of business or shopping hours it is difficult to find casual eateries aimed at feeding locals cheaply. After hours the top notch pricey restaurants are open for business, serving locals and tourists alike. For the budget traveler, cost is always a big consideration. Keep meal costs to a minimum by finding the high turn-over, efficiently run cafes and restaurants open to serve city workers, local and international students and budget travelers.

In Melbourne cafes and restaurants, dining in is usually the same price as take-away, unless there are separate prices listed on a take-away menu. When dining in, you wont normally be charged for hidden extras that you didn't see on the menu. The only exception is a per head or per bottle charge for corkage if you bring your own drinks. Tipping in Australia has never really adhered itself to the local culture. You may tip for exceptional service but be aware that the proceeds are often pooled and distributed evenly among service staff.

Let's start with breakfast. At most cafes you'll find raisin or fruit toast or a muffin to be the cheapest option. Look out for blackboard specials with coffee or tea included for around $5. See the Coffee and Toast post for a list of my favourites. Muesli or eggs are widely available and tend to be a little more expensive. In Melbourne, coffee is almost always made using an espresso machine and not the drip filtered kind. At around $3 a cup it's relatively cheap by international standards in my opinion. To see a range of great value breakfast places in Melbourne click Breakfast under Categories from any page in this blog.

The Age Cheap Eats 2010 available here

For lunch salad wraps, salad roles, rice paper rolls, sushi hand rolls and toasted cheese sandwiches can be found for small money at Melbourne food courts and cafes. Spend between $4 to $6 on these items. More fancy foccacia's and hot meals will cost more. Cold drinks add cost and are generally loaded with sugar or some kind of nasty sweetener. Carry your own bottle of water or ask for tap water at any cafe which is absolutely free and better for you. Click Lunch under Catagories from any page in this blog to see a collection of places to eat lunch in Melbourne from $5 for the food.
If you're prepared to eat dinner early, (before 6:00pm) you can take advantage of food courts before they close at shopping centers such as Southgate and the Melbourne Central. You will find fresh healthy options at almost any Melbourne food court. Eating well is a matter of choosing wisely and avoiding what is obviously junk. If you don't fancy the tired old food on display, made-to-order stir-fries are available at most food courts. You can expect to pay around $10 for a hot dish, plus another $10 for a dessert and a coffee. Add around $6 for a glass of wine or beer. Popular for dinner are Southgate at Southbank and Crown which is open very late.

For inexpensive evening dining at restaurants it's a matter of seeking out those places which operate on a shoe string, supplying meals to a constant stream of locals and tourists all day and into the evening and can therefore offer good food at value for money prices. At these places you can expect to pay around $11 for a main. A little local knowledge will save you walking in to the wrong kind of cheap restaurant so read on.

For inexpensive Vietnamese cuisine in Melbourne's CBD head to the northern end of Swanston Walk where you'll come across a small scattering of very busy Vietnamese eateries. You'll find them as you stroll up the west side of Swanston Walk between Little Bourke St and Latrobe St. Brace yourself for crazy peak periods at lunch and dinner. You'll be sharing tiny allotments of table real-estate with other diners. Oh and one more thing round-eye, unless you like intestines only order what you understand.

Mekong Vietnam, 241 Swanston St, Melbourne. People come here for the Pho (Noodle Soup) - $8 for small, $9 for large. I must warn you that this place was recently singled out and fined for unclean premises. They have since rectified all problems and have been allowed to reopen after the Magistrate said they made a "conscientious response" to the charges. An optimist might argue it's better to eat somewhere that has just been through a major clean up because they are at a better known state of cleanliness compared to other places. Logical? Maybe not. Personally I wouldn't risk it. There are so many other options for Pho in Swanston St. Foo is cheap but not that cheap!
Melbourne Vietnam Noodle House, 251 Swanston Street,Melbourne. Most noodle or rice dishes are between $8 and $10.
Vietnamese Grill Bar, 305 Swanston Street, Melbourne. Rice or noodle dishes $9.20. Noodle and rice specials $9.50. Combination appetizer, main and drink $13.50.


A visit to China town in Little Bourke Street is a worthwhile experience. For downright cheap consider Camy Shanghai Dumpling House at 25 Tattersalls Lane (not to be confused with Shanghai Noodle and Dumpling House in the same lane). Prices for dumplings start at $4.50 for a plate of 10 steamed vegetable and mushroom dumplings.

There's no specific area for Thai food in Melbourne city. But there are good value places about the town. For example Chilli Cafe at 168 Russell St is open 7 days for lunch and dinner. Main meals from $10 to $13.

Drinks and snacks will also hammer your frugal food budget. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to drinks so I have not included them in the $30 budget with the exception of coffee and tea in the morning. Remember, Melbourne water is clean and free. Alcohol will of course come at a price. Arguably it's cheaper to take advantage of BYO (Bring Your Own) licenses at some restaurants around town. But watch out for corkage charges! "BYO" is usually clearly displayed on the restaurant signage and on the menu if they are licensed for BYO.

Avoid the temptation of unhealthy and expensive snacks at cafes and food courts by stocking up at supermarkets on snack items such as fruit and selected treats. This is especially true if you have children with you in town. The kids will want every dam thing they see decorated with a smiley face made out of lollies. The cost of a round of banana splits for each member of the family can add up. A true tight arse will open a packet of Tim Tams you bought from the supermarket and order yourself a coffee to justify the use of a table at a food court. I know I do!

This article uncovers an underworld of hidden Melbourne food courts offering excellent value for money and a variety of interesting fresh food.

You could swing a T-Rex by its' tail in the ground floor lobbies of many city buildings. So much prime real-estate, not doing much other than offering air-conditioned comfort to office workers as they routinely walk across the floor from the front entrance to the lift and back again at the end of the day. Thankfully free enterprise seizes upon the opportunity of empty floor space and small food courts have emerged in the lobbies and basements of many city buildings. These "mini" food courts serving city workers during the week are not generally well known unless you happen to work at the same location. Yet unlike a traditional staff cafeteria, the mini food courts are open to anyone.

Food courts sometimes carry a stigma as crass food halls catering for fast food junkies looking to have their fix of salt, sugar and fat delivered 20 different ways in no time flat. In Melbourne, as would be expected anywhere in the free world, you will find all the usual franchise brand food outlets posted at prime food court locations and poised to serve out bulk amounts of cheap rubbish. But, take a second look beyond the Krispy-McHappy-Whopper menus, and there is genuine food to be found in almost any Melbourne food court.

You can find interesting and relatively healthy food options just behind the counters of most Melbourne food courts if you really look. In Australia, some of the leading fast food brands have become quite innovative in their approach to satisfying demand from consumers who are now better informed about nutrition than ever. The bottom line is the choice is yours. You know by now what food is better for you and what food is best avoided. The size of the portion you order is also in your own hands. Australia is a free country and it's up to you whether you "super-size" to a large fries and cola, or choose the chicken wrap and a garden salad.

Weekday "Mini" Food Courts
Usually smaller than the big food halls at Melbourne city shopping centres, these mini food courts are generally found in lobbies of city office towers. The mini food courts are a good option for inexpensive breakfast or lunch if you're in Melbourne from Monday to Friday. Generally I pay less than $5 for breakfast or lunch at these food courts.

530 Collins, 530 Collins St, Melbourne. It's unlikely that a 50 foot high person will enter 530 Collins St, but the ceiling of the lobby is high enough just in case. Despite the daunting dimensions of the ground floor, I found this food court tucked away toward the back of the lobby away from Collins St. From the Collins St entrance keep walking past the cafes and beyond the elevators to find the food court hiding toward the north end. To my disappointment, the place boasting "Hong Kong Style Breakfast" was not open at breakfast time. However Tutti In Piazza came to the rescue with coffee and fruit & nut toast for $6.50. The lesson in Italian while you wait is free!

Bourke Place, 600 Bourke St, Melbourne. Some good value lunches are $5 for 2 sushi rolls plus miso soup at Fa-Suto; $5 for basic sandwiches at Coffee Art; $5 for 3 rice paper rolls at Bento Place Sushi; or $6.50 Vegie curries with rice and Drums Cafe.

Collins Place, 45 Collins St, Melbourne. The Spinach and Tofu squares drenched in a sweet salty soy sauce at Think Asia are a novel thing for $1.30 a piece. For lunch order 2 or 3 with steamed rice (add $2.50 for the rice). Chicken dim sims $2. Curry Puffs $2.50. At Vivaldi focaccias start at $5. Sushi rolls start at $2.30 from Sushi Rush.

The Foundry Food Court, 399 Bourke St, Melbourne. Falafel Kebabs from $5 and decent salads are $5 are available at Eds Food Hut. At Nutrients, food on their menu is listed the way all menus should be translated. For example the curry menu reads "Lean red meat + any 2 serves of carbs $9". I hope it works for them and the idea takes off. Imagine such a translation for the KFC menu!

Freshwater Place, Southbank. $5.50 for two bruschettas at In a Rush. $4.50 Salad roll from Kenny's Bakery. At Kenny's, there is a stand selling tempting lunch items in the corridor, but be sure to check out what's on offer at the counter inside. A Subway is also at Freshwater Place offering the usual worthy lunch time alternatives. Check out my Subway post.

Little Lon Food Court. Crn Exhibition St & Little Lonsdale St. The murals on the walls at this food court under the Telstra building would make for awkward explanation to little children. Nonetheless, for lunches under $5 I can recommend the $4 pack of 2 rice paper rolls, $3 falafel and salad wrap, $4 mini-baguettes or $4.90 toasted sandwiches. $1 fresh fruit. Coffee or tea starts from $2.80.

McPhersons, 546 Collins St, Melbourne. The conversion to a food court has not harmed the original art-deco architecture of the McPhersons building. The best value anywhere in Collins St is Maru Shih Delicious at McPhersons for good simple everyday food. Toasted ham and cheese sandwiches are from $3.45 or baguettes for $5.90. Nero has sandwiches from $5. There is also a Subway at the McPhersons food court which I have covered in my Subway post. For breakfast Maru Shih Delicious offers coffee & toast for $3.95. Coffee alone is $2.80. This is surprisingly reasonable tasting coffee. Speedy Nicks offers Coffee and Fruit Toast chock full of fruit, nuts and seeds for $5. Coffee or tea alone is $2.50.

Oaks On Collins, 480 Collins St, Melbourne. Wraps from $5. Hot soup with bread from $6.50.

Paramount, 181 Exhibition Street.
Major Food Courts in Melbourne City
Open everyday for shoppers, tourists and locals, these major food courts located mostly in large shopping centres are a tad more expensive, but still offer good value when compared with restaurant dining.

Australia on Collins, 260 Collins Street, Melbourne. Take the glass elevator or escalator down below ground level to the food court. Kebab World have falafel or lamb wraps for only $4.50. Having eaten the lamb, I would recommend the falafel since the lamb meat is that awful kebab sausage meat. Made to order stir-fries from Tasty Thia start from $9. Il Divo is here offering pub style food from as little as $10 for a Chicken Cacciatora or $13 for Lamb Shanks. Curiously Il Divo remains unlicensed to serve alcohol. Australia on Collins is open 7 days for breakfast and lunch and closes at 6:00pm Monday to Friday and at 5:00pm weekends. Il Divo remains open later for dinner everyday except Sunday.

Crown Food Court, Crown Entertainment Complex, Southbank. Open until very late, this food court is big on variety and probably the most expensive food court in Melbourne, but not by much. The costlier meals are a small price to pay for the location. There are some worthwhile free attractions at Crown including the Crown Atrium water and lighting effects featuring special displays at Christmas time and Chinese New Year. After dark feel the heat from the spectacular gas brigade fireballs on the river bank just outside the food court door.

David Jones Food Hall, 310 Bourke St, Melbourne. Not Cheap. But a good variety of interesting food to eat there or take home, heat and serve.

DFO Food Courts, 201 Spencer St, Melbourne. Direct Factory Outlets were once genuine manufacturers shops attached to warehouses and moving only stock which was not going to sell in retail stores. Now days I can't tell the difference between a DFO and a regular retail store. Anyway, here is yet another shopping center to explore in Melbourne with 2 food courts plus various cafes. The mural on the north wall depicting the entire history of Victoria's railways makes for a welcome distraction under trying circumstances while Mrs Foo seems to vanish into clothing store change rooms. The mural took 5 years for the artist Harold Freedman to paint (possibly while waiting for Mrs Freedman in the shops) and can be enjoyed from the viewing platform upstairs at the north end of the shopping centre.

Galleria, Corner of Bourke, Elizabeth and Little Collins Streets, Melbourne. Lean meat wraps can be found Wrappers. Weekend trading is limited at Galleria.

Southgate Food Court, Southbank. Dine by the Yarra river against the city skyline backdrop. Rhumbas has a licensed bar and a broad selection of food. Wine is $7.50 per glass. Main meals such as the lamb tagine make for a fitting main course at $11.90. Little India serves all manner of hot curries from between $8 and $11. Trading hours vary according to time of year but you will find the Southgate food court open 7 days until at least 8:00pm which makes it an option for an inexpensive dinner.

Melbourne Central Shopping Centre Food Court, corner Swanston St and Latrobe St in Melbourne Central Shopping Centre. Come up the escalator from Swanston St.

Melbourne Central Railway Station Food Court, beneath Latrobe St at Melbourne Central Railway Station (see map). Better value for money than the Melbourne Central Shopping Centre food court several floors above, this compact underground haunt is a favourite for commuters and students. Uncommon for a food court are a selection of steamed dumplings, dim sims and buns at Bamboo City. Assemble an inexpensive lunch such as a steamed pork bun, two dim sims and a dumpling for only $5. Noodle soup dishes are $7.90. The Melbourne Central Railway Station Food Court is open for breakfast, lunch and early dinner (if you don't mind eating before 6:00pm) 7 days a week.

Midtown Plaza, 246 Bourke St, Melbourne. Pitas from $3.50 at Purely Simply Natural.

QV Urban Market, 210 Lonsdale St, Melbourne. "Urban Market" is a brilliant marketing phrase to excuse the fact that absolutely no work was done to properly fit out this retail space, leaving shop tenants with the task of adding their own ceiling, wall and floor refurbishments within and around their shops. It barely works in my opinion. Still, massive volumes of customers come, eat and leave at a steady churn since no one really wants to linger in such a place.

Southern Cross Railway Station Food Court, Southern Cross Station in Spencer Street. "All aboard! Mind the gap." The fat controller waves his flag and Thomas the blue number one engine chugs off. Such memories are stirred awakening my inner child as I sit in the Southern Cross Station food court looking over the regional arrivals and departure platforms. All I need are a few dials and switches and for a moment it's just possible to believe I have full control over a life sized scale model train set laid out below. Back in present day reality, the trains are electric, the fat controller is replaced by technology and addressing station staff as "fat" may result in a "personalised" and very rigorous ticket inspection followed by a rather uncomfortable removal from the platform. Oh and as for the food, I had a chicken skewer on bed of steamed rice for $5.40. Steamed rice is healthier than fried rice and cheap but bland. Sauce it up with large helpings of the various sauces available on the counter (I warned you I was a tight arse!).

Melbourne CBD Food Courts Map

Click on markers within map to find food courts. Map can be zoomed etc.


Week day mini food courts


Major food courts



View Melbourne City Food Courts in a larger map

Sometimes it's more fun to leave a place with a story to tell, than to have had a "normal" night out. Despite anything you've heard about Camy the dumplings are worth it. I get the feeling nothing else matters more than dumplings here. Sure there's no ambiance, shabby decor, gruff service and an unidentifiable odour in the air but the queues at the door speak for the immense popularity of this place. Die-easy would-be diners sometimes come no further than the front door before fleeing when spluttered at by an abrupt staff member attempting to match parties of diners to scarcely available seats. But when you're paying $4.50 for a plate of 10 steamed vegetable and mushroom dumplings, or 8 beef or port dumplings, it's worth ignoring all the quirks. Fried dumplings cost a little more, but I wouldn't want to eat these succulent little babies fried. Dumplings are one of those Chinese foods it's hard to stop eating. Are you done at the ninth? Tenth? Eleventh? Just order another plate full.

The Age Cheap Eats 2010 available here

Help yourself to hot tea and soy sauce from the alcove near the front door. Cutlery, chopsticks and chili sauce is available at the tables. Expect to be seated at tables with other diners and bring cash to pay.

Camy Shanghai Dumpling House
25 Tattersalls Lane(not to be confused with Shanghai Noodle and Dumpling House in the same lane)
Melbourne
Open 7 days for lunch and dinner.



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2010 UPDATE: EL GRAN CAFE ON LONSDALE ST HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH MADAM KAYES PLATZ WITH A MALAYSIAN THEME. I just noticed this while walking past and fell over all the tables and chairs out front. Nothing struck me as particularly good value for money and Madam Kayes after my quick glance at the menu board while brushing myself off. El Gran is now located in South Melbourne on St Kilda Rd. I can't say if my original post below is still accurate. If anyone has tried El Gran in it's new location please comment.

The irony of the Beef Filled Arepa is that it is the cow that ends up inside the corn. Arepas are a corn bread which can be stuffed with a filling a bit like we would fill a pita bread. El Gran Cafe offers an authentic taste of South America off busy Lonsdale St in Melbourne. For $7.95, they offer a range of Arepa hot fillings you can choose from. The uninitiated gringo visiting here for the first time won't know what fillings to order for their Arepa without asking the staff. Upon request, they will produce a handwritten list of fillings from which you can choose. I ordered the Beef with Cheese Arepa for lunch (pictured). Interesting, but I found the beef to be a little stringy. I'm still flossing it out that evening. I'd be prepared to give the Arepa concept another try with perhaps the Chicken and Avocado next time. Other Latin American discoveries are Empanadas $4 (looking a bit like a pastie) or Spanish Frittata $5.95.

The best value lunch has to be the Pasta Dishes for only $4.95. Behind the glass counter you'll find little white bowls of pasta ready to be heated and served. Not huge, but just about the right size for a light lunch. Be early for those.

Breakfast also can't be overlooked. The most simple fare is raisin toast for $2 a slice. Thickly cut it's served with strawberry jam. A bagel is $4.50. Coffee is $3.60. Tea $3. There are all manner of traditional and contemporary hot breakfasts ranging in price between $9 and $16.

El Gran Cafe
South American food.
Open 7 days for breakfast and lunch.
139 Lonsdale St
Melbourne
http://www.elgrancafe.com.au/




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