Bohjass, A pleasant surprise!

My wife and I went to celebrate for completing my work assignment last weekend at Bohjass after it being highly recommended by a colleague. What a pleasant surprise!

Despite some bad reviews on Urbanspoon (which actually stopped us from trying this place in the first place until we're recommended by my colleague), we enjoyed the atmosphere and the food at this restaurant. Personally I think this restaurant serves the most enjoyable main I had so far in Shepparton.

It also has the largest range of wines for selection in a Shepparton restaurant.

We had kilpatrick oysters for entree, my wife had mushroom risotto and I had the crusted lamp chops. Best lamp chop I've had so far! We will come again.

Interior of restaurant

Kilpatrick oysters

Crusted lamp chops with cheese filled tomato & spinash

Wild mushroom risotto

Currency Exchange Tips

It's been sometimes when I last posted on the blog due to work related priorities but now I'm back. We've been researching the currency market since we'll be travelling soon. Exchange rate is currently great to buy Japanese Yen (JPY). The last time 1 AUD can get over 100 YEN was back in 2008, so we've bought ourselves some YEN via Travelex using Cash Passport card. Keeping it handy when we feel like travelling back to Japan. Cash Passport card works like a debit card but you load your cash into the card before you travel.

One should compare the exchange rates, processing fees when looking for such a card but so far Travelex's card beats the banks' travel card by having no card processing fees (ordered online), no ATM withdrawal fees and better exchange rate.

It will still be wise to exchange at least some cash so that one doesn't have to look for an ATM the first thing on arrival to the destination to pay for food (where card is not accepted), taxi or train.

Rinaldo's, Wangaratta

We were in Wangaratta few months ago and went to Rinaldo's for dinner. Best Italian restaurant we've tried so far! Must try if one is visiting Wangarrata. For entree we had crispy fried soft shell crab and whitebait. We had Angus beef gnocchi and seafood fettuccine for main. Best gnocchi we've tried - basically melts in the mouth. The seafood is really fresh. For dessert we had tiramisu and creme brûlée. Very friendly and welcoming staffs. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals.

Interior

Crispy soft shell crab

Crispy whitebait

Beef Angus gnocchi

Seafood fettuccine

Creme Brulee

Tiramisu

Let's Bab, Chadstone

My wife and I love this place. We visited the place again last week. It is normally very crowded with people. Why? It has good food and yet cheap price! If I am back in my uni days, I would be a frequent flyer to this joint. My favourite is the bibimbap (mix of assorted vegetables, beef and egg - comes with fried egg in normal bowl or raw egg in hot stone bowl which will get cooked once you mix everything together in the stone bowl). Caution - the stone bowl is very hot! So far all the different set meals we've tried are really good. The Korean meals here are very authentic. Like most cheap joints, you'll be expected to pay at the cashier and get your own utensils and free water/tea. There are other cold beverages for purchase if one prefers.

Bibimbap set (in normal bowl)

Chicken with sesame set

Tatura Hot Bread

We dropped by Tatura to try its famous vanilla slice for afternoon tea last weekend. The bakery is very clean and the staff are very friendly. We only ordered 1 coffee flavoured milk shake and a vanilla slice to share but the lady brought us 2 glasses for the milk shake with extra still in the milk shake machine metal container!

The vanilla slice is good but we still miss the one we had at Jean Pascal in Hobart.

The Tatura Hot Bread vanilla slice

Last Straw Cafe

This is the most interesting cafe that we've been to so far. It's hidden in a light industrial zone that initially I thought we were lost. The building is made from wheat straw bales and hand rendered with sand and lime. Thai food is served here.

We had lunch consisted of seafood pad Thai for my wife, panang curry beef for myself and roti to share (I don't know why roti was served, as it was not Thai - a bit of fusion? - it went well with the curry though). The jasmine rice served with my panang curry was mixed with wild rice which gave it a reddish colour and extra aroma. We enjoyed our meal.

Exterior of the cafe

Seafood pad Thai

Panang curry beef with mixed wild/jasmine rice

Desi Tandoori Bite

Another hidden gem is what I would say about Desi Tandoori Bite. Just like Last Straw Cafe, it is situated in an unusual small commercial block within a residential area.

The food is great and price is reasonably cheap for indian meals! We had butter chicken, vegetable korma, roti & naan, mango lassi (Indian yogurt drink) to share. My wife recommends the butter chicken. I highly recommend the chef's special punjabi naan - indian bread with peas and potato fillings!

Interior of the restaurant

Butter chicken & vegetable korma

Roti & naan

Mango lassi