Girls Celebrating Spring

Tuesday September 5th, 2017

The first day of Spring is always something to be celebrated. As a young woman living in Melbourne, I chose to mark this momentous occasion the only way I knew how. By spamming the group chat demanding that two of my best ‘gal pals’ head out on this still slightly less cold (yet, definitely still cold) Friday evening.

Akachochin

We started at Akachochin. I’ve had a lot of friends recommend this restaurant to me, so I finally got around to checking it out. And I am so pleased I did. Named after the red paper lanterns found hanging outside of izakayas, Akachochin offers a traditional Japanese feel, whilst somehow still upholding a modern twist. In the spirit of things, we started out with a round of sake and shared a plate of the Hiramasa Kingfish sashimi with a Tofu Chia Seed salad.

If you are a fan of sashimi, I would highly suggest you try the Hiramasa Kingfish. However, if you are a little bit apprehensive about raw fish and prefer your seafood cooked, the Gourmet Chawan Mushi looked amazing. The staff were extremely hospitable and were so helpful when it came to recommending and assisting us with our millennial dietary requirements. I found their menu to be extremely well priced, especially when considering the quality of the foods and of course the beautiful location right by the water. So after one final lychee chu-hi cocktail, we were off.

 

Japanese restaurant

 

Plus 5 Bar

From Japanese to a fusion Spanish/ Italian food and cocktail bar. Our next stop was Plus 5 Bar. As soon as we walked in we were notified of their weekly Friday deal. Half price bottles of champagne. PSA: I cannot stress how dangerous it is to tell three women that a bottle of champagne is half price. To my surprise, we were quite well behaved and only had one bottle between the three of us (is this what growing up is like?).

The vibe here was really nice. Featuring a great outdoor seating area with what my friend described as ‘mad heaters’ which kept us nice and toasty. My favorite thing about Plus 5 is definitely their extensive cocktail menu, as they offer so many classic cocktails with a modern twist. I’m already planning my next night out back here as there are still so many that I need to try

 

Plus 5 bar and dining

 

Munich Brauhaus

Sticking with our culturally diverse theme for the evening we ended at Munich Brauhaus. This place is seriously so much fun. It was fairly busy, but this was certainly not a negative, as the energy there was contagious. The bartenders were so friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the different beers..(or should I say biers!) available. They even taught me about the Bier Purity Law a.k.a Reinheitsgebot, a Bavarian law that ensures that only four natural ingredients are used; hops, yeast, malt, and water in all German bier.

Even though this law is technically not still in place, many Geman brewers still advertise their commitment to this purity standard. Munich Brauhaus really makes every day feel like Oktoberfest, a cause that I definitely support. Usually around this time of the night is when I’d beg my friends to take me to a truck stop kebab shop on the way home, but to my greatest joy, the kitchen was still open. This obviously called for a Bavarian Tasting platter. Firstly because my eyes are bigger than my stomach. And secondly, how is a girl meant to choose between trying her first kransky and faithful creamy mash potato!

Munich Brauhaus
Naturally, this is where the night gets a little bit blurry, so I think I best leave it there. And after all, as they say; what happens in Munich, stays in Munich.