After a severe knee injury a few years ago, I was referred to Monash Medical Centre in Clayton for physiotherapy sessions and outpatient medical appointments. At first I was frustrated by hospital trips, but I quickly discovered the Zouki Cafe on site at the hospital, and my frustration turned to looking forward to lunch or dinner after appointments.

My personal favourite from Zouki is their sushi. It is always fresh and has the perfect flavour to it. As well as being a huge fan of the sushi, they have a huge range of cakes and slices which are to die for, and a large range of drinks including regular and diet fizzy drinks, milkshakes, smoothies, juices, and some of the best coffees and hot chocolates ever.

While going to the hospital can be frightening, upsetting, stressful, or boring, the Zouki cafe gives visitors, staff, and outpatients a great environment to relax and unwind in. My only complaint would be that some prices are a little hefty, presumably due to the company's monopoly position.

While I am not a huge fan of cupcakes, this is my go to place if ever I am after a treat.

A range of cupcakes are baked fresh on site each day, and offered at a cost of $4 each. Cupcakes available include vegan and gluten free varieties at no extra cost.

Personally I am a fan of the vegan, gluten free Choc-Honeycomb variety. It is delicious, and I especially love that it is gluten free.

I have never had a bad experience in terms of service, staff are always pleasant and friendly.

I would definitely return!

Approximate cost: $4

I am a huge fan of the Pancake Parlour Chain, often frequenting their city locations at Melbourne Central and Bourke Street with friends. Recently after seeing a movie at the Hoyts Cinema in Chadstone, we decided we'd stop by the Pancake Parlour at the shopping centre for dinner. Our experience at dinner fell short of our high expectations.

We were seated by a young employee who we presumed to be new, who practically pestered us to take our order after we told her multiple times we were not ready to make an order.
We ordered the $15 student deals (a great value deal) which come with a choice of fizzy drink or iced tea. I ordered the cheese and potato pancake with a side salad; My friend ordered the breakfast style pancakes with eggs runny/over easy, and made a special request to change her drink to either an apple juice (cheaper than the iced tea) or homemade lemonade (same price as the iced tea) as she cannot have fizzy drinks for health reasons and prefers not to drink tea. We were guaranteed by our waitress that the request for juice would be met.

Quite a while later, my drink was delivered, but no sign of my friend's. We were informed that they would not honour her request for juice, but offered another drink. She again mentioned her health troubles and asked if a homemade lemonade would be available, to which again we were guaranteed it would be. However, moments later our waitress returned with a Sprite or Schweppes style fizzy lemonade.

After once again speaking to the waitress, this drink was removed from the table with promise of another drink.

5-10 minutes passed with no sign of a replacement drink, and our meals arrived.

My salad contained pieces of lettuce that were brown and slimy, not just a little around the edges, but I mean almost completely brown and inedible. My entire plate had been drowned in salad dressing; The "side" salad took up more space on the plate than the pancake did. My friend's eggs were not cooked over easy, but rather quite the opposite, and her pancakes seemed tiny compared to pancakes served from other restaurants.

At this point we felt we had no choice but to speak to the manager.

Thankfully he was able to correct his employees mistakes - due to the poor condition of my side salad, and the incorrect drink, and pancake size, as well as overcooked eggs, he immediately halved the cost of our meals to $7.50 each. He was able to provide my friend with the correct drink, and had new eggs cooked for her meal, however never offered to replace my side salad (presumably because of the price he had already deducted from the bill). Upon leaving, our waitress seemed abrupt, certainly not friendly towards us.

While I appreciate the manager's efforts to rectify the problems, I would probably make the effort to travel to the city next time, rather than returning to this restaurant. I left feeling disappointed and unwelcome.

Approximate cost: $15

This is one of my favourite businesses in Footscray, located just at the foot of the stairs to Footscray Station.
I remember the first time I saw the little doughnut caravan, I thought it looked dodgy and cheap. However, a friend convinced me to try the doughnuts one afternoon recently, and I am definitely a fan.

The dough for the doughnuts is premade, however they are fried, piped with jam (from a cute little dolphin shaped tool) and rolled in sugar fresh as you order them.

They are very cheap, and they taste great. It is sometimes hard to stop yourself after just one.

Staff are exceptionally friendly and make every experience memorable.

I recently visited the Cleeland Pizza House after a recommendation from a friend, and being in search of a late (3PM or so) lunch in the area.

The pizza shop is conveniently located for students of the nearby Chisholm TAFE, as well as those visiting the Oasis Pools just down the road. I assume that would cause busy periods for the pizza shop (and others nearby) however service times were fast when I visited.

The shop has 3 or 4 sizes of pizza, and a gluten free base option for the middle size only. They also have about every combination of toppings you could possibly imagine.

I was greeted by a friendly and helpful staff member who took my order (7 inch margherita pizza) and informed me of a 10 minute wait while my pizza was freshly made.
I left the shop for most of these 10 minutes, and when I returned I sat in the waiting area. When my pizza was ready, the staff member who had placed my order brought my pizza to me in my seat, and informed me I could choose a free can of soft drink to go with my pizza.

The pizza was the perfect size for one larger meal or perhaps two smaller meals. Toppings had been added very generously, and in good proportion. The flavours in the base and the toppings mixed perfectly, creating one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the pizza, the service provided by the staff, and the gesture of throwing in a free drink. It made for a memorable experience and I would definitely return.

Approximate cost: $8

Sovereign Hill, located just outside of Ballarat in Golden Point, VIC, is a must see tourist village for absolutely anyone. I have personally visited 4 times over a span of 20 years, and I would love to return at some point. Upon entering, you really do feel as though you have stepped back in time.

The village is based on Ballarat's main street and gold mining areas during the Gold Rush period. The village makes for a great historical and educational trip, but also a fun experience. I have never been bored or felt let down during a visit. There are a range of Gold Rush themed things to see and do for all ages - definitely something for everyone in the family, from ages 5 to 105. Attractions within the village include gold mine tours, gold panning, street performances (including theatre shows and soldier's parades), a real theatre, horse coach rides, dining options, open schools and houses, and a Gold Rush period shopping strip (including sweets, a saddlery, apothecary clinic, photographers room, blacksmith, goldfields necessities, printing press, groceries, candle makers, tinsmith, post office and more, many of which offer real products or services reflecting those during the time).

There are also activities at night, and for those who are not wanting to travel home late, there is accommodation available at the village.

Entry fees to the village, as well as prices for most services and activities within are quite expensive. However, it is a must see tourist attraction for anyone living in or visiting Melbourne!

Staff (including many role play actors dressed in the period style clothing around the village) are friendly and as helpful as can be. Role play actors are friendly and do a great job acting, making the experience even more enjoyable.

Sovereign Hill would make a great family day trip or overnight stay, especially if you have children studying the Gold Rush period at school. I believe they also offer school camps to some schools where children study the Gold Rush.

Overall, the only thing I can fault about Sovereign Hill is the prices. However, for the unique experiences offered, it is not completely unreasonable. I would definitely return.

The Vale is a favourite dining bistro amongst myself and my family.
In terms of menu, The Vale is similar to most family bistros, offering a great variety including a kids menu. As well as variety, the pricing is also similar to that elsewhere.
I would say that the quality of food at the Vale is higher than that of other similar places in the area. I have never had a bad meal at the Vale, and always look forward to returning. A favourite of mine is the fish and chips.

The Vale offers a large dining area and also a play room for younger guests, including a playground and a video gaming centre, which I would say it is most ideal for ages 8-12 (however bored teenagers may also enjoy some of the gaming options). Staff are always friendly and well prepared to cater to all requirements, even during busy hours.

Ultimately, I enjoy dining at The Vale family bistro and I am likely to return

Approximate cost: $25

Victoria Bakehouse is a favourite bakery amongst myself and my friends from uni.
We like to stop by during lunch on long days for treats, before returning to classes.
Victoria Bakehouse items mostly combine Vietnamese and French style baking to create beautiful fresh cakes, slices, pastries, and more. Personally, I am a fan of many of the cakes and slices. I've tried several of them, and never been disappointed.

Staff are friendly and helpful.

If you are in the area and looking for a great-priced, quick and easy treat, this is definitely the place to go! :)

I currently study at Victoria University's Footscray Park campus for numerous reasons.

The university is in a convenient location, not too far from the CBD. It is easily accessible by train, tram, or bus. There is also a large car park available for students who drive, and a free shuttle bus service offered during semesters and exam periods after dark.

I find that the university make things easy. Most staff have no problems in helping you to make uni life easy - I have found it extremely easy and stress free to change units, apply for programs such as social clubs or exchange programs, or simply communicate with staff. Help teams are available for international students, IT issues, and unit tutoring amongst other things.

The deciding factor in me attending VU was the desire to study a specific course which I could not find at any other university in Victoria. Their bachelor of business offers the opportunity to specialise in music industry based business, a course which actually has a good reputation, and provides overseas travel opportunities to study business at music colleges around the world.

While they do not offer a great range of courses at this campus, it is exactly what I was looking for in a university and I would recommend it to others with similar interests or needs for future study.

I have visited the Prince Mark Hotel several times over the past 10 or so years, and I have found that over time the quality of meals and value for money has fluctuated. Upon my most recent visit, I received decent food, at an average price, with great customer service.

I found that the hotel was busy, but not overcrowded. We were seated fairly quickly, and there was a great atmosphere in the bistro area. I found that while it is fairly family friendly, there is no children's play area, so it is possibly not suitable for young children.

I ordered a chicken parmigiana and requested to leave the ham out of this dish. Food was served quickly, and my special requirement was met without any troubles. The food I was served was of a good quality, hot, and tasty, however I have had better at other hotel bistros. The price on this meal was average for a bistro meal - not overpriced, but not great value.

Staff were friendly and helpful, and met all requirements.

If I was in the area and looking for a quick and delicious lunch, I would definitely stop by. However, if I was looking to have a special dinner, I would perhaps look at other options.

Approximate cost: $20