Comfy, trippy, grumpy gluttony.

I have been doing a few bits and pieces in the last week, nothing worthy of a whole post, but perhaps all together they will equal more than the sum of their parts.

Comfy Chair
I believe in fair trade. So in return for my mate Nick trying out my Grumpy Bastard trivia, I tried out his at Comfy Chair. Nice place, nice couches, average chips. Mine wins. Nick is now a convert and a dedicated Grumpy attendee.
98 Lygon St
East Brunswick

Paris Cat
We hosted our client xmas party here this year. What a GREAT venue! The size and layout of the place make it look busy even before your guests arrive. Cute, cosy, intimate, great service, gorgeous little jazz trio and yummy food. Well I assume the food was yummy, I didn't arrange a whole lot of vegan options. I only ate one miniscule bruschetta and a spring roll and then had a bad moment of weakness and had an oyster shot. Actually, two. Why am I revolted by meat and dairy yet I loved the oyster shot? Anyway, my badness aside, if you are thinking about venues for next year The Paris Cat is a winner.
6 Goldie Place
Melbourne CBD

Republica Amello
Our evening at the Paris Cat was followed by a nice messy sales team boozey lunch afternoon session love-in downstairs from Soul Mama. Food was a mixed bag, some (omnis) said theirs was great, others were average. Republica got points for being able to serve me something vegan considering the veganless menu, but really I owe the thanks to the other table who had called in advance to arrange vegan options then didn't all show. I ended up with a bread flavoured rissole which was not particularly edible with a somewhat redeeming but really small salad on top. Thank god for chips. And wine.
16 Jacka Blvd
St Kilda

Trippy Taco
Finally made it here! On my way back deflated from a failed bad taste prom dress shopping trip at Lost & Found Markets I stopped by for a vegan taco. $5.50 gets you a soft taco (or, small tortilla if you ask me) with a pile of chili, beans, salsa, lettuce, avocado and vegan cheese. Yum and cheap and not too big so I didn't feel like a fat bastard afterwards.
48 Smith St
Collingwood

Japanese place on Smith St on the Collingwood side, south of Stanley St, north of Gertrude (this probably narrows it down to about 5 places).
I'm so sorry Japanese place but I can't remember your name. But we met on Saturday and you sell a delicious vegan handroll that I hadn't seen anywhere before - you had divine spicy tempeh with dark miso sauce. I was the girl in the faux leather jacket. Call me.
Japanese place on Smith St on the Collingwood side, south of Stanley St, north of Gertrude

Bebida
Cute! I hadn't been here before despite having walked past and been enchanted by the warmth emanating from the place. I love a good tapas bar, especially one that's chilled and more on the cosy pub end of the scale than the upmarket bar end. With a cute little jazzy band (I'm ignorant, I don't know if it was actually jazz) playing in such a small space, and with those windows that open out completely so you are almost seated on the pavement it made for a feel-good way to spend the evening. But I only tried one tapas dish (Pea and a-herb-I-have-forgotten dip with bread) because I am a gluttonous pig and had a pizza before I went out for dinner. And speaking of Gluttony...
325 Smith St
Fitzroy

Gluttony it's a Sin
Somehow I managed to swing a random breakfast date and headed to Gluttony with a rotten hangover and unsure of whether I could actually face food. Luckily for my hangover, Gluttony doesn't have much in the way of vegan breakfast so I opted for the lunch menu which meant I got a great gnocchi salad (mostly salad, little bit of gnocchi, perfect). End result was that I didn't feel revolting afterwards as I can imagine my date did after his big bacon and eggs breakfast (he said it was average btw... so this just confirms all the average breakfast reviews about Gluttony and if you were thinking about getting the spud jack to see what it is, don't). I have read mixed reviews about Gluttony, but I have always enjoyed it (opt for lunch not brekkie) and love the fact they have a whole vegan page in the menu and it actually changes sometimes! No way!
278 Smith St
Collingwood

Hell's Kitchen, Section 8, Double Happiness, B3 Cafe Patisserie
My mate is writing an article on alley bars in Melbourne so being the good friend that I am I obliged by joining her for a few at a few. Hell's Kitchen always feels super cool hipster trendy scenester stylee to the point that, while I like it, I feel out of place (which is incredible cos I am so fucking cool). Section 8, I'm obviously not cool enough for either. Why is it meant to be good? Double Happiness, you're alright but you don't do pints. Have I got fitzroyalty problems? B3 Cafe, thanks for the $4.50 rice paper rolls to line my stomach. I like you. I even thought it was cute that when I asked if they were vegan you said you don't know what that means so we went through what's in them. Considering the list was basically rice noodles and lettuce I think we're safe.
Alleys
Melbourne CBD

Grumpy's Green
I still love you Grumpy and I promise I will stop seeing other people. Despite getting off to a rough start because I don't like your bands on Friday I do love your trivia nights. And now I love your chilli infused vodka shots. I heart chilli in drinks and last night's was something special. A mere sip to level it in order to carry it to my table was spicy enough to bring on hiccups which lasted a good 30 mins and made me appear more of a drunken lout than I actually am. I was even scared that if I did the whole shot I might puke from overdose of chilli. (I didn't). Also tried the chocmint and the redskin flavours, but chilli wins by far. We sucked at the trivia and came 5th. I'm sure we would have come first if it wasn't for Cindy and Michael's team having one hundred million people in it. But that's ok. If we ever win the $40 bar tab (or any bar tab, ever) at least we might get more than a sip each.
125 Smith St
Fitzroy