Green papaya and prawn salad from Vietnam Mints
A famous episode of The Simpsons once bragged that you don’t win friends with salad, but we feel like we’ve found a game changer here. Vietnam Mints takes the freshness to the next level with its green papaya and prawn salad – it features shredded green papaya tossed with carrot, cherry tomato, lime and red onion then topped with crunchy crushed peanuts and fried onions.

Philly cheesesteak from Boroughs of New York
Here at The Weekend Edition, we love a good food hybrid when it’s done well – after all, what’s not to love about the best of both worlds? If you haven’t tried the Philly cheesesteak pizza at Boroughs of New York, do yourself a big favour – it’s loaded up with steak strips, caramelised onions, mushrooms, oven-roasted peppers, provolone cheese, cheddar and fior di latte mozzarella for a full-on flavour hit.

Wings (obviously) from Lord of the Wings
Let’s not beat around the bush – it ain’t called Lord of the Wings for no reason. The gang here really know their stuff, with a choice of three actual varieties of wings (traditional, grilled or boneless) and your choice of 20 signature sauces. If you like it mild we would recommend the garlic parmesan or smoky barbecue variety, while spice lords can opt for something a little more dramatic like the Buffalo Suicide flavouring.

Cherry Ripe açai bowl from Cocobliss
Ever had a nice food that tasted too naughty to be true? Cocobliss’ Cherry Ripe açai bowl will have you scratching your head trying to figure out how something so healthy tastes so good. A chocolate açai base is topped with vanilla coconut yoghurt, cherry compote, fresh strawberry and cacao nibs, and you can add chocolate fudge sauce if you’re feeling extra indulgent.

Seafood paella from Barcella
You may not be able to afford a plane ticket to Europe, but you can take your tastebuds on a trip to Spain with the fare from Barcella. The menu’s Spanish influence definitely points us in the direction of our dish of choice – it would be remiss not to try the classic seafood paella with a perfectly balanced combo of mussels, scallop, prawns and squid.

Mongolian lamb hot pot from Yum Cha Cuisine
Another one for the indecisive diners in the house – Yum Cha Cuisine is perfect for if you simply can’t decide what you want (or if you have fussy eaters in tow). Aside from just going to town on the dim sum and trying a bit of everything, we can’t go past the Mongolian lamb hot pot – tender meat and traditional sauces are just a winning combination.

Banh mi from Mr Do’s Vietnamese Street Food
When it comes to street food options, the Vietnamese sure do have it covered. The affordable, fresh and mouth-watering nature of this cuisine is well represented at Mr Do’s Vietnamese Street Food, but if we had to pick a standout it would be the banh mi – think a crusty baguette filled with fresh Asian salad and stuffed with your choice of filling (our money is on the lemongrass chicken, but you do you).

Savoury crepe from The Crepe Cafe
If you thought crepes were restricted to the realm of lemon, sugar and Nutella, think again – savoury crepes are where it’s at! Get outside the box at The Crepe Cafe and try one of the non-sweet options – our pick is the Farmhouse crepe filled with chunky chicken, sliced mushroom, tasty cheese and drizzled with béchamel sauce.

Green breakfast bowl from Hardy Boys
As tempting as it is to start every day with bacon and eggs, sometimes we crave more nourishing morning fare. If you want a day-starter that is as nourishing as it is delicious, the green breakfast bowl from Hardy Boys knocks it out of the park – think perfectly poached eggs, avocado, kale, haloumi and a bunch of other wholesome ingredients.

Deluxe bento box from Ginga
Ahh, bento – the ultimate meal for the indecisive. Ginga sure knows a thing or two about how to craft the perfect bento box, and we’d highly recommend going for the deluxe option – think assorted sashimi prawn and vegetable tempura, salad, miso soup and rice with your choice of teriyaki chicken, teriyaki salmon of Wagyu rump steak. So fancy!

Dosa from VegeRama
Real talk – vegetarian food doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, the legends at Vegerama cook up delicious plant-based eats on the regular that will have even the most discerning carnivores salivating. We recommend trying a dosa (that’s a gluten-free lentil crepe) with the mysore and masala filling – it also comes with a side of sambar cal, coconut chutney and spicy chutney so you can flavour to your own preference.

Red chilli tonkotsu ramen from Shinobi Ramen
Authentic ramen has a few key provisos – it cannot be rushed, handmade is best, and you have to keep it legit. Shinobi Ramen certainly doesn’t cut corners when it comes to its noods – think daily handmade noodles resting in an expertly prepared tonkotsu broth. If you can handle the heat, go for the red chilli variety – it will blow your mind.

Coffee from Foster and Black
Look, we would be lying if we said that we could make it through a full day of shopping without a pick-me-up. You don’t have to worry about sourcing quality coffee before you head to Carindale, because it’s already here – Foster and Black will sort you out with its expertly crafted brews made with locally roasted Semi-Pro beans.

This article was produced with our good friends at Westfield.