Sofia at Burwood Highway

Aussie beef and onion

Finally, Miss J and G, The Snail touchdown in Melbourne two Fridays ago. They've planned and booked their tickets since last year and we've been looking forward to this trip!

From the airport, I brought them home only to realise that I locked us out of the house and my keys were IN the house sitting at the counter top. ;( First time ever and feeling like a doofus. Yet again. Sigh...

Instead of moping around, I decided to bring them to Dandenong Ranges. From the Tullamarine Airport to CBD, it takes about 20minutes to half an hour where else from CBD to our home is about the same amount of time. AND it takes about 20minutes from our place to Dandenong Ranges (btw, Dandenong Ranges and Dandenong, the suburb are TWO different places and direction!).

We headed to Pie in the Sky in Olinda as I had a generally pleasant experience the last time I was there with the Ding boys. Funny thing is the GPS took me a totally different route from the one I was familiar with. It felt like we were being taken into the dark jungle on a never ending journey. LOL.

The difference is... this time, I sampled the scones! It was only average. I really don't get  it. Some of the reviews were saying how yum the scones were. Hence, I wanted to try it. To see if it was any good or perhaps, better than Miss Marples. It felt a tad ordinary with absolutely nothing much positive to talk about. 

Despite what many feel about Miss Marples scones that look more like cakes, I'd go back there and pay a bit more 'cos it feels worth it at the end of the day. I gather it isn't really the scones that tastes superb but  more so the jam and cream. Just can't get enough of them.

And IF you're lucky, you'll get a nice waitress with sunny disposition. Otherwise, steel yourself against abrupt and borderline grouchy lady serving.

Main reason for this post wasn't really about the pies nor the scones but about Sofia's at Burwood Highway. You see, Sofia USED to be famous for their tasty pizzas and pastas with added bonus of reasonable pricing. However, in recent years, it would seem that the food doesn't taste as good as it used to. You still see a crowd made up mostly of families 'cos for the portion and price you pay, it's still pretty darn worth it!

 

 

Tagliatelle Sofia

Pizza Capricciosa

Initially, I wanted to bring J & G to Cafe Notturno or Cafe Cavallino on Lygon St in Carlton (north Melbourne CBD) but J's friend says the food there isn't great much to my surprise. Whereelse her friend recommended Sofia and say it's the place to go. 

I thought I'd go with an open mind plus, I didn't want J to regret not going there in the end.  Anyways, sadly, at the end of the night, Sofia really didn't deliver just like the last two times I went there.

The food wasn't horrible or indigestable. In fact, it looked presentable and delicious right? But it was just.... alright. Pasta was a bit bland and the pizza was too dry, lacking in tomato base. I reckon, we would have been happier if we had follow my original plan. Oh well.

Perhaps it is a different Sofia branch that J's friend was referring to. The Preston and Glen Waverly branch has closed down. One can only guess what that means. 

If you're looking for affordable pricing pizza and pasta for a big group, then this would be it. But don't expect anything spectacular tasting and you should do fine. ;)