After Work Dinners

Love this place for affordable, Super satisfying pizzas. Order your pizzas at the counter and enjoy the cool breeze at your alfresco table. Share a Parma Burrata, Bismarck and Diavola. Have a cold Peroni for just $6 or a glass of wine for $10. The staff is very friendly too!

Ok I'll admit I can't remember what they were called exactly on the menu, but you'll figure it out when you browse. The seasoning on their skewers are spot on, this was true for their mutton ones as well. Classically salty, redolent of cumin and red chili pepper, these were grilled till crispy and served piping hot, a perfect match for ice cold Lao Te beer 🍻

These were deep fried to perfection! Not oily at all yet shatteringly crisp, this dish was so well balanced with the sliced celery. Loved loved loved the mild Sichuan pepper sensation and the lovely fragrance of the whole thing. The delicate-ness of this dish shows off the skill of this place - seemingly unrefined food executed to perfection.

After you've experienced the hilarity of northern Chinese menus, you'll soon know to trust the photos instead of the names. When we first walked past this place, we were on our way to eat somewhere else. But since it was so packed and it smelt so good, we knew we had to come by for a second dinner. Eggplants are my weakness, so this photo was enough to entice me despite the name "the tomato". Roasted till melting, silky smooth texture and topped with leeks and dusted with chili powder, this is a must-order! So good we ordered one more.

Hands down the best thing on the menu right now! They've made a few changes, and I'm happy to say it's a lottttt better now. I'm not sure what they've done, but despite the sriracha mayo in the sandwich, the chicken has a crazy crispy crust that makes this a party in the mouth. The sous vide chicken thigh is juicy as ever, and the jalapeño cabbage slaw is refreshing. Can't wait to devour this again.

I was surprised by this! Instead of chickpeas, this version uses chopped broccoli that is breaded and fried. It was moist and filling, and made very tasty with the creamy tzatziki. The huge falafel and sourdough rye made this very substantial for a meatless sandwich, so I can't imagine eating a whole one.

I always love a good, simple mortadella sandwich, so I was glad to see this on their new menu! Generous slices of mortadella were stacked on crisp lettuce and juicy tomato in a nice onion loaf. It was nice, tasty and would be perfect on a warm day, but I sorely miss the truly satisfying Cured Meat sandwich this replaced! Unfortunately this just lacked the oomph and eye-closing moments that I naturally associate PBD sandwiches with.

As if you need more choices at PBD. This new item on the menu is really great for sharing, especially if you're in a group of 4! I think any fewer people and you'd have trouble enjoying the sandwiches you came here for. The chili con carne is super tasty, and is especially comforting on top of my childhood fav, tater tots! These crispy potato nuggets are just what you need after a loooong day.

Definitely the dish of the night! I enjoyed how tender this was, along with the potatoes and very tasty sauce. I also liked the Butternut ($12) soup dotted with crunchy pumpkin seeds and finished with creme fraiche, so flavorful and comforting, but perhaps too much for one. The Coconut Blancmange ($12) was the perfect ending - tangy Passionfruit coulis on a coconut custard. While I enjoyed my meal at Porta, none of the mains stood out in particular for me. The Haddock Fillet was done with the classic combo of capers and fennel, which tasted good but a touch too pricey at ($26). Pro tip: you get it in the set lunch! The space is very pretty, probably nicer in the day time too. They have a very value for money set lunch at just $18 for 2 courses or $22 for 3!

I'm back to have this again cos that soup is just everything I want on a cold day. See those strips of yuzu peel in the bonito broth...so refreshing and comforting at the same time. Also ordered a side of Assorted Tempura ($11) which is super generous with one thick crab stick, juicy chicken breast, 2 prawns, baby corn and pumpkin. So damn satisfied.

Crazy generous portions! With a side order of cabbage and miso pork belly, I was absolutely stuffed to the brim. The stir fried beef came in a huge portion, and was so so tasty. Really awesome that it came with thick, fresh slices of sashimi. Also excellent was the tempura set. One of the more value for money sets I've come across, especially for its quality. Especially enjoyed the cosy, homey vibes in this tiny izakaya. The Japanese men beside me were reading manga while wolfing down plate after plate of food!

The answer to any bad day. Thank you, sandwich, for being so consistently ridiculously cheesy, and thank you, soup, for always being deeply roasty and hearty. Dunk boldly, friends!