Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

Melbourne Donut Festival and Queen Victoria Market Location: Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne, Australia Dates: Melbourne Donut Festival, October 17 and 18, 2026 Featured Items: Demochi Matcha Mochi Donut ($5.50), Shortstop+ Australian Honey and Sea Salt Cruller ($7.50), Manny's Doughnuts Hot Jam Donut ($3.50), Gourmet Pies Traditional Plain Pie and Chunky Beef Pie ($19.50 for both) Note: All prices are in AUD. Verdict: The Shortstop+ cruller is the surprise winner, the demochi mochi donut is wonderfully chewy, and the chunky beef pie beats the traditional one. We landed in Melbourne about 11 minutes earlier than expected. Yay! After some trouble with the passport machine, a second queue at another machine, and a very confusing line-up for customs and immigration, we grabbed an Uber straight to our hotel. When I was planning this trip, I knew I wanted to visit Queen Victoria Market, and their website was promoting the Melbourne Donut Festival on October ...

North East China Family, Melbourne Location: 302 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia Featured Items: Steamed Xiao Long Bao ($14.50 AUD), Pan-Fried Pork and Pickled Chinese Cabbage Dumplings ($14.99 AUD) Verdict: Satisfying but standard, especially if you're spoiled by Vancouver dumplings. The crispy bottoms on the pan-fried dumplings, boosted with chili oil and vinegar, are the best part. It was 12:30 PM in Melbourne, which felt like 6:30 PM to my body clock. After we finished our errands (buying a local SIM card and a few necessities), I suddenly felt the exhaustion hit. I told hubby we should grab dinner (yes, time zones are confusing) and then stay in the hotel for the rest of the day. We decided to stop by North East China Family on Flinders Lane, because my company orders team lunch from there whenever the theme is dumplings. This was our first visit, and of course, I went for dumplings. I ordered the steamed xiao long bao ($14.50) and the pan-frie...

Qantas QF 94 Inflight Meals, LAX to Melbourne Flight: QF 94, Los Angeles (LAX) to Melbourne, Australia (15 hours 55 minutes) Meals Served: Dinner (chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli, or vegetarian pasta) and a hot breakfast before landing Verdict: The tender chicken and the warm garlicky bread win dinner, and the hot breakfast with a cup of tea is a satisfying way to land. I think this is my longest flight ever: 15 hours and 55 minutes from Los Angeles, USA to Melbourne, Australia. Our flight (QF 94) left LAX at 8:30 PM on October 15th, and between naps, the first order of business was dinner. Yes, between naps. I didn't even feel the take-off because I was in a deep sleep, and the only reason I woke up was because I smelled food. 🤣 Dinner: Chicken and Vegetarian Pasta I had no idea what the choices were, but I was sure there would be chicken, so I went with that. Hubby chose the vegetarian pasta. Both meals came with a warm bread roll and a blueberr...

P.F. Chang's, LAX Tom Bradley Terminal Location: Second-floor mezzanine above the food court area, Tom Bradley International Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Featured Items: Wonton Soup ($17.50 USD), Immunity Ginger & Turmeric Blend Shots (2 for $11.80 USD) Seating: Plenty of seating with TVs, so it's a comfortable spot to wait for your flight. Verdict: Not the plain, clear broth I expected. A savoury, soy-forward soup loaded with shrimp, and the tender peppery chicken at the bottom is the highlight. The ginger and turmeric shot packs a fiery punch, so keep water handy. Okay, I could feel my throat starting to itch, so hubby and I walked around LAX Tom Bradley Terminal looking for a juice or booster shot, and couldn't find one. We were also curious what the P.F. Chang's on the second floor looked like. I hadn't seen their menu, so hubby pointed out a kiosk and suggested we check it. That's when he noticed their displa...

Pret A Manger, LAX Tom Bradley Terminal Location: Tom Bradley International Terminal, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Featured Items: Chicken Burrito Wrap ($16.99 USD), Moroccan Lentil Soup ($13.99 USD) Note: Prices are in USD and exclude taxes. Verdict: A satisfying, healthy airport dinner. The creamy chipotle sauce makes the burrito wrap, and the lentil soup is pure comfort. Thank God, we safely arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)! Walking around Tom Bradley Terminal, I was so tempted to grab Panda Express or KFC. However, my desire for a bit of healthy food won, so we headed to Pret A Manger for dinner. The chicken burrito wrap ($16.99) is amazing. It's filled with hearty quinoa, smoky charred corn, and tender beans alongside the chicken. What makes it stand out is the spicy chipotle sauce, which is creamy and strikes the perfect balance of flavour. Pret's c...