Hop & Spice Braybrook — Restaurant in Melbourne

This was restaurant was recommended for a friend and I to try out, so we gave it a shot as we were craving some authentic Sri Lankan food. Unfortunately it did not even meet the bare minimum requirements of a standard restaurant.

Upon arrival, the shop itself was decently presentable, and not busy, and the cashier was pretty welcoming. My friend and I placed our respective orders, and waited for our food. I requested a chicken curry and roti combo, while he ordered beef biriyani. It took about thirty minutes before we were served, which is a standard and understandable time frame.

I was anticipating a nice freshly cooked roti, with the chicken curry served on the side. However, I received a bowl with chopped roti at the bottom, and chicken curry served on the top, with dhaal curry added as well. I was not aware it came with the dhaal, so that was not an issue. The mixture of the two curry’s and the soggy roti at the bottom, however, was not very appetizing.

Nevertheless, I tried to move past it and expected to bite into some warm, flavorful curry, but instead it was cold and watery, with no efforts to keep it warm. It made me wonder if it was cooked right, or if they popped it into the microwave for thirty seconds and called it a day.

At this point there was no going back, and I tried to be understanding of the situation because it seemed like they were short staffed, with one of the staff leaving half way, but it was not getting any better and I paid $16 for my meal, so I might as well finish it. I expected it to get better, but it was just bland and cold.

My friend was also met with the same fate, and while he ordered a beef biriyani, they served him chicken and we both tried to look past it but the cold chicken on both of our plates, was not a good look at all.

Unsatisfied, we decided to call it a day and leave and thought that was the end of that. However, as the day went by, I felt constant discomfort and a lack of appetite and assumed it was just the experience of eating something so disappointing and ignored it. It was in fact not from disappointment, as I felt instant nausea when I tried to eat another meal. That was enough for me to get onto writing this review, because it an overall poor and unhealthy experience and I will not be coming back here again, because frankly, a fast food chain could be busy, but would take the time to make sure the customer received their food hot and edible in under ten minutes, yet thirty minutes went by, and the outcome was...

Exceptional Catering Experience with Unforgettable Culinary Delights from Hop $ Spice

Choosing a catering service often feels like rolling dice and hoping for the best, but in the case of this caterer, every expectation was met and then surpassed.

Firstly, the taste and quality of the food was quite frankly awe-inspiring. Every item on the menu, and we chose quite a few, simply popped with flavours that were a delightful blend of familiar and exotic. Each dish was a gastronomic journey that had you going back for more.

In terms of quantity, there was plenty to go around. Not once did we worry about running out of food. They ensured that each guest felt satisfied without any sense of scarcity. Yet, no waste was at sight, just proof of excellent portion planning.

Moreover, there was an undeniable attention to detail with their packing. Each dish was packed securely, helping to maintain the integrity and warmth of the food. It made serving a breeze and clean up just as easy, taking another worry off our minds during the event.

The professionalism didn’t stop at the culinary aspects. The entire team was outstanding, from management through to delivery. Menus were easy to understand, with clearly marked options catering to different dietary requirements. Communication was prompt, friendly, and efficient.

What elevates this experience is that you are not just getting a meal, you are getting the passion, dedication, and hard work of people who have mastered their craft. Their remarkable service transformed our event into a memorable experience for every attendee.

I can wholeheartedly recommend their catering services, whether you're planning an intimate get together, or a larger event. Irresistibly tasty food, generous quantities, and first-class presentation are their standard, and trust me, it doesn't get...

Trying to leave a fair review for Hop & Spice Braybrook. My guest and I came for lunch and ordered the Chicken Lamprais, which was around $21 per plate. The young woman at the counter was friendly and welcoming, so this is not about the service.

The problem was the food. It wasn’t fresh, it wasn’t tasty, and most importantly, it wasn’t Lamprais. A proper Sri Lankan Lamprais is a rich and carefully prepared dish: ghee-infused rice cooked in stock, wrapped in banana leaf, and baked in the oven, traditionally served with multiple flavourful accompaniments like mixed meat curry, seeni sambol, fried eggplant moju, blachan (shrimp paste), a boiled egg, and a cutlet. All the components are meant to be deeply spiced and harmonise beautifully once baked together.

What we were served was far from that. It was plain yellow rice on a small square of banana leaf, a bland and watery chicken curry with no real depth of flavour, an overly sweet, mushy seeni sambol, and a lifeless eggplant moju. The only thing that tasted good was the cutlet, and I give them credit for that.

For $21, the lack of authenticity and care in preparation was really disappointing. It feels like the business is more focused on making money off people who might not be familiar with how special and complex real Sri Lankan food can be.

We gave it a chance, but we won’t...