The Mazu Cafe — Restaurant in Melbourne

I really wanted to love it especially with what we initially thought were reasonable prices but there were some let downs. I've been to Mr Hendrick's years ago and had a really pleasant experience with their crispy eggs - wish I had tried that again this time to compare.

This time around we were very excited to try the Asian/Taiwanese inspired menu.

Formosa rice was yummy, fatty and I loved the pickled cucumber and Taiwanese pickles. It's hard to find many good Taiwanese spots these days in Melbourne local suburbs. It wasn't a big serving (I'd say if you were hungry it wouldn't be enough and you'd want to order a side, however at $16, it's a reasonable price).

Sando was surprisingly filling and tasty too. Very appetising!

Biggest let down was the price of the beef noodle soup. If you look at their menu their dishes range from approx $16-21. We expected the special to be a similar price range, (at most maybe a few dollars extra for a special offering). When we received the bill it turned out to be $26.80. I couldn't believe how steep it was! This isn't even including the additional surcharge costs. I really feel that the price should have been disclosed upfront or written on a board. The noodles wasn't bad but nothing amazing. If you compare with other cafes or Taiwanese/Chinese restaurants, they don't even charge the typically more expensive items like a big breakfast at $26.80! (Even noodles at papparich are significantly cheaper. Even the esteemed Industry Beans cafe doesn't price their brunch classics items at $26.80). Not sure why Mr Hendrick's specifically chose to price these noodles at this price, especially if you compare the price to the rest of the menu items they offer. I'd understand if it was priced closer to the $22-$23 mark based on the pricing of all the other menu items (I don't personally think it's worth it, but I would be able to understand it as typical brunch pricing). It just doesn't make sense when the rest of the menu isn't priced around $26 - it is a huge difference and the expectations set. The portion size was not generous or for sharing either (if it was then I could probably convince myself and try to justify this price).

Other points to mention, whilst they do have high chairs they don't have toddler friendly cutlery, plates or bowls.

Coffee was good.

Service was polite however not friendly until we tried to initiate casual conversation as we paid the bill. We didn't feel very welcomed until the end when we were leaving (positive note atleast).

Busy spot though so would recommend booking during peak times.

It was a very average experience however I cannot justify the price of those beef noodles when you're not left feeling full - not to mention if you want to add a coffee or something else to share with everyone on the table. It all becomes a very expensive brunch experience.

If there's a next time I would make sure to ask for the price of the special. I really thought it would be reasonable to expect the cost to be similar to the most expensive menu item listed ($23.80 is the price of their crab omelette and that's crab!!) If I knew it would be $26.80 I would not have ordered it - regrets! Really can't believe a noodle dish can...

I was just craving a proper Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup（Beef Udon Soup). The first time I went after church on a windy, rainy Sunday noon, I ordered just a few seconds slower than the table next to me… and they got the very last bowl. 🥹 When I asked the staff seriously, “Any more?” The answer was no—it was sold out. Perfectly missed.

On my second visit, I finally got to try it. The Beef Udon Soup was soft and bouncy (so good!), and they used ramen-style noodles instead of the usual flat ones. I actually prefer it this way—it doesn’t get soggy as quickly. I like my noodles on the softer side, but not mushy, so ramen noodles hit the spot. 💕 The taste was just like beef noodle soup I’ve had in Taiwan, and for now, this is my No.1 bowl in Melbourne 😂.

The restaurant is full of hidden Taiwanese touches: Red Label rice wine bottles repurposed as vases, traditional window-pattern coasters for sale, and even an unfinished mural of scooter-filled Taiwanese streets. It’s the perfect blend of Taiwan and Australia.

I ended up going twice last week—Sunday and then again on Tuesday (yes, a bit crazy). The brunch and Taiwanese set meals were also great 😌. Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is basically a must-order at every table, and they’ve adjusted it with local-style dipping sauces.

The Taiwanese brunch set is around $25 and very filling. The fried chicken is $13.5 with a generous portion. Tables are a bit small though—for someone like me who loves ordering a lot, I always worry about knocking things over.

After eating, you can wander to the nearby library or even check out McDonald’s for limited-time specials. The café is located on a lively street, making it an easy spot to drop by.

Highly recommend visiting—not just for the food, but for the way it beautifully blends two cultures.

📍 The Mazu Cafe 469 Whitehorse Rd,...

This morning I went to brunch with my friend, who took her dog with her. Her dog was a large size dog, we admit, however she has had brunch at Mr Hendricks with her dog before, sitting outside, with no issues. This morning her dog got a bit excited when he saw me, and the staff said "I am sorry, but the dog is too big for here".

We noticed that there were kids sitting outside and we didn't argue further, my friend had decided to take her dog back and come back to have brunch with us. We could have left or changed places, but we didn't, we understood the situation.

When we came back WITHOUT the dog, we heard the waiter speaking to another waitress in our very own language that "They had a big dog and I KICKED THEM OUT. 我把他们赶出去了。“ We were horrified with the attitude and words chosen, however we had plans afterwards, and we did not argue or leave.

We are reasonable people, and the food at this place is reasonable. The attitude of the staff is UNACCEPTABLE. If we either argued or insisted to have her dog here, we would accuse ourselves or causing problem for others. @Management, it is our suggestion that your staff keeps personal feelings to themselves, we may have caused 1-2 minutes of inconvenience, but there was no reason to use such...