Sunday, February 21, 2010

Street Scene - Victoria Street, Richmond


Since I have mentioned Victoria Street, Richmond several times before, I thought it is only fitting to do a little introduction for my readers who are not from Melbourne. This stretch of Victoria Street that cuts through the inner suburbs of Richmond and Abbotsford is a vibrant shopping strip littered with eateries (mainly Vietnamese and Chinese) , butchers, fish mongers and numerous Asian grocers. Here is where I do most of my food shopping when I am cooking Asian food since it is a mere 15 minutes bike ride from where I live. These are some of the photographs I took while doing my food shopping this afternoon, hope you'll get an idea of it. 
* main picture - My ever reliable 2 wheels outside my favourite grocer, corner of Nicholson and Victoria Street.

One of the many BBQ restaurants with roast meats hanging in the window.

A butcher's display - all cuts suitable for Asian cooking are available here.

One of the fish monger's window - fresh and affordable seafood despite rather abrupt service.

Old Vietnamese ladies from the nearby housing estate selling fresh produce fresh from their communal gardens. Often homemade cakes and snacks are also available.

One of the video shops selling pirated dvds - no we are not in Asia :)

A grocer offers vietnamese snacks and cut fruits. Also a huge selections of wigs, yes wigs!

Some of the fresh produce found along the street.

Very importantly there are several bottle shops on the strip, it is rather convenient since most eateries are B.Y.O here.

24 comments:

  1. hi hungry tummy!

    that looks a bit like where i shop in sunnybank in brisbane. it is full of chinese and vietnamese grocers too.

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  2. I think that bike looks very familiar! :) Must make a trip there soon!

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  3. What a great intro to your shopping precint. Must visit it next time I come down to Melbourne - it's so groovy :)

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  4. Hey darling! I love your bike! lol
    Is that where we had Vietnamese food?
    Sophia xxx

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  5. Wow, look exactly like Asian street LOL! Lucky you!

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  6. It is wonderful being so close to Victoria Street! Boxhill is 10 minutes' drive from us so I can't complain :)

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  7. I think you're going to like this. I cut up some onions, green peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes poured some olive oil into a pan and stir fried them. I took some fresh sausages. I cheated a bit I cooked them first in the microwave then I threw them in with the vegetables and presto I made my own home cooked meal. Oh yeah almost forgot. I threw in some pepper and a little tabasco I never use any extra salt.

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  8. Its a lovely place to shop! wish it wasnt too hot to bike here otherwise I wld too! ^^

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  9. You are very lucky! I would love to shop there. I always try to buy local veggies, but our market is downtown and only open on Sat. They have a new one closer on Wed, but I haven't tried it yet. Thanks for taking us to Victoria Street.

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  10. You're so lucky to have somewhere like Victoria St in the Melbourne suburbs. There's nothing really like this in London's suburbs for Chinese/Vietnamese grocery shopping. I particularly dig the Cantonese BBQ place with the Vietnamese writing as well as Chinese !

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  11. This is such an interesting market on Victoria Street. Thanks for bring us along!

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  12. You are so lucky to have so many great places to shop near by. Thanks for sharing this.

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  13. Ann,
    I heard about Sunnybank from my friends from Brisbane :) There are a few more Asian shopping streets here, I'll post them soon.

    love to eat,
    Haha very funny, did I just blow my own cover? Few shops are still shut though.

    shaz,
    Absolutely, it is like a small scale paramatta but 10 minutes from the city by tram :)

    Sophia,
    I like yours too haha!
    It is indeed! xxx

    My little space,
    Yeah it is great! I can get almost everything I need from there.

    CW,
    Boxhill is great too, haven't been there for ages though!

    Alex,
    Great work! It sounds like a very colourful and healthy dish with lots of different flavours! good to know you have homemade pesto too! :)

    zurin,
    Yeah when it is not too hot too, I never used my bike in Singapore :(

    Lyndsey,
    You are right! Most shops here open 365 days :)

    Mr. Noodles,
    Really!? There is a few other suburbs with such shopping strips which I'll cover slowly.
    Most shop owners are Chinese/vietnamese so everything is written in both languages!

    Fresh Local and Best ,
    You are welcome! It makes cooking a little more exciting having such a market at our doorsteps.

    Bo,
    You are welcome, very lucky indeed! :)

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  14. I miss melbourne, and I think I have been to the market before. How nice you stay at such a beautiful place :)

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  15. Good and brief intro of the street buddy! Now everyone will know who you are because of the bike! :) Cheers buddy!

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  16. Other than Chinatown, there aren't really any Chinese/Oriental shopping streets in London. What you do get in the London are South Asian shopping streets with shops run by different groups from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

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  17. Great post! I really need to get myself some new wheels (especially if I am going to succeed in my aim to do a triathlon by the end of this year... a bike is kind of essential).

    lol at the wigs, they might come in handy if you need to do an incognito restaurant review ;)

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  18. Great to have places to shop by! That is good!

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  19. fitzboy,
    I hope not :)

    Mr Noodles,
    Yeah I'm aware of that, since our Chinatown is nothing more than a eating strip, numerous suburbs with high concentrations of Asian immigrants has got similar shopping streets.

    conor,
    Haha a bike is great!
    The wigs might be for the very purpose! hehe

    Betty,
    It is indeed :)

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  20. Oh you are lucky to live so close to Victoria street, do you have particular shops to visit for different things?

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  21. tricia,
    I'll do another post with shops that I frequent :)

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  22. Hi 3HT. This really bring back memories for me. I make it a point to go there for Pho every time I drop by Melbourne.

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  23. Haha! That is where I shop at least twice a week!

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