17 Lacy Street
Braybrook Vic 3019

Westies rejoice! There is someone serving up quality food in the most unlikely of neighbourhoods – Braybrook. Enter West of Kin, sister restaurant of the very successful Kin Vietnamese Restaurant in Prahran. It represents a huge step away from your standard run of the mill Asian eateries that litter the local area. Modern, smart and refined, it’s a gem in the most unexpected location. Upon entering the beautifully fit out space via the pretty outdoor courtyard, I had a ‘we’re not in Kansas anymore Toto’ moment and I absolutely loved it.

This visit was a long time coming. I was invited to visit a couple of times whilst I was pregnant but given my inability to stomach any food, I passed up each offer. Maybe that’s what made this visit that bit sweeter. Well that and my delicious cocktail – look for the Dragonfly on the drinks menu, and take it from me, don’t bother ordering just one, go straight for the jug! As I sat there in our cosy booth, sipping on my Dragonfly and soaking up the atmosphere with my girlfriends, I quickly decided that West of Kin was well worth the wait and we started planning for a return trip.

In terms of value for money, very few would be able to beat the West of Kin offering. They have a very generous 9 course tasting menu which includes a good mix of dishes all for a low $45 per person. Don’t let that price dissuade you on the basis that it may be indicative of small portions because that was definitely not the case. The amount of food we got for a mere $45 was ridiculous. I’ve been to some other establishments were we paid double the price and walked away hungry. Lets just say the opposite happened here, we ate like kings and had some change left over.

So what did we consume as part of this feast? Pork pot stickers with that signature soft and crisp shell which encased a flavoursome meaty filling. Then there was the sweet and sticky DIY Pork Belly Bao. Delivered disassembled, diners are given the opportunity to put them together only utilising their prefered ingredients. They were accompanied by the kinda dish that actually makes you want to eat your greens and enjoy it. Said dish was perfectly grilled asparagus with mushrooms and Korean BBQ sauce – deelish. But that’s not all, the piece de resistance was yet to come. A succulent whole roasted chicken that melted in my mouth and despite all being incredibly full, the chicken was definitely a hit around our table.

No meal is complete without dessert and these desserts marked the perfect ending to our meal. Sweet and creamy coconut pannacotta with seasonal berries and chocolate. Light and refreshing, this was supposed to be a shared but I pretty much ate it all on my own. But that’s not all. There was also a kaffir lime and ginger creme brulee. Crack into the crisp caramelised sugar crust to reveal a smooth and surprisingly tasty filling. I say surprisingly because I’m not usually a fan of ginger, but this was subtle and added real depth to the classic creme brulee. Again, this little piggy was guilty of hogging the whole plate, but to my defense it was just too good to share.