23 Jun

Hell of the North, the French darling of Fitzroy. The bluestone building housing this bar and bistro is hidden behind greenery, its bright yellow door one of the few hints that there's something exciting waiting within. Sadly there is little time to appreciate its understated facade, for fear of being caught in another sudden downpour, but the dreadfulness of the weather is quickly forgotten as we snake our way to a cozy corner table by the kitchen. [caption id="attachment_12732" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Twice cooked cheese souffle, parsnip, caramelised garlic ($24)[/caption] [caption...

20:34 / Fitzroy / Food / French / Hell of the North / Restaurants
20 Jun

Opening in August last year, Roy Sassonkin and partner Natalie Powell (ex-Barry) set out to deliver vegetarian Israeli street-food in the middle of hipster Northcote. Originally from Tel Aviv, Sassonkin worked at Chin Chin, Hellenic Republic and the nearby Red Door Corner Store before settling into his own place. The setting is modest, with limited bar and counter seating around the periphery of the narrow eatery. We take a spot right at the kitchen, where we have the opportunity to watch our food being cooked, and the day's food...

12:15 / Food / Middle Eastern / Northcote / Restaurants / Tahina Bar
19 Jun

Your typical brunch fare won't be found here. Aucuba offers a menu that is mainly plant-based, noticeably Japanese-influenced, and shies away from same-same dishes like smashed avocado and pulled pork everything (though I do have to say I love a good pulled pork dish). As its name might suggest, Aucuba also roasts its own specialty coffee in-house and boasts its own dedicated brew and espresso bar, which takes up nearly a quarter of the floor space in the front section of the cafe....

13:56 / Aucuba Coffee Roasters / Cafe / Food / South Melbourne
18 Jun

Lot 3 can be found by the stairs leading up to Ripponlea Station, set in an old station master's house. It's a small, cosy place; a no-frills sort of cafe with self-serve water (still or sparkling) and orders made at the counter. It's by David Maccora and Michael Bascetta, both of whom were formerly involved with Attica, just up the road, and they've succeeded in creating something quite different from Australia's best restaurant. ...

12:54 / Cafe / Food / Lot 3 / Ripponlea
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