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...

[caption id="attachment_11520" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Jumping Chicken with Baguette - Mauritian 'Chop Suey' Chicken with Vegetables ($12.50)[/caption] I know very little about Mauritius, let alone its food, so finding and trying a restaurant in Melbourne serving Mauritian food offered an exciting prospect. Mauritius is a small island east of Madagascar and the cuisine there has been subject to French, Chinese and Indian influences. [caption id="attachment_11521" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Bistro's Samoussas filled with Vegetable Curry ($10)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_11523" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Gateau Arouille - Taro Fritters with Asian Slaw, Tomato and Coriander Chutney ($12.50)[/caption] A number...

Another year, another round of birthdays. This year for their combined birthday celebration my parents decided to go to Luxembourg Bistro & Bar, the reincarnation of Golden Fields which saw it change from an Asian-inspired menu to a French one. Being a bar, there's a mixture of smaller plates perfect for enjoying with drinks, as well a larger dishes that are well suited for either solo dining or sharing. Since it was their occasion, mum had the main say in the menu and she opted for the Chef's...

Reunions call for celebrations, and celebrations over food are always up my alley. So we found ourselves at Miss Fitzy's: a bar and restaurant on Fitzroy Street, right near the beach. The menu at Miss Fitzy's focuses on bar snacks, sharing plates and shared mains, though there are a few individual mains available also. Here they aim to source local, sustainable and ethically farmed produce to use for their menus. We had booked ourselves in for a special three-course meal plus cocktails. The menu was pretty much set apart...

Noir serves French cuisine in a modern and neat setting and was recently awarded one chef's hat by the Good Food Guide. For midday dining there are lunch specials for $18, as well as the four course tasting menu, with a glass of wine for $35. Today I decided to go for the tasting menu. The chilled pea and asparagus soup was thick and smooth, with a good balance of flavours. It went very nicely with the parmesan biscuit (which was more like a parmesan crisp). [caption id="attachment_6789" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]...

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