NOT: Terra Rossa, 87 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

We were trying to decide on a pre-movie dinner location and came up with Terra Rossa – mainly because we had a discount Entertainment Card and it was right by the Forum Theatre.
Having not heard much about Terra Rossa, I had no expectations of the restaurant, and so was quite surprised by the number of [...]

HOT: The Toff in Town, Curtin House, 2/252 Swanston St, Melbourne

I’ve written about The Toff in Town before but since that post the restaurant’s menu has completely changed focus, so I thought it was worthwhile to do another post on our recent experience at The Toff In Town, this time with pictures.
What’s remained the same is the glamorous colonial-era faux train carriage booths, complete with [...]

HOT: MoVida Next Door, 1 Hosier Lane, Melbourne

I’ve pretty much given up hope of getting a booking at MoVida nowadays, so I’m very grateful for its little offshoot MoVida Next Door, where I’m more likely to be able to walk into a table if I time it right.
Besides, MoVida Next Door has a frontage facing the passing parade of Flinders Street and [...]

Ask the Doctor: Small dishes for big eating

Help me Doctor!: We are in Melbourne for a long weekend next week and want to fit as many great eateries in as possible. Can you suggest ones that serve smaller dishes so we can visit more than one a night/day/meal? Thanks – Louise
Your prescription: Hi Louise, great to hear that you’re planning your Melbourne eating [...]

HOT: Postal Hall, 116 Russell St, Melbourne

When I first walked into Postal Hall, it reminded me a bit of an Eastern bloc railway station.
The sound of hissing steam bouncing off concrete, glass and metal surfaces. A high ceiling with exposed beams hanging a large functional clock. A brushed metal bench supporting people in transit, as they climbed onto red padded stools [...]

HOT: Hellenic Republic, 434 Lygon St, Brunswick East

Thanks to great reviews and of course the Masterchef effect, George Calombaris’ casual Greek eatery Hellenic Republic has been humming steadily ever since it opened in 2008 – and I’ve only now managed to get there.

A warning: if you want to eat Sunday lunch at Hellenic Republic, give yourself a good 2 months to ensure that you [...]

HOT: Pancake Dessert House, Shop 18, Mid-city Arcade, 200 Bourke St, Melbourne

When I visited Gold Star Noodle House recently, I noticed the enormous lunch time queues for the nearby Pancake Dessert House and made a mental note to visit at some stage just to see what the fuss was about.
The next week, I was looking for a quick pre-movie dinner option and thought of the no-frills [...]

HOT Chat: Philippa Sibley of Il Fornaio

Over a million of us watched Masterchef Australia every night, which means you’re probably familiar with the work of award winning Melbourne-based pastry chef, Philippa Sibley.
Being a HUGE dessert fiend, I’ve been a fan of Philippa’s work ever since I moved to Melbourne and she was cooking at three-hatted est est est.
Her latest venture is [...]

HOT: Chocolate Buddha giveaway winners!

Thank you to everyone for your entries for the Chocolate Buddha giveaway!
I’ve dipped into the Kitchenaid of Fortune and here are our two winners of a $50 voucher each to dine at Chocolate Buddha:
Gem (Eat Drink Stagger)
Vivian

Please send your postal address to joyce@melhotornot.com to collect your prize and have a great weekend!
Thanks again to Nuffnang [...]

HOT: Singapore Chom Chom, 188 Bourke St, Melbourne

One advantage of living in a multicultural urban centre like Melbourne is the myriad of opportunities for trying out new cuisine with friends of different ethnic backgrounds who can guide you through the menu maze.
On my first visit to Singapore Chom Chom, I was glad that S, a Singaporean, was on hand to explain some [...]