carlton north

HOT: The Age Good Food Guide 2012 Winners!

August 30, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

The winners of The Age Good Food Guide 2012 Awards were announced last night. Here is the complete list of winners, some with my previous reviews – congratulations! Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year – Attica Citibank Chef of the Year – Dan Hunter, Royal Mail Hotel Regional Restaurant of the year - Loam Best New [...]

HOT: North Cafeteria, 717 Rathdowne St, Carlton North

May 10, 2011 ⋅ One comment

North Cafeteria is small and straight to the point, just like this review. It’s located on the northside of town. To be specific, it’s a favourite with the locals of North Carlton, right in the heart of sedate Rathdowne Village. The cafe is essentially one room with small corridor of outdoor space at the back. [...]

HOT Chat: Jessica Rae of Melbourne Op Shop Tours

November 2, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

This week’s HOT Chat is with Jessica Rae from Melbourne Op Shop Tours. I seem to be on a ‘green’ bent lately (check out previous HOT Chats with Eco Fashionista and 321 Water) and Melbourne Op Shop Tours is another Melbourne-based business which takes the approach that being green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style [...]

HOT: Milawa Cheese Shop, 665 Nicholson Street, Carlton North

May 22, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments

A little bit of regional Victoria can be found in North Carlton at the Milawa Cheese Shop. The knowledgeable staff will talk you through flavours, textures, ripeness and storage of their huge range of cheese. They are all as far away from insipid rubbery Kraft singles as you can imagine so of course none of [...]

HOT: Maria’s Pasta, 677 Nicholson St, Carlton North

May 22, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Making fresh filled pasta (other than using wonton skins) is such an intricate and time-consuming process that for me it crosses into a task which provides low culinary return on investment. Thank God for places like Maria’s Pasta, with its upright wall-to-wall freezers bulging with a wide assortment of frozen tortellini, ravioli, agnolotti and cannelloni. [...]

HOT: Canals Seafood Appreciation Centre, 703 Nicholson St, Carlton North

May 22, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Other than in the major Melbourne markets, fishmongers appear to be dying breed on the high street. Canals is Melbourne’s oldest ‘seafood appreciation centre’ and I think the reason for its longevity is good old-fashioned service. If you’re at a fishmongers, I think the quality of the seafood should be a given, so the staff’s [...]

HOT: Natural Tucker Bakery, 809 Nicholson Street, Carlton North

May 22, 2009 ⋅ One comment

RM loves scones, but he is also deeply suspicious of anything organic, vegetarian or heaven forbid, vegan. When I spied the fruit-packed vegan scones lovely stacked at counter of the Natural Tucker Bakery ($1.50), I thought I’d take an epicurial risk anyway – and let me tell you, we agree that they are possibly some [...]

NOT: Nicholson Street Baker, 706 Nicholson St, Carlton North

May 9, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments

I love a good neighbourhood bakery, so I was disappointed with my taste-test of Nicholson Street Baker. On the basis of its cheerful orange awning, RM and I had a brief morning tea there and sampled a dry chocolate cupcake and a sturdy apple and walnut muffin containing minimal fruit and nuts. The best of [...]