|
next week click here
We’re
mad about Melbourne
Certainly
it does not have the brazen showgirl beauty of Sydney but there is
a pulsing beating heart in Melbourne that is as exciting and vibrant
as some of our favourite international cities. There are wine lists
to die for and some of the most intelligent and interesting cooking
in Australia today. Great galleries and a tram service that gets you
just about anywhere within the city. Good beach side and docklands
locations, great accommodation that doesn’t
break the bank. Part of this cultural diversity can be directly attributed
to migration. The early Chinese migration brought about by the gold
rush means that Australian Chinese are among the oldest generations
of Australians. Chinese food in Melbourne encompasses a depth and breadth
that is really worth exploring from the less refined but good cheap
food in China town to those high–flying establishments serving
Chinese haute cuisine. The acknowledged financial center of Australia
has meant Melbourne has always had restaurants with incredible wine
cellars and a depth of recklessness about the spend in Melbourne’s
best restaurants.
A new generation not comfortable with formal surroundings might have
changed the dining experience to less formal circumstances but they
have not tolerated a quality drop or a demeaned wine list.
The big spend is there for the taking but we feel our recommendations are
utterly rewarding, great value for money regardless of price.
BYO is an anathema to most tourists
but means ’bring your own’ wine and whilst it can be found throughout Australia and great restaurants throughout the world will always accommodate special bottles from private cellars, BYO is something peculiar to Melbourne where there is an abundance of good BYO restaurants and cafés.
Melbourne may not have the spectacular harbour views of Sydney but what it does have is a beating pulsing heart that is not found in any other city in Australia. It’s cool……and, we just love it!
In fact, we have a theory that cities that love their dogs have something special. Just take Paris France! And, before anyone bangs on about how disgusting it is to have dogs in restaurants I need to state; I do not own a dog, have never owned a dog, but after years of working in hospitality I’d have to say the customers with animals generally have better manners than average! Je suis désolé, mais c’est la vérité!
left the sunset view from Stokehouse (next week’s restaurant review) and right public seating Federation Square.
Public seating has been huge in America for some time but you have to love Federation Square with the gorgeous black and white striped deck chairs with lounging locals and international tourists who lounge in front of spectacular city backdrops. The 360° views were dazzling, the conversations stimulating and in every direction were people who felt totally safe in their environment enjoying a stunning sunny Sunday and making friends with complete strangers whom they might not have otherwise met.
We love that! Add to that just about anywhere within the square you can get FREE WIRELESS INTERNET — now really is that so hard? There are umpteen basic places to eat or have coffee within the area and you can collect and answer your email at the same time. A cold beer hamburger and chips at the Beer Deluxe is a good katzenjammer option. God only knows why more municipalities in Australia can’t get it together to provide wireless internet for visitors. As a side, we are working on a list of restaurants that have wireless internet! If your establishment is listed in Galaxy Guides and has free wireless internet please submit your establishment click here
 |
 |
Try a sunny day and take a walk along the Yarra River to see just how much Melbournians love a dash of sunshine when it seems like the entire city is out for a drink. Australians are open books and international tourists should never be afraid of conversation, and whilst we do advise a little caution it is an Australian custom to take complete strangers home, feed and water them and give them a bed if perhaps they don’t have one.
The Melbourne Cup is a horse race that brings a nation to a stand still. Marian Clarkin sums up the 2009 Melbourne Racing Carnival click here
image copyright © Marian Clarkin
Bastille Day in Melbourne is big and there are all sorts of fab mad events, parties and dinners to attend so stay tuned for the 2010 events. Check out the Sorry Grandma 2009 Bastille day Ball click here
Marian Clarkin has it on good advice that their 2010 Bastille day Ball will be even more fun so stay tuned!
|
|
melbourne index
about $20
Apologies for the lack of cheap eats, but there is plenty of great cheap food in China Town and less satisfying Chinese food in the middle price range.
about $60
Bar Lourinhã
tapas and wine, great service, list and food and no rules
Il Carusi II
Italian pizza and wine, very simple but cheap and good most of the cost is the wineLongrain
broadly Asian with plenty of Thai, bar and restaurant stays open lateThe European Italian food all day, best coffee in Melbourne
about $80
Añada Bar & Restaurant
tapas bar, wine interesting area close to city centreCity Wine Shop
contemporary Australian, Spring Street, food all day, fab wines by the glass, casual
Cumulus Inc.
contemporary Australian, city centre, open all day, breakfast lunch and dinner, very good!Gigi Baba
modern Turkish, brilliant delicious clean fresh, food new May 2010Movida Bar de Tapas
Spanish tapas, great food and wine and service, lots of atmosphere, Hosier lane city, we love Movida!
_$100 to the max
Café di Stasio
Italian old style but good, excellent wine list playful waiters in the true Italian senseVue de Monde
modern French, the full deal, fab innovative food and super wine list
Pearl
contemporary Australian, excellent service, food and wine list, RichmondStokehouse
contemporary Australian, fab food, wine list and view can be lots of annoying kids Sundays — new reveiw waiting to be written we love Anthony Mussara’s cooking!Vue de Monde
modern French, the full deal, fab food, wine and service
drinks and late night
drinks
inner city walking distance
|
  
 from top to bottom, Gigi Baba, The Melbourne Supper Club and Movida
|
