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Onigiri Kitchen (Degraves), Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Onigiri Kitchen (Degraves), Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Onigiri Kitchen opened up late last year, inspired by the owner’s love of Japan’s speciality onigiri spots. It’s proven a hit with Melburnians, leading to the opening of a second location on bustling Degraves Street. I recently popped in for What’s on Melbourne.

Similarly to the original, it’s a cosy little spot, with a minimalist, warmly lit, timber and rendered-wall fit-out that evokes the kind of spaces you find tucked away in Japan’s nooks and crannies. There’s a small dine in section, and a take away window facing the street.

On the menu you’ll find a selection of eight rotating onigiri made daily, along with bento boxes, and a few sides and sweet treats. Onigiri flavours include things like kimchi; chicken with cucumber, wasabi, and mayo; and stir fried green cabbage with capsicum, celery, and garlic. Produce is of the highest quality, sourced where possible from the family’s farm, Ferndale Organics. The farm is also home to a pottery studio, where Japanese clay is used to craft Onigiri’s tableware.

Bento boxes follow a similar theme to the onigiri, with some different flavours and components. Think karaage, and a Japanese take on latkes and Königsberger klopse. There’s also a few cold sides like pickled cucumbers, and Japanese curry sets with your choice of beef, chicken, or veggies.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, be sure to try the airy tofu doughnuts. Flavours include cinnamon, matcha, coffee, and lemon.

To drink, it’s coffee and things like matcha lattes, along with premium sodas, craft beer, tea and sake, imported from independent producers in Japan.

Onigiri Kitchen (Degraves)

1 Degraves Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sat: 11:00am to 8:00pm

BKK, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
BKK, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | On the third level of HQ Group’s Pacific House, below rooftop bar HER, you’ll find BKK. It’s a restaurant serving up refined versions of street food dishes from across Thailand’s diverse regions. Visit, and you’ll be treated to some of this city’s most delicious Thai cuisine. I popped in recently to grab some shots for What’s on Melbourne.

BKK has been open for two and a half years, with a menu that’s evolved beyond what it originally was. Head chef Sungeun Mo leads the kitchen, cooking the best quality locally sourced produce, predominantly over fire. That might take the form of meat and veg cooked on the custom charcoal grill, or things cooked hot and fast on the wok.

On the menu, you’ll find things like zesty charred BBQ pork neck and chicken skewers; wagyu beef larb with chili, lime, herbs, and khao khua; and a wonderful red duck leg curry with lychee and makrut lime leaf. Be sure to try the pad kaprao with pork mince, holy basil, chilli, and fried egg. It was inspired by, and developed with the help of, chef Gigg Kamol of Bangkok pad kaprao spot, Phed Mark, when he was over in Melbourne doing a pop-up with BKK for Melbourne Food and Wine Festival last year.

To drink, it’s a sharp list of interesting, mostly Aussie wines that pair well with Thai food. Most are available by the glass. There’s also signature Thai-inspired cocktails, HER cocktails from upstairs, and a few crowd pleasing beers.

A selection of small bites from the menu is available after 10pm, perfect if you’re in the mood for some Thai after a few drinks at HER Rooftop or the Music Room below. Also keep an eye out on the rotating weekly $15 lunch noodle bowl specials. There’s currently a mixed offal noodle soup on that menu that’s fantastic.

BKK

L3, 270 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9997 0437
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sun – Thu: 11:30am to 9:00pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30am to 10:00pm

Bun Bo Hue Song Huong 越香, Springvale

Paul
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Bun Bo Hue Song Huong 越香, Springvale

MELBOURNE | Springvale is a part of Melbourne that I don’t get to anywhere near enough. With around 21% of the suburb’s residents born in Vietnam, there are no shortage of quality places for a Vietnamese feed. I have a few places that I’ve added to my list over the years, so when the chance arose to check one of them out on the weekend, I was stoked.

Fellow Melbourne food lover, Thanh Do, put me onto Bun Bo Hue Song Huong a while back, praising their version of the classic Vietnamese soup that forms part of the restaurant’s name, Bún bò Huế. Originating in Huế, it’s a contains thick, udon-like rice vermicelli and various cuts of beef, inside a fragrant broth that balances spicy, sour, salty and sweet flavours.

The version at Bun Bo Hue Song Huong is fantastic. A perfectly balanced broth, springy noodles, and a generous amount of meat. Specifically, beef brisket, beef shank, coagulated pig’s blood, pork knuckle, and chả lụa (pork sausage).

Beyond BBH, there’s an extensive selection of Vietnamese dishes, including a page of simple $8 a serve specials. Things like com sườn (grilled pork chop on rice), com bò kho (braised beef brisket on rice), and cháo Huế (Huế-style congee). A quick glance at the tables around you provides a hint as to what else you need to order. It’s the other signature dish, Nem nướng Nha Trang.

Originating from Khánh Hòa Province, it’s a herbed grilled sausage, served in this case as a platter with thin rice vermicelli, carrots, cucumbers, crispy wonton skins, herbs, lettuce, rice paper rolls, and dipping sauces. It’s a must order, allowing you to make up lettuce cups and rice paper rolls in just the proportions you like.

As the food arrives, with its multiple components and condiments, owner Yen and the team are super helpful. They’ll let you know what goes with what, and guide you as to the typical way that the dishes are eaten in Vietnam if you’re not sure.

Bun Bo Hue Song Huong

4 Balmoral Avenue
Springvale
Victoria 3171
Australia

Telephone: (03) 8522 2268
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 10:00am to 9:30pm

Smith + Daughters Social Club, Collingwood

Paul
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0
Smith + Daughters Social Club, Collingwood

MELBOURNE | Shannon Martinez’s game-changing vegan restaurant, Smith + Daughters, has gone through multiple incarnations since opening a decade ago. It’s been mostly about the set menu and chef’s table since moving to the current location, an old brick fire station, in 2021, but now Shannon’s changing things up. I was recently invited in to check out Smith + Daughters Social club, the restaurant’s newest incarnation.

With the arrival of new head chef Sean Mears, the set menu has been retired. In its place, is a more casual atmosphere with an a la carte menu focused around the food that the team love to eat. That is, nostalgia-inspired snacks, things cooked over fire, and fun drinks.

The ‘social club’ part of the name is a nod to the Melbourne Spanish social clubs that Shannon visited growing up. Think of it as a throw back to the original Smith + Daughters, turned up to 11 with all of the things learned over the past decade. It’s the kind of unstuffy place where you can book in for a full meal, or perch yourself on a stool at the open kitchen bar, for a snack and a drink.

There’s a lot to like on the new menu. I enjoyed everything that I ate when I visited, with highlights being the currywurst inspired corn dog with golden curry ketchup, and pickled mustard seeds; fillet o’ fish with kohlrabi and pickled zucchini, and sauerkraut dim sim with vincotto soy.

The pizzetta with kidney bean and red fermented rice nduja, drizzled with orange honey, is another must order. So to, the mapo tofu inspired tofu gnocchi with crispy beef and chilli oil, and one of Shannon’s favourites, the deceptively simple braised rappa with chickpea, and white polenta.

On the drinks menu, it’s a sharp selection of house and classic cocktails; a wine list that leans funky, local, and Spanish; and craft beers. Try the house take on the mai tai, which pairs wonderfully with the sticky date pudding-like ginger pudding with marmalade and cream.

Smith + Daughters

107 Cambridge Street
Collingwood
Victoria 3066
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9123 1712
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Wed: 5:30pm to 10:00pm
Thu – Sat: 5:30pm to 11:00pm

Hareruya Pantry, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Hareruya Pantry, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Walk down Lincoln Square South in Carlton, and you’ll often notice a line outside Hareruya Pantry. The hole in the wall Japanese lunch and snack spot has been continually popular since opening in 2022, and now there’s a second location to get your fix. It’s located in CBD laneway Somerset Place, and I recently popped in to grab some photos for What’s on Melbourne.

Hareruya Pantry is owned by Kantaro Okada, who’s behind behind several of this city’s Japanese gems including Le Bajo, 279, Leonie Upstairs, and Sebastian Kakigori. Needless to say, Kantaro knows his stuff, and his commitment to quality and attention to detail continues at his new spot. Like its sibling, Hareruya CBD is a minimalist, small venue. Enter through the white noren curtains and you’ll be greeted with a counter, a few small tables and low seats.

On the menu, you’ll find all of your favourite Hareruya goodies. There’s assorted premium bento boxes and hiyashi chuka (cold noodle salads), nikuman (steamed pork buns), shokupan sandwiches, and pastries like matcha cookies and miso brownies. It’s all made fresh each day in the Carlton kitchen, using the best quality local and Japanese ingredients.

Lattes, available in coffee, match, houjicha, and chocolate, with your choice of milk are top notch. You can also find milk-brewed teas, freshly squeezed orange juice, and my favourite, a refreshing yuzu tea jelly soda.

Hareruya’s signature gelato makes an appearance of course. Classic flavours like strawberry, matcha, and black sesame, along with rotating seasonal flavours like Christmas spiced crumble, and soy Kuromitsu raisin. You can get your scoop in a cup, wrapped in mochi skin as a daifuku, or sandwiched between rice wafer crisp as a monaka.

Keep an eye out for the special collaboration gelato flavours. Last month saw Hareruya collaborate with Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo’s fashion label Comme Des Garçons for two flavours. Past collaborators include the Australian Open, Tokyo Lamington, and more.

Hareruya Pantry (CBD)

27 Somerset Place
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 10:30am to 10:30pm

Gluttony: The Play, Returns For A Second Season

Paul
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0
Gluttony: The Play, Returns For A Second Season

MELBOURNE | One of my highlights of The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival 2024 was Gluttony: The Play. In what’s great news for anyone who missed out earlier this year, or is keen to see the critically acclaimed play again, it’s set to return for a second season at the Hotel Windsor in October.

Set in the fictional restaurant, ‘Gourmandise’, Gluttony is a play about a group of old friends who get together for the first time in a long time, and work through their friendship, love, longing, and betrayal.

Written by playwright, Nick Parr and chef, Rob Kabboord (Ex Quay, Merricote), Gluttony is an immersive food-wine-and-theatre experience that seats diners among and around the performance. There’s no audience participation, and it’s quite a unique experience being in amongst the action, whether it’s at the main dining table that the actors are on, or on the periphery.

‘Around the Main’ are seats at or around the main table, and include champagne on arrival and a three-course meal by Rob with matched wines. ‘In the Round’ tickets sit you further away from the action (but still very close), with champagne on arrival and a selection of Rob’s snacks with a glass of wine for $195/person.

You can book tickets here.

When: 9 October 2024 – 3 November 2024
Where: The Hotel Windsor. 111 Spring Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Cost: $195.00 (In The Round), $395.00 (Around The Main)

The Valiant, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
The Valiant, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | The Valiant is a hidden CBD cocktail bar that opened in June, completely renovated and reimagined after running for the past year and a bit as a private event space. I was recently invited in to take a look.

It’s located above a convenience store, up a set of stairs that you enter through a car park on Queen Street. Just look for the large mural by local artist Danielle Webber, and you’ve found the right place. Step inside, and you’re greeted by a stylish, dark, L-shaped space that wraps around the long, marble bar. There’s plenty of couches and plush furnishings, and floor to ceiling windows that completely open when the weather’s good. Over 400 shiny disco balls on the ceiling complete the vibe.

The Valiant is owned by Simon Kouba, the brains behind ‘Flour Child’ in St Kilda and Richmond. He joined by bar manager Elliot Dew, who brings experience working in venues in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Christchurch; and fellow Frenchman Florian Megnaud, who’s worked in bars in Melbourne, Lyon, and Monaco.

The cocktail menu features a selection of house creations inspired by the space, and the team’s travels. I’m a big fan of “By the Fireplace”, a smoky, warming concoction of bourbon, apple, cinnamon, amaro, and lime. For something bubbly, try “The Gatsby”. It’s a light mix of elderflower, lemon myrtle, verjuice, and sparkling wine. There’s the classics, of course, along with house ‘cocktail shots’, and a tidy wine and beer list.

The food menu features French-inspired snacks, some of which are quite substantial. The saucisse en croute is a moreish wagyu beef sausage roll with cheeseburger sauce, while the anchois de la mer sees marinated anchovies topped with cucmber citrus salsa, lemon herb pangrattato, and herb oil. There’s a few different focaccia sandwiches, and things like oysters and caviar.

Be sure to keep a tab on The Valiant’s daily specials, like their Thursday and Friday happy hour, date night specials, and weekend bottomless brunch.

The Valiant

412 Little Collins Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9967 1245
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Thu: 4:00pm to 11:30pm
Fri: 3:00pm to 1:00am
Sat: 12:00pm to 1:00am

Kappo Tora, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Kappo Tora, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Kappo Tora is a small Japanese restaurant that recently opened in Healey’s Lane. It’s owned by the team behind popular Korean restaurant Seven Star Pocha, and Japanese restaurant Nana Izakaya, also on Healey’s Lane. I popped in recently for What’s on Melbourne.

The menu at Kappo Tora is quite extensive, with a particular focus on teishoku. The former is based on the ichiju-issai set meals traditionally served at Zen temples. That is, a main, served with sides of soup, rice, and pickles.

At Kappo Tora, the signature teishoku features a selection of katsu as the main. Your choice of pork tenderloin or loin (or a combination), chicken breast, cheese, or prawn. The pork is served medium-rare, with a sauce that’s less Worcestershire-like than typical tonkatsu sauce. With light fried panko coating, it’s a great choice if you’re looking for something a bit different than most versions you find in Melbourne.

Other things on the menu include donburi, udon, nigiri, and sashimi. There’s also sukiyaki if you’re in the mood for hot pot. The seafood is of excellent quality, prepared to order by Kappo Tora’s sushi chef, at the central raw bar, which you can sit at. If you want to try something that sounds a bit crazy but actually really works, check out the parmesan-laden bolognese origiri. I was sceptical at first, but consider me a convert.

To drink, there’s hot and cold sake, soju, Japanese beer, and highballs. There’s also a selection of tea by Lupicia, mocktails, and sodas if you’re looking for something non-alcoholic.

Kappo Tora

3 Healeys Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0433 770 642
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 12:00pm to 4:00pm; 5:00pm to 12:00am

Belgrade Street Art Guide

Paul
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0
Belgrade Street Art Guide

BELGRADE | The street art scene of Belgrade is a vibrant one. The city, which has experienced much turbulence in it long history (it’s been razed 44 times), contains a diverse collection of architecture, which represents various stages of its past. These buildings, old and new, provide a unique backdrop for the city’s artists to create

Street art in Belgrade deals with a multitude of topics. There are large scale commissioned pieces that deal with grand themes, small scale murals that capture the spirit of the people in the neighbourhoods in which they are found, and bold, political murals.

In this Belgrade street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite neighbourhoods to visit for Belgrade’s best street art.

Belgrade Waterfront

Located in a long-neglected part of the city, close to the centre and in a prime location on the Sava River, you’ll find Belgrade Waterfront. It’s a huge redevelopment project that began in 2014, estimated to cost a total of USD$3.5billion once completed.

Still under construction, the area is home to residential and retail, multiple public spaces and buildings, schools, and more. There are already lots of commissioned artworks in the neighbourhood, with the number sure to increase as development continues. You can contrast these commissioned pieces with murals in the undeveloped part of the area.

Dorcol

Dorcol is the heart of Belgrade’s old town. It’s one of the city’s most interesting neighbourhoods and is most likely where you’ll be staying when you visit. It’s a real mixed use neighbourhood, home to high end spots, classy spots, trendy spots, and a multitude of things to do.

There’s no shortage of street art in Dorcol. In particular, you’ll find plenty of murals that have been painted in homage to various individuals who have passed away. There are also several small and large scale murals created as part of the city’s ‘Mixing of Styles’ project. The project saw local and international artists team up to create murals in their own styles, revolving around the same theme.

In particular, check out the part of the neighbourhood that’s unofficially known as ‘Upper Dorcol’. Forming the northern part of the area that’s historically been underdeveloped, it extends all the way to the Danube. Here you’ll find loads of street art in amongst wine bars, breweries, art galleries and performance spaces. Be sure to visit Silosi, in the industrial part of the neighbourhood. It features massive murals painted on multiple former silos, along with a waterfront bar, and year-round music, art, music and cultural activities.

Dorcolmala

One of my favourite neighbourhoods in Belgrade to relax and enjoy a drink in is Dorcolmala. It’s got a great vibe about it, with lots of interesting indie bars, shops, and the like. As you wander through its winding streets, alleyways, and hidden spaces, you’ll find so much art work. It’s where you’ll find some of Belgrade’s best street art.

My advice is to start in the carpark located on Cetinjska 15. The back of the buildings that back onto the carpark are filled with great bars, eateries, and shops to explore. There are lots of murals here, and in the backstreets and alleyways that twist off it.

Novi Belgrade

Novi Belgrade is off the usual beaten tourist path, and a neighbourhood that I highly recommend visiting. It’s a large area, home to some of a seemingly endless number of brutalist structures. You can find out more about Novi Belgrade and its brutalist architecture on this post I wrote.

For street art in Novi Belgrade, focus on the areas where students, young creatives and entrepreneurs are found. For example, the neighbourhood of Studentski Grad, which is home to the Campus of the University of Belgrade.

Savamala

Located close to Belgrade Waterfront, Savamala is one of Belgrade’s most densely populated areas. Start on the Brankov Bridge, which will give you a good overview of the neighbourhood and you’ll spot many large-scale murals from afar. Once you have your bearings, head on in and explore.

Skadarlija

One of Belgrade’s oldest and most popular areas that tourists visit is Skadarlija. It has a historic, bohemian vibe, with cobblestone streets and beautiful old buildings. While not street art in the sense that most of you reading this are considering, many of the buildings have their facades painted with giant murals. Some of the murals date back to the 1970s, and depict scenes that relate to the area and the businesses inside.

Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:

Happy discoveries on your street art walk through Belgrade. What are your favourites places for street art in Belgrade? Are there any street art neighbourhoods beyond these hotspots that you love?

Cafe Tesorina, Parkville

Paul
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0
Cafe Tesorina, Parkville

MELBOURNE | In the back streets of Parkville, housed in a small, heritage listed building that began life as a grocery store in 1884, you’ll find Cafe Tesorina. It’s a cosy and welcoming local’s spot, focused on getting the important things right. I popped in a few weeks ago to grab some photos for What’s on Melbourne.

Cafe Tesorina is owned and operated by Alex Wright. Alex used to be the venue manager at Naughton’s Hotel around the corner and was a regular at the cafe in its former guise, Parkville Store. When the former owners decided to call it a day, they asked Alex if she’d be interested in taking the spot over. The starts aligned, and Alex took over the reigns, along with the owners of Naughton’s.

Apart from a name change from Cafe Piccolina earlier this year, things at Cafe Tesorina are much the same as they’ve been since Alex took over. A morning rush of regulars, greeted by name, popping in for their usual coffee order, with individuals grabbing a quick bite to start the day, and small groups of locals catching up over brekkie.

The compact, rotating menu is centred around seasonal, local produce, with a minimal-waste ethos. There’s the Melbourne classics, and a broadly Mediterranean focus, with nods to Alex’s Italian heritage. Things like ricotta hotcakes with raspberry and lemon curd; sauteed mushrooms, white bean puree, seasonal greens, and salsa verde on Rustica sourdough; and my favourite, poached eggs with labneh, crispy chilli oil, pickle, and fresh herbs on Rustica sourdough.

There’s a display of rolls, sandwiches, toasties, soups, salads, and pastries at the counter. All dietaries are able to be catered to, and there’s even home-baked dog treats for your furry friend.

Coffee at Cafe Tesorina is exceptional. There’s a wide selection of beans from Rumble Coffee Roasters, with most filter and espresso brew options offered. There’s a full selection of alternative milks to choose from, plus things like hot chocolate, freshly squeezed juices, and smoothies. Bags of coffee beans, plus produce used in the kitchen like eggs and milk, purchased for home.

Cafe Tesorina

52 Morrah Street
Parkville
Victoria 3052
Australia

Telephone: 0494 162 914
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 8:00am to 3:00pm

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