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Carlton Yacht Club, Carlton

Paul
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Carlton Yacht Club, Carlton

MELBOURNE | With the seemingly never-ending list of new venues to check out, it’s important not to forget about the stalwarts that have stood the test of time. Carlton Yacht Club fits squarely into that bracket, celebrating it’s 20th birthday this year. I recently stopped by on behalf of What’s On Melbourne to check it out.

Carlton Yacht Club is an old favourite of mine. I popped in probably a few times a year pre-COVID, but hadn’t been back since the world returned to ‘normal’. It’s a venue that’s aged well, staying true to its essence while continually tweaking and updating to remain fresh.

There’s a nautical dive bar situation going on here. A dark interior with lots of wood and seafaring, pirate paraphernalia and the like. There’s a bit of a tiki bar feel too. It’s a bit worn-in, genuine, and nothing feels forced or tacky. If you’re looking for a brighter scene, and want to watch life on Lygon Street unfold, there’s a whole lot of shaded outdoor seating and tables out the front. It’s a very fun spot.

Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, with a mixed crowd coming through the doors. Being one of the few venues with a license that runs into the early hours of the morning, means the place is popular with nearby students and hospo workers looking for a pre or post-shift bevvy.

The drinks offering is quality. Classic and house cocktails, with staff who have a knack of knowing what you want to drink before you do. The barrel-aged cocktails are a particular highlight. There’s local craft beers on tap, and a selection of local and international wines. To eat, you can order in food from any one of the quality nearby restaurants.

Carlton Yacht Club

298 Lygon Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: 0412 401 640
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Sun – Wed: 4:00pm to 1:00am
Thu – Sat: 4:00pm to 3:00am

Tapenade, Melbourne

Paul
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0
Tapenade, Melbourne

MELBOURNE | I have fond memories enjoying meals at casual bistros in the south of France. It’s been over a decade since I last visited the region, so was excited to recently check out Tapenade for What’s On Melbourne.

Tapenade was opened by husband and wife duo Kevin Chassagne and Laurie Faget, just before last year’s big lockdown. They built almost everything themselves, digging into their savings and enlisting the help of friends. Despite the unfortunate timing they soldered on, building a steady clientele of regulars, impressed by the excellent food and warm service.

Kevin and Laurie are both chefs, and both hail from the south of France. They met while working overseas, and have worked together in kitchens around the world. Settling in Melbourne, they worked at Bistro Gitan and Frederic before taking the plunge and opening their own venue.

Tapenade is a space where customers are made to feel like they are being welcomed into Kevin and Laurie’s home. The passion and enthusiasm that they both have, and the complete lack of pretention in their attitude and the space help make this the case. The food is home-style cooking – family recipes with finesse garnered from their extensive CVs.

Produce is primarily local, sourced from Prahran Market up the road, and other independent Aussie producers. Small French producers with whom Kevin and Laurie have a connection with are also represented, especially where an Australian equivalent isn’t available or quite what they’re looking for.

The namesake Tapenade, made using Laurie’s grandmother’s recipe, served with focaccia from Noisette, is a must try. The duck liver pate on toast is another highlight. Speaking of duck, the 12 hour confit duck leg served with seasonal accompaniments is outstanding. Inspired by the duck dishes that Laurie enjoyed growing up near a duck farm, it’s one of the lightest duck dishes in town.

There’s a rotating selection of seasonal dishes, driven by what’s good at the market on any given day. If it’s on the menu when you visit, be sure to try the salade niçoise. The version here uses market fresh tuna, thinly sliced and ever so slightly seared. It elevates what’s already a wonderfully fresh, summery plate.

Pastries and rolls are available for those looking for a quick bite, along with great locally roasted coffee. For boozy drink options, the focus is on wines and cocktails, showcasing independent Australian and French producers.

For dessert, you can’t go past the Basque burnt cheesecake. Kevin insisted that I try it, and really talked it up. And gosh does it live up to expectations. It’s light, fluffy, and smooth. No where near as heavy as most versions of the favourite. In fact, that’s a theme at Tapenade. The dishes are lighter than one might expect, making the most of their Mediterranean southern French roots and seasonal focus.

Of you want to take some French pantry staples and wine home, there’s a small retail pantry at the front of the shop, stocked full of goodies.

Tapenade

1A/3 Commercial Road
Melbourne
Victoria 3004
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9119 4500
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Wed – Thu: 7:30am to 2:30pm
Fri: 7:30am to 8:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 2:00pm

Purple Palm, Woolloongabba

Paul
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0
Purple Palm, Woolloongabba

BRISBANE | Purple Palm is a 60-seat Woolloongabba bar from the team behind South City Wine and Casa Chow across the road. It’s a chill outdoor spot, inspired by Southern California with lots of concrete and stone, purple lighting at night, and tall palm trees.

Gin is the focus of the drinks menu, which has been developed in collaboration with award-winning distillery 78 Degrees. There’s a very impressive array of small batch gins to enjoy neat or in a cocktail, all made with local Australian ingredients. Try the Palm Sour, made with blueberries, aquafaba and matcha. Also great is the Ooray, which blends Seven Seasons bush apple gin, 78 Degrees rose vermouth, and Davidson plum.

If a cocktail isn’t what you’re in the mood for, there’s a small list of craft beer cans from several Brisbane breweries, and Aussie wines. There’s also several non-alcoholic options.

To eat, it’s a snack menu by South City Wine and Casa Chow, as well as a few skewers.

Purple Palm

6/148 Logan Road
Woolloongabba
Queensland 4102
Australia

Telephone: 1300 185 730
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Fri: 4:00pm to 9:00pm
Sat – Sun: 12:00pm to 9:00pm

ANTE, Newtown

Paul
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ANTE, Newtown

SYDNEY | When I heard that Matt Young of specialist junmai sake importer Black Market Sake was opening his own bar, ANTE, dedicated to “sake and sounds”, I knew I had to check it out.

Ante is modelled after a jazzu kissa, a jazz cafe where the music is as important as the drinks. With around 2,500 records from Matt’s personal vinyl collection, there’s no shortage of quality tunes playing through the speakers.

To drink, it’s a rotating selection of around 65 sakes. All premium, ranging from safe to adventurous. Tasting flights are available, with a detailed menu, split by region and producer, and informative staff, helping to guide you. There’s also top notch wine, craft beer, and spirits.

Head Chef Jemma Whiteman’s (ex Billy Kwong, Lankan Filling Station) European/Japanese menu is as much a reason to visit Ante as the drinks. The small plates work well as snacks to be enjoyed while you sip on a drink, but you can also DIY a very satisfying degustation-type meal.

Must order is the tagliatelle with fermented shiitake mushrooms and sauce, and Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s a luxurious umami-heavy delight. Also try the beef tartare with smoky almond, pickled green olive, and roasted rice. It’s a light balance of flavour and texture.

Ensure you leave room for dessert. The black sugar custard with aged mirin is a malty, rich in flavour, light in texture riff on crème caramel. It’s one of the best sweet things I’ve eaten all year. Enjoy it with a glass of Ine Mankai from Kyoto’s Mukai Shuzo. It’s a red rice sake with a unique flavour profile that perfectly matches the dessert.

ANTE

146 King Street
Newtown
New South Wales 2042
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Thu – Fri: 5:00pm to 12:00am
Sat – Sun: 12:00pm to 12:00am

LeTAO, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
LeTAO, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Cult Hokkaido cheesecake brand LeTAO have just opened their first physical store in Australia. Last week I visited on behalf of What’s On Melbourne to check it out. So, first thing first, what makes these cheesecakes so lauded?

LeTAO we as founded by Seigou Kawagoe in 1998. He wanted to bake goodies inspired by both Japan and the West, drawing upon the quality produce of the Hokkaido region without being bound by the rigidity of tradition that surrounded the region’s famous sweets. He clearly hit upon a good thing, because 25 years later LeTAO has expanded to several cities around the world.

The offering is short but sweet. There’s a few variation of the wonderfully light and fluffy, slow baked cheesecake that started it all, plus a few cookies and seasonal creations. At any given time; you’ll find around ten things on offer. Quality over quantity is the name of the game.

The OG ‘Fromage Double’ is a must try. In the case of this location, it’s made using top notch Aussie dairy. It’s light, it’s cheesy, and very well balanced with just the right amount of sweetness. The buttery strawberry cheesecake cookies are also highly recommended.

There’s a soft serve machine on site of you’re in the mood for a delicious vanilla and cheesecake soft serve sundae, and there’s quality coffee for a caffeine hit.

LeTAO

238 Swanston Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0404 761 888
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 12:00pm to 10:00pm

Bar Jayda, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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Bar Jayda, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Just opened next to Maha, is the new venue from Shane Delia, Bar Jayda. I was recently invited to check it out and, being a fan of Shane’s other venues, of course I accepted. Bar Jayda follows in the footsteps of Maha and Maha Bar, but is very much it’s own thing. First and foremost, the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean spot is a bar, hitting it’s stride as the night goes on.

It leans into the building’s art deco heritage, with a moody low-lit atmosphere and Middle Eastern flourishes. There’s the main bar at the front, and a smaller, cosy lounge section at the back, hidden behind the kitchen.

Cocktails are a focus of the drinks list, with a menu designed by award winning mixologist Orlando Marzo. There’s the full range of Drinks by Loro cocktails (try the strawberry yoghurt negroni), and made to order creations like the Beirut Bellini. That one’s a tasty mix of bitter citrus aperitivo, pomegranate, rose, and sparkling wine. There’s also quality wines, beer, and spirits.

On the food front, it’s snacks and a few more substantial dishes. A rotating selection of familiar favourites from Shanes other venues and new creations. Casual food that’s all designed to be eaten with your hands.

On the snacks side, it’s things like the kingfish, finger lime, and taramasalata tart; beef borek bun with turmeric, tamarind, and coconut, and Aleppo pepper lamb cigaras. All delicious.

On the ‘more’ side, you’ll find one my favourite things on the menu. It’s the ‘after-service sandwich’, an evolution of a dish that Maha staff created to enjoy as a staff meal. It’s 12 hour smoked lamb shoulder, including all of the caramelised bits of lamb from the roasting trays, inside a fluffy and flaky pastry casing, with lamb jus for dipping. A hands down must order that’s every bit as good as it sounds.

Bar Jayda is certainly from the same family as Maha and Bar Maha, but is more Mediterranean leaning than its siblings. With great food, drinks, and vibe, it’s a great addition to the family.

Bar Jayda

19 Bond Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 7046 5599
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Tue – Sat: 5:00pm to 1:00am

Operator Diner, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Operator Diner, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Operator Diner, which I recently visited for What’s On Melbourne, has a simple concept. US diner classics done right, with some Asian twists.

You’ve got a brilliant cheeseburger with every component made from scratch, on site. There’s the epic brekkie sausage, cheese, and relish muffin that hits the spot oh so well. There’s a chicken katsu sandwich that’s oh so good.

Coffee is from Code Black Coffee, and there’s quality shakes and iced tea to boot.

And to be honest, that’s all you really need to know. The fitout is sweet, and their takes on American diner classics, plus some twists, are awesome. Go there.

Operator Diner

2/130 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 8395 6341
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 4:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Tokyo Lamington, Carlton

Paul
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0
Tokyo Lamington, Carlton

MELBOURNE | I’m a big fan of the fancy lamingtons at Sydney’s Tokyo Lamington, so was pretty happy when I found out that they’d just opened a second store in Melbourne. Located just around the corner from the University of Melbourne in Carlton, the concept is the same as the original. I visited a few days ago for What’s On Melbourne.

For those who don’t know, Tokyo Lamington was started in 2019 as a pop-up in Tokyo, by Min Chai (ex N2 Extreme Gelato) and Eddie Stewart (ex Black Star Pastry. The plan was to open a bricks and mortar store in Tokyo, but then COVID hit, and.. yeah. Instead, they decided too open in Sydney, and now it’s Melbourne’s turn.

Inside you’ll find gourmet lamingtons, with flavours like fairy bread popcorn, Snickers, and dirty chai latte. There’s also nostalgic Aussie and Japanese inspired pies and sausage rolls, nigiri, and other specials. It’s all made fresh onsite, every day, and is rather delicious.

For me, the Snickers and pandan kaya toast lamingtons are hard to go past. Same with the pork katsu sausage roll; and mapo tofu pie. For coffee, it’s assorted espresso and filter based options using Single O beans, alternative lattes, and your choice of milk.

There’s also a little retail section with merch, tea, coffee beans, Japanese ceramics, and a few other bits and bobs.

Tokyo Lamington (Carlton)

258 Elgin Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: 0402 392 258
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:00am to 3:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 3:00pm

Baba’s Place, Marrickville

Paul
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0
Baba’s Place, Marrickville

SYDNEY | Cultural identity is easy for some, and complex for others. Take myself, for example. Born and raised in Australia, as are my parents, with grandparents from what is today known as the Macedonian region of Greece. So I have Greek heritage right? Well on a geographical definition, yes. My grandparents, however, identify as Macedonian (as do I), but distinct from the country that’s today known as North Macedonia. Like I said, it’s complicated. I could talk to you for hours about my example. Through my travels, I’ve seen similar stories play out throughout the world. Culture, who owns it, and who is allowed to define themselves by it, is a Pandora’s Box.

One area where this is very apparent is food. Millennia of empires, immigration, wars, pillaging and plundering means that a lot of what a culture recognises as its cuisine, is also found, generally with regional variations, in other cultures. If it think of the food that I grew up with, that I consider Macedonian food, and it’s a total mish mash. There’s Balkan food, Greek food, Turkish food, Persian food, wider Middle Eastern food, and more. Combined, it is Macedonian food, it’s my food, but not exclusively so.

For me this is why a restaurant like Baba’s Place. I visited, curious to see how a ‘trendy’ restaurant represents food that I recognise from my culture, and found a lot more than I expected.

Owners Alex Kelly and Jean Paul El Tom, have created a place that draws upon Alex’s Macedonian heritage and Jean Paul’s Lebanese heritage. A modern Macedonian-Lebanese restaurant in simple terms, but it’s more than that. Baba’s Place is an ode to Sydney’s multicultural Western Suburbs, a reflection of the cross cultural food that I was talking about earlier.

Anyone who has Eastern European, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern heritage will recognise elements of what’s going on here. There’s even nods to other cultures that makes the Western Suburbs what they are. The result is fun, heartfelt, and delicious. For me, there is, of course, a nostalgic element.

Visit, order more than you can eat, and don’t leave until your plates are spotless. It’s the way baba would want it.

Baba’s Place

20 Sloane Street
Marrickville
New South Wales 2204
Australi

Telephone: (02) 9090 2925
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Thu – Fri: 6:00pm to 12:00am
Sat: 12:00pm to 4:00pm, 6:00pm to 12:00am
Sun: 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, Marrickville

Paul
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0
Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre, Marrickville

SYDNEY | Hawke’s Brewing was founded by Nathan Lennon and David Gibson in 2017, with the blessing of Bob Hawke himself. It wasn’t until this year, however, that they had a brewery and venue of their own. Enter, The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre.

Located in amongst the brewing hotspot that is Marrickville, the aptly named leisure centre is a tribute to the main man, the pubs and RSLs, and general Aussie aesthetic of the 1980s. The space is roughly divided into five sections. Downstairs, when you first walk in you have the public room, which is home to the main bar, and Lucky-Prawn, modelled off, and offering dishes familiar to anyone who dined at suburban Chinese restaurants back in the day.

To the pack, there’s the RJLH Pool Room, which also houses the Bob Hawke photo and memorabilia gallery. On the mezzanine floor there’s the tropical themed Sanctuary Cove and Ansett Bar, and there’s also seats and tables out the front.

The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s more than a little bit daggy, and is all the better for it. The space oozes character and is a whole lot of fun.

Beer is quality. Rather than focusing on constantly changing limited and experimental brews, head brewer Brodie French is all about quality, consistent brews, covering the main styles that people like to drink. The 4.5% ABV “Patio Pale” Pale Ale and 5.7% ABV “Hawke’s American Porter” are two highlights.

It’s not all the same, though. You’ll always find a few seasonal limited release beers, “One Hit Wonders”, on the taps at any given time. If you want to try a few things, tasting paddles of four smaller pours are available.

For food, the aforementioned Chinese-Australian restaurant serves quality versions of nostalgic dishes like salt and pepper calamari, sweet and sour pork, and special fried rice. For dessert, there’s a deep fried Vienetta cake and Vanilla ice-cream with Ice Magic.

Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre

8-12 Sydney Street
Marrickville
New South Wales 2204
Australia

Telephone: (02) 9069 5583
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon – Tue: 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Wed: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Thu – Fri: 12:00pm to 12:00am
Sat: 11:00am to 12:00am
Sun: 11:00am to 10:00pm

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