Source : the age
A bite-sized recap of the biggest stories of the week, so you know where to go and what to order across Melbourne and Victoria. Check in each week so you can be the smartest person in your group chat.
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No Kingstons, no worries: An alternative two-ingredient recipe for this viral dessert
Would you mix a packet of Kingston biscuits with a can of peaches and bake it just to see what happens? Former MasterChef contestant Ash Davey did just that on Instagram and a new viral recipe – and nationwide supermarket shortages of the retro Arnott’s biscuit – ensued. The “recipe” isn’t just two ingredients either; it’s also just two steps. Jane de Graaff has created her own spin on the dessert with this two-ingredient cherry-berry Carlo pudding (or Black Forest Delta pudding, depending on your biscuit of choice).
Sweet deal: Record fair (plus brekkie) at The Pinny
Straight to the pool room! Fitzroy North’s quirkiest pub, The Pinnacle, is rejoining forces with vinyl and music collective Jazz Duet this Saturday to host a record fair in the pub’s pool room from 11am until 5pm. Other collectors from nearby hospitality and music vendors – including CBD bar Caretaker’s Cottage and Kensington wine bar Arnold’s – will be joining in with their own vinyl collections, while the kitchen will be whipping up bacon and egg rolls and halloumi muffins. Free filter coffee is on the cards too.
Ellie Bouhadana to open new venue at St Kilda Claypots site
After a successful summer seafood pop-up at Stokehouse’s beachfront kiosk in St Kilda, and recent months cooking and eating her way around Morocco, Italy and the Netherlands, ex-Hope St Radio chef Ellie Bouhadana is launching her own restaurant. Dafina Seaside Grill will open in the storied Claypots site in St Kilda in early 2027, adding extra verve to an exciting time for the suburb, with Andrew McConnell’s Trader House taking over Stokehouse in spring and new developments happening on down-at-heel Fitzroy Street. Get the full scoop here.
Sweet deal: After-work cocktails and sushi at Yamagen
QT’s glitzy Japanese diner Yamagen has launched a new midweek special for those after-work cravings. Each Tuesday to Thursday from 5.30 to 6.30pm, head down Portland Lane and pull up a seat at the sushi counter for “roll call” – two hand rolls (including spanner crab and wagyu) and one Japanese-inspired cocktail, all for $39. Talk about a bargain.
The Download: Friday, August 21
Celebrate 20 years of Bar Lourinha at Prahran Market
In light of reaching a milestone 20 years in business this year, hatted and Critics’ Pick-listed Iberian restaurant Bar Lourinha is bringing the celebrations to Prahran Market this Saturday, August 22, for a full-day fiesta. From 11am to 4pm at Harvest Hall, co-owners Matt McConnell and Jo Gamvros will be firing up the pans with paella and tapas. There will be Spanish wine, sherry, beer and cocktails. You can also grab a signed copy of the couple’s cookbook Lourinha: Iberian and Mediterranean Dishes to Share.
What’s the deal with Greek yoghurt?
We’ve all heard about protein-maxxing, and Greek yoghurt is typically placed on a social media pedestal as the golden child for an easy protein fix. But is it really the miracle worker it’s made out to be? And is Greek yoghurt better for you than Greek-style yoghurt? We whey up the facts from the social media spin about the protein-powered staples still flying off the shelves here.
Vinyl takeover session at Toby’s Estate
Sleek Fitzroy coffee roaster Toby’s Estate is transforming its Rose Street cafe into a daytime vinyl club next Saturday, August 29. The Rose St Session kicks off at 10am with Carlton’s Good Measure owner Max Allison-Brock – also known as DJ InokoMax – spinning vinyl behind the decks alongside DJ Nico Deoki. You can also nab a fresh vinyl with your morning brew from nearby record store Oh Jean Records, which will also be popping up at the space.
Six CBD spots where lunch costs you less than $20
A cheap city lunch doesn’t have to mean another 7-Eleven sandwich or a sad desk salad. At a time when the cost of, well, just about everything is climbing, a handful of newish CBD eateries are drawing on the everyday food cultures of Vietnam, Italy, France and beyond to serve satisfying lunches that don’t ask you to sacrifice flavour for affordability. These six spots prove you can still eat well in the middle of Melbourne for under $20. Be sure to save them for next time you “forget” your packed lunch on the Good Food app.
Hot ticket: Wagyu & Wine at Cecconi’s
Italian CBD fine diner Cecconi’s – awarded a hat in The Age Good Food Guide – is bringing back its previously sold-out Wagyu & Wine dinner. Across seven courses on Thursday, September 3, award-winning wagyu from Mayura Station will be paired with wines from Heathcote’s Wild Duck Creek Estate, with guest speakers explaining the craft behind each course. Bookings are $450 per person and can be made here.
Sweet deal: Win a weekend away at Brae
Your chance to dine at three-hatted, Critics’ Pick-listed restaurant Brae has arrived. The destination Birregurra venue’s annual community fundraiser is back, with the opportunity to win from a pool of more than $9000 worth of prizes. From just $5, you’ll go in the running for a two-night stay including dining, drinks and breakfast, plus a guided tour of the eight-hectare farm, the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles. Other tourism and dining prizes include a two-night stay at a cottage in the Otways, a $500 voucher for the Otways Distillery, plus more. All funds raised will be donated towards a $30,000 goal to support upgrades to the local Birregurra CFA headquarters. Grab your raffle ticket here.
Hot ticket: Michelin-starred Hanoi restaurant at Aru
This spring, Vietnam’s Michelin-starred restaurant Gia is coming to Melbourne. The Hanoi fine diner is taking over our very own two-hatted Aru on Little Collins Street for just two nights in September. Gia co-owner and head chef Sam Tran, the first Vietnamese chef to retain a star for four consecutive years, is preparing an eight-course tasting menu ($245 per person) on September 1 and 2 from 5.45pm, with drinks pairings available for an extra $125 a head ($75 for non-alcoholic). Bookings can be made here.
Hump day special: $25 pizza and wine at Garfield
Lygon Street pizzeria Garfield is giving us a reason to brave the midweek chill this winter with its Wednesday night pizza and wine special. Each week, get a wood-fired margherita – made with 72-hour fermented dough using Garfield’s signature Tokyo stretch method – plus a glass of house fiano or sangiovese, all for just $25. Date night, sorted.
Save your favourite recipes and restaurants on the Good Food app
No more dog-earing your recipe books. The Good Food app has launched a new saved function, which allows you to compile all your favourite recipes in one easy place. Simply click the bookmark icon to save, then head to the Saved page on the navigation panel to view. The Good Food app is home to more than 10,000 recipes from Australia’s top cooks, including Nagi Maehashi, Adam Liaw, Helen Goh, Neil Perry, Karen Martini, Emelia Jackson and more.
Emily Holgate – Emily is a producer for the Good Food App at The Age. She previously wrote for the likes of Broadsheet and Urban List.Connect via email.
