Melbourne Patron

It sounded cool. Pizza - which, as everyone knows, can be amazing when done properly - in a favourite old haunt of mine in Collingwood, just one block down from Smith St, with fluoro lights and even a disco ball, to boot. But there were a few things about Lazerpig Pizza Parlour (9-11 Peel St, Collingwood) that just didn't sit right with me. Occupying the site that used to house a great (albeit quiet) little pub, the Star , halfway down the notorious Peel St, Lazerpig is in a fairly accessible Collingwood spot. Its corner entrance is clearly marked by a fluorescent flying pig overhead. I'm yet to find a good explanation of the restaurant name (possibly something to do with gaming?!) - but it's certainly memorable. Lazerpig is the newest venture of the Grace Darling crew, which I found surprising, because I thought the Grace Darling was a fairly classic operation, and I didn't get the impression Lazerpig was being run very well, when I was there. Service was ...

The rumour was that the crew from Section 8 were opening another bar, basically looking down over Section 8 from the building next door. Known for its 'Melbourneness' and quirkiness, Section 8 serves drinks out of the side of a caravan to patrons who lounge on shipping containers plonked in a disused city laneway lot. So I had imagined Ferdydurke (Levels 1 & 2, 239 Lonsdale Street) to have a similarly grungy style. Tattersalls Lane from Ferdydurke Not so. Entering from Tattersalls Lane via a couple of staircases chock-a-block with strong, bright wall art, you emerge (a little puffed) into a clean and surprisingly light, brick and wood-based bar, reminiscent of Scandinavian design and art studio galleries. Manned by cool and moody-looking staff, the bar appears well-stocked and runs the length of most of the main room. A few tables grace the Lonsdale Street side, and a raised mixing desk area overlooks the main room and entryway, and also backs onto a hidden nook on...