Melbourne Patron

Not far from my parents' place in Rushcutters Bay is a charming, bright, clean cafe that I just recently discovered for the first time. Posto No. 19, entrance/mezzanine level Posto No. 19  (19a Boundary Street, Rushcutters Bay) (not to be confused with Il Posto in Paddington, Brisbane) is neatly tucked into a shady side of Boundary Street, morphing from a wide, open street-side window and mezzanine dining area, complete with communal table, down to a sunken bar and dining area with cushioned bench seating, and kitchen. The decor is cool, contrasting and shiny, with dark polished concrete flooring, loads of natural light, and lots of glass. Personality comes through touches of beachside retreat and quirky antiques, with neutral colours, stripey cushions, white plates and pastel blue cups, and hand-drawn framed illustrations arranged in an arty bunch on the wall. Bench seating, neutral tones Arty bunch of drawings My mother's all about 'clean' f...

I'm not much of an ice-cream person. I know, I know: disgrace to womankind, blah blah. (For the record, and in my defense, I am definitely a chocolate kind of a person.) HOWEVER, when there is awesomeness available (usually less often in stock-standard, over-sugary, too-creamy versions of ice-cream, and more often in unusual-flavoured, fresh, fruity, beautiful-consistency gelato kinds), I will partake. Willingly. When in Sydney, I usually hover around the inner-Eastern suburbs, and it's not unusual for me to be on Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, at least once most days. And there, right in the guts, not far from the corner of Liverpool Street, is Gelato Messina , one of the better (and most-revered) frozen-sweetness-peddlers in the country. Gelato Messina, 241-243 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst Nick Palumbo's obsession with gelato began as a teen. In 2002, he established Gelato Messina and is still a co-owner. Number 241 Victoria Street is Gelato Messina...

My visits to Sydney in the last few years have been centred around the inner eastern suburbs of Darlinghurst, Kings Cross, Paddington and Rushcutters Bay. I'm of Dutch descent and was recently granted my Dutch citizenship (yay!). So, really, it is quite AMAZING that I'd never been to Una's (338-340 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst) prior to last month. Una's is somewhat of an urban legend in Sydney. Its focus is home-style, traditional European cuisine with influences from the likes of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Hungary. Its infamous plate-wide schnitzels, its relaxed and friendly vibe, and its proximity to the nightlife of Kings Cross for over 40 years have ensured its continued success. My Dad tells me tales of prolonged business lunches he spent at Una's 20 years ago, and my 20-something (OK, 30-something) friends still pop in there for a schnitzel before a night on the town. Una's is a Victoria Street mainstay, complete with...

My parents wanted to show me a place they knew I'd like. The first time we tried (might have been Christmas Eve?), Forbes & Burton  (252 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst) was closed. The second time was a few days after Christmas - and they were right. It's modern and a bit swanky, but also relaxed. Think designer wooden tables, clean glass surfaces and natural light. I'd feel out of place in jeans but it would be a great cafe to meet your girlfriends for a fancy brunch.  We only stayed for coffee, but saw the food from a distance and it looked gooood. This was also the only decent 'large' coffee I'd had in Sydney this time round.  That evening, I was treated to #2 "you'll like this place" by Mum and Dad: Cafe Sopra  (81 Macleay Street, Potts Point), part of the Fratelli Fresh company. It's a grocer/deli and restaurant all in one, so you eat surrounded by the tall shelves of lovely fresh produce. The staff are excellent (...