Melbourne Patron

Want Melbourne Patron blog posts delivered straight to your inbox? Click on the "Subscribe" button at the top of this page and follow the simple instructions. Magic! I am a sucker for a good steak, and lately, what with moving house and all the extra expenses that incurs, I've been on the lookout for great pub specials such as steak nights. I've been keeping a list on my phone of some of the deals I've found at venues around my home and work (mostly in the CBD, Fitzroy/Collingwood, Richmond/Abbotsford, South Yarra/Prahran/Windsor, South Melbourne) - and there are lots, so please note I haven't tried them all.  Several of my friends have asked me to send them a copy of the list - so I figure this way, I can share it with everybody who might be interested! PLEASE NOTE: This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the pub specials in Melbourne (there are many websites for that already!), nor is it necessarily current. I will do my best to keep it up-to-dat...

Guest post by Stewart Kennedy. Home Hill Wines  (38 Nairn Road, Ranelagh, Tasmania) is one of the best and most understated winery/restaurant experiences I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying! We first visited Home Hill during a Tasmanian visit about four years ago. Then, it was a lunch to remember, and this latest visit was just as good. Pinot Noir is their specialty, but after lunch today, I can also recommend the oysters and the lamb "done in various ways" as a main. The chocolate-covered strawberries and "Pinot chocolates" were indulgent extras, not often on the menu: The atmosphere at Home Hill is modern and relaxed. We booked ahead, but for Friday lunch it was not really necessary. Weekends, I am told, is another matter. Oh - you can sit outside, too! There is something special about enjoying lunch among the vines with only tweeting birds to listen to. I loved it.

It's always hard trying to figure out where to meet a friend from out of town. You want to suggest somewhere near them, easy for them to find, easy for you to get to, a place where you can hear each other talk to catch up, but somewhere with atmosphere so it doesn't feel dull. Plus, somewhere with a touch of Melbourne's personality is always a bonus. It's a true art form! Unfortunately, Richmond doesn't have these places in abundance. At least, Bridge Road doesn't. (There seem to be plenty more on Swan or Victoria Streets.) My old school friend was here from Sydney with her brand-new husband and the three of us caught up for a 5 o'clock drink last Friday. I suggested Plan B Lounge (274 Bridge Road, Richmond), as it was near where they were staying, and I remembered it being fun and vibey. When I arrived, no one was there bar a bored-looking bar girl checking her phone among the tacky lighting and loud, outdated music. Inside, the music was so loud conver...