Melbourne Patron

Want Melbourne Patron blog posts delivered straight to your inbox? Click the "Subscribe" button at the top of this page and follow the simple instructions. Magic! Bistro Gitan Elegant French in friendly refined surroundings I'd heard the name Jacques Reymond since moving to Melbourne ten years ago, and always assumed I'd eat at one of his restaurants. He closed his solo doors in 2014 before I got around to it, but along with L'Hotel Gitan in Prahran, he remains involved with  Bistro Gitan (52 Toorak Road West, South Yarra), jointly operated by three of his children. Ever since a soul-changing meal in the south of France with my family on my first trip to Europe, I have enjoyed partaking in a decent bit of French food. I was particularly looking forward to the dinner date my partner had booked, knowing the restaurant's location opposite Fawkner Park in the elegant, leafy part of South Yarra would only add to its feel of an exclusive treat. ...

I first went to  Kommune  (370 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy) soon after it had opened in the former Charmaine's ice-cream shop site. I liked it, but it felt unfinished somehow... not quite sure of its own personality yet. My friend wanted to try Nyala African Restaurant for dinner, just down the road, so I suggested Kommune for a drink first. It has come together a lot more now. The interior is much the same as before, with posters pasted on the wall, tall bar tables and moody lighting, but now it also has a few armchairs, pot plants and homey touches - just a few small things that make it seem much more comfortable and sure of itself. It's got a kind of neat, dark, European vibe: small, dark and gritty, but also clean, modern and warm. The bar staff are friendly and seem to be up for a bit of banter. The few tables outside on the street are great for people-watching, right in the midst of the Brunswick Street shopping and dining hub. We had a p...