Melbourne Patron

Oh look, another burger joint in Melbourne. *yawn* Wait - what's that you say? On a rooftop? Oh okay, that's kinda cool... In TRAIN CARRIAGES on a rooftop? Wha-- whaaaaaaa??! Only in Collingwood would this kind of place exist and would people make a special effort to go there. Like I did, one Saturday afternoon, oh months ago now, but I'm guessing not too much has changed since my visit. Inventively named for the street it's on, Easey's  (48 Easey Street, Collingwood) is hard to miss on approach. Three train carriages jut out from atop a rooftop. Oh hai. Trouble is, to get to them, you have to climb about a million stairs. Or maybe I'm just lazy. (Note: You can totally eat burgers on the ground level, too. But why would you go to this place and NOT go to the train carriages on the rooftop?!) (Another note: There is a lift. But either it wasn't working or I didn't/couldn't use it for some other reason on the day of my visit. Or maybe I w...

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...

Regular readers of this blog will know I'm a fan of the classic Aussie pub. When it comes to the Napier Hotel (210 Napier Street, corner of Moor Street, Fitzroy), a lot of rave-phrases (hereonin referred to as phraveses -  just cos I can) have been thrown around. Reviewers point out the pub's 'commitment to the old-school Fitzroy vibe', its support of the long-defunct Fitzroy Lions *, and inevitably mention its infamous Bogan Burger - a meal which the pub is no doubt trying to disassociate itself from, at least somewhat (as revealed by the words "Not Just Bogan Burgers!" on the menu section of its website) - possibly due to the gentrification of Fitzroy overall, and the prolific rise of foodies in Melbourne (ahem). And here comes the crunch: Although I like the Napier, I don't love it. I don't mind it. There are better pubs around, in my opinion. Despite this, it is still very popular, raking in a 92% approval rate on Urbanspoon at the time of...

Aside from MONA , two areas of Hobart that people kept recommending were Battery Point and Salamanca . Since we were staying in the CBD within walking distance from both, we were easily able to check them out. On our first night in Hobart (after the exhausting but illustrious start to our trip - and a two-hour nanna nap!), we decided to check out the Shipwright's Arms Hotel in Battery Point, or " Shippies ", as it's known to locals. A traditional-style pub, Shippies is best known for its link to the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race : it has long been a favourite with crew members and spectators alike. Sadly, it was too dark outside and too packed inside for me to get many decent photos. The front bar is very old-school, with a wooden centre bar, brick walls, sporting paraphernalia and TV screens - and, when we entered, it appeared to be men-only. (Had we unwittingly stepped into the nineteenth century?! Should we have worn our bonnets and corsets, and carried em...

Heading towards the Palais for a Neil Finn/Paul Kelly concert, we wanted to grab a bite to eat in St Kilda first. Being somewhat broke, I wanted somewhere near the theatre, cheap and filling. A quick Google search revealed the convenient proximity of Joe's (formerly Greasy Joe's) - a St Kilda institution that I'd never been to. Joe's Bar and Diner  (64-66 Acland Street, St Kilda - near the McDonald's!) was rebranded from "Greasy Joe's" just recently, and now seems to be aiming for a clean, fun, American vibe. Burgers are a large feature of the menu and, happily, they hover around the $13 mark. Between 4.30 and 6.30pm is special time: any beer and any burger for $15 - apparently served with chips, as seemed to be the case when we were there. I don't drink beer so couldn't really take advantage of the deal, but I think my chips were thrown in as a gesture (or by accident). I went for something different: the "Lady of St Kilda...