Melbourne Patron

Spice Temple  Neil Perry's Fine Dining Chinese Restaurant at Crown, Southbank, Melbourne It's considered an institution in Melbourne, and with a chef to its name like Neil Perry , a location like Southbank , and an existence of six years in the Melbourne restaurant scene (when staying power is notoriously elusive), it's no wonder. Spice Temple's name is a pretty accurate description of the restaurant: food heavy in spices and spiciness; a dim space with a sort of hushed reverence. A line-filled eating den The quiet tone of Spice Temple (Shop 7, Crown Complex, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank) could well be due to its design. With lots of dark wood and more traditional red and gold carpet, one might be forgiven for thinking it's a little dated. What keeps it current is the symmetrical and perpendicular fittings, creating neat squared-off eating nooks, and the dark, felt-like soundproofing material spaced out overhead, muffling any white noise. Over...

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...