Melbourne Patron

I wanted to try this cafe just for its name! I've popped in to New York Tomato (corner New & York Streets, Richmond... well, that explains the name) a few times now, and I'm starting to really enjoy it. Dad joke alert From the outside, New York Tomato is hardly obvious. It's almost on top of the South Morang train line, a block or two south of North Richmond Station. The cafe venue itself is the last subdivision of a row of warehouse conversions, only recognisable by the fact that its small frontage is open to the street and often landmarked by a pretty scooter. (Can you call a motorised bike pretty? ...ahhhh fuggit.) Once you realise you've got the right place, you're basically already in the courtyard, which is effectively the main dining area. It's cosy and covered, but still 'open air', so I'll be interested to see how the place fares during winter. Behind the courtyard area, just indoors, is the compactly arranged kitchen...

Boxing Day in the Sydney CBD is madness. So, naturally, I headed straight for it. I needed to get out of the house and wanted to reacquaint myself with the guts of my hometown. Boxing Day was probably an extremely silly time to do it, but friends were floating around the city and keen to catch up... so it was happening. Pitt Street Mall, Boxing Day 2012 After fighting for life and limb among the bodies pouring off the footpaths and blocking the flow of traffic, I found my friends at the beautiful Queen Victoria Building, and we headed for the relative quiet and safety of Jet Cafe (G55, QVB Sydney). The crowd-fighting ordeal had left me in dire need of alcohol, and this was one of the few licensed venues open, so we had a glass or two of Stella Bella Sem Sav and relaxed in the air con. Jet Cafe is in a great spot, with curved windows right at the southern end of the building. The staff were hasty and flustered, but who can blame them when they were attacked by grumpy Boxi...

Birdman Eating (238 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy) is one of those places I've been to for coffee or walked past heaps of times, without ever thinking to try the food. My new housemate informs me whenever she goes there, the breakfast special that always sounds really good has sold out, and she ends up getting the next special, which never sounds as good but is usually still yummy. I'd attempted to go for brunch here recently but it was packed, so we'd relocated. This time, it was happening! In a hangover-induced, zombie-like caffeine mission, we trudged in and sat ourselves at the window. It was hot and noisy outside, so we tried to swap to one of the footpath tables when someone left, but it had already been allocated so we had to wait. Third time lucky, we finally got a table outside (such a mission!) and our Espresso Syndicate coffees arrived quickly. Our friend simply wanted a manly plate of eggs and bacon, something sadly missing from Birdman Eating's offerings. All...