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...

We'd been hearing about it for months and months. Chris Lucas and his never-fail Lucas Group venues had closed what was Pearl Cafe at 599 Church Street (corner of Newton Street), Richmond, and left the small 60-seater site to marinate for a while. Things went quiet next to  Petbarn , then suddenly the new fit-out was complete, and Broadsheet was running a competition in cahoots with Mercedes-Benz for winners to experience the as-yet-unopened restaurant, Kong , at a special (and very well-publicised) dinner. There were also tastes of the food - with mixed reviews - through Rue & Co , a pop-up Collins Street venture between Kong, Jimmy Grants and St Ali . Everyone was anticipating Executive Chef Benjamin Cooper 's menu - would it be all "chilli, chilli and more chilli", that he had proclaimed as his preference on a Masterchef immunity challenge? Or would his expertise from heading up the kitchen at the ever-popular Flinders Lane haunt,  Chin ...

(As seen in GRAM magazine) Brand new to Melbourne's Southgate is German-style beer hall and restaurant, Hophaus (Mid Level, Southgate Restaurant & Shopping Precinct, Southbank). Launched by Red Rock Leisure  (the same group that runs Bearbrass , Ludlow Bar and Dining Room and P.J. O'Brien's , all of which are also along Southbank) along with  DEXUS Property Group , Hophaus already has pretty good odds of succeeding. In its favour are its central location, direct views of the Yarra , European beer offerings, and authentic Bavarian food that I haven't tasted since I did a student exchange to Germany in 1999 (yes, I'm old!). My work boys and I popped along there for lunch last week; in fact, the official opening was due to take place that night. Workmen were hurrying about, completing the finishing touches - such as putting frosted light globes into sockets overhead - and fresh-faced staff stood at the ready, with an air of expectation and happy pride a...