Melbourne Patron

There's a new kid in town. Addict Food and Coffee (240-242 Johnston Street, Fitzroy) is so on the mark, it's almost ridiculous. Occupying a bright site on the corner of Gore and Johnston Streets, just a block from Smith, Addict already has a strong local following, attracting custom from Fitzroy, Collingwood, and beyond. It focuses on fine coffee, great food and serious hip-hop, in a sparsely-decorated, modern venue. Open seven days for breakfast and lunch, the cafe is currently commanding the kind of queues customary for the hippest new joint in town. It's not a huge site, but it does offer a smattering of outdoor tables, bound to be packed out as the warmer months approach. So if you're heading there for brunch, especially on a weekend -- get in early. We didn't have to wait too long for a table, but once seated, we did have to wait a while before we were given menus. Attracting the attention of waitstaff to place our orders was also harder than...

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...

Last week was Double-Christmas-Party-Day for me. First up, my immediate team and I went to Dandelion  (133 Ormond Road, Elwood) for a late lunch - one of Geoff Lindsay's AWSBALLZ venues that we'd all heard a lot about, but never tried. Put quite simply: it was amazing. There were seven of us (including one vegetarian and one non-seafood-eater), so we shared a bunch of entrees and then ordered one of every main we could see on the menu (from the Curries/Claypots and Coconut Grill sections). Entree standouts were the tiger prawns - HUGE and so fresh - and the soft shell crab and avocado with "Mrs T's magical sauce" - no idea what was in it, but it included shredded coconut and was fantastic. The mains I can remember were goat curry, fish curry, BBQ ribs (their signature dish - a must-try), pork belly, clams, and wagyu steak. Needless to say, the vego/non-seafood members of our party didn't fare overly well, but at least almost every dish came with a side salad...