Melbourne Patron

Yum cha! Who doesn't love it? I'm always surprised by the amount of people I come across who have never tried yum cha. Usually once they have, they're converted. It doesn't even have to be great yum cha. There's just something innately cool about being brought food on trolleys to choose from, then stuffing yourself silly, all for not-very-much-money. AND, you can drink if you want to! Bonus. I've mentioned before that I was brought up on 'going out for Chinese' as a restaurant treat in Sydney. So, you could say I've been enjoying yum cha my whole life. In Sydney, we used to go to the Marigold in Chinatown (where the hostess would, without fail, pinch my chubby cheeks with pure delight), Mathew's Peacock Gardens in Crows Nest (reliable and traditional), or the Sea Treasure, also in Crows Nest (great for seafood, but came under fire at one point for inhumane treatment of its live seafood). All were great, and when I moved to Melbourne in 2009...

Oh hi, blog-world. A good friend recently suggested I write a blog about the many, many places I go to eat, drink and be merry. It does happen frequently, so I didn't think it too bad an idea. Thus: Melbourne Patron has been born. I tend to frequent Fitzroy, Collingwood and the city most often; however, being not-from-Melbourne originally, I am always open to exploring new areas and awesome venues. Particularly if they're cool and serve alcohol. I also fly back to Sydney several times a year, and wouldn't discount the possibility that I may well blog about my adventures there, too. My social adventures generally comprise venues of the pub, bar and restaurant varieties, but I work in the coffee industry by day, so do appreciate a darn-good dose of caffeine and smashing brunch. Not much of a clubber or picnicker, I'm afraid, but the food and drinks at those aren't overly exciting anyway. Teppanyaki, yum cha, high tea, and random events (does the Tramcar Restaura...