11 Melbourne restaurants to celebrate Valentine’s Day at in 2021

Updated: 05/03/2021

So, Valentine’s Day as a concept is super divisive. Some love it, some not so much, others just use it as an excuse for dinner. That’s where this comes in handy. Here’s a list of 11 of Melbourne’s trendiest and top-notch places to smash a romantic dinner with a special someone – or group of them – you need to book before Sunday. Mejico Melbourne Spice things up this Valentine’s Day at Melbourne’s newest Mexican restaurant and tequila bar, Mejico. Sip on all kinds of margaritas and celebrate with a special set menu including oysters, Mejico’s signature tableside guac, salmon ceviche, Yucatan style BBQ empanadas, porterhouse steak with chimichurri and a margarita cheesecake to finish.Mejico’s Valentine’s Day set menu is available or dinner for $75 per person. Bookings online at Mejico’s website Chin Chin Melbourne Lock yourself and the one you love in at Chin Chin with its special ‘Love Me, Feed Me’ menu. The delicious set menu includes all the dishes you know and love from the CBD favourite including kingfish sashimi, grilled king prawns with Chin Chin papaya hot sauce and more. To finish with something sweet, lovers can indulge in a special Valentine’s Day heart-shaped chocolate and coconut mousse with chilli caramel and raspberry sorbet. Couplers can sit back and relax while they sip on liquid loving cocktails including the ‘Easy Lover’ with Aperol and elderflower and ‘Two’s Company’ with gin, raspberry and rhubarb flowers. The Love Me, Feed Me menu is available for $89 per person and bookings are available at Chin Chin’s site Bomba Treat your… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: melbourne restaurants, Valentine's Day restaurant guide, Valentine's Day restaurants, Where to eat Valentine's Day

Melbourne’s Hawthorn Hotel is back in 2021

by James Banham

Posted: 06/02/2021

The Australian Venue Co and Swinburne University of Technology have joined up with the Hawthorn Hotel in Melbourne to bring it back to life. Listen closely enough and you can hear every student of the nearby University cheering! After closing its doors in 2020 due to the impacts of the coronavirus, the 152-year-old venue will undergo a renovation to provide a mix of dining, socialising and event spaces for The Hawthorn Hotel regulars, as well as a dedicated space for Swinburne alumni, industry partners, staff and students. The University’s carved out a spot in the pub and licences the first floor of the venue, which will be transformed into a dedicated space for its alumni, industry partners, staff and students. Meanwhile, the ground floor will be operated by The Australian Venue Co, a world-class hospitality group delivering exceptional food, drink and entertainment experiences across more than 150 venues nationally. So you know it’ll be good.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Hawthorn Hotel, Melbourne Hawthorn Hotel, Melbourne pubs, Melbourne's Hawthorn Hotel is back in 2021, Pub guide Melbourne

Lake Club summer pop-up coming to Albert Park in Melbourne

by James Banham

Updated: 05/12/2020

Lakeside bars around the world, eat your heart out; there’s a new pop-up in town. Melbourne’s newest lakeside social, Lake Club by The Smith Prahran X Power House is the summer destination Melburnians didn’t know they were missing! It’ll launch this 9 December and can be found right above Albert Park Lake. Open seven days a week, Lake Club is the perfect destination for casual cocktails and delicious snacks – whether it is drinks with friends while enjoying the sun-drenched deck, or grabbing some favourite dishes to-go for the ultimate lakeside picnic. The menu is full of fresh, summer inspired food from Local Calamari to Red Coral Lobster and Prawn Rolls, Cape Grim Wagyu Katsu Sanga to Plant Based Burger and Charcuterie to salads. Contactless ordering will be available via Mr Yum to encourage safe social distancing. Find the Lake Club at Power House Deck, 34 Lakeside Drive, Albert Park and at the website

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Albert Park Melbourne new club, Lake Club Melbourne, Lake Club Melbourne Albert Park, Lake Club summer pop-up coming to Albert Park in Melbourne

Make the most of freedom: drinks at the Argyle Sydney

by James Banham

Posted: 14/11/2020

It’s summer, we’re free and you need to go out with friends. The Argyle has you covered and has turned itself into an oasis of alcohol-fuelled enjoyment to keep you ticking the whole weekend. A summery oasis in the heart of the city, it comes complete with tropical flowers and vines cascading from the ceiling and intertwined with lights, disco balls and inflatable swimming pool paraphernalia. Just to get you in the mood. Head into the Argyle every Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm to 7pm and treat yourself to two floors, six bars and safe socialising measures in place for a themed summer soiree on the calendar every Friday night. Entry is free, but bookings are recommended. Dress in theme for ultimate selfie satisfaction. For more, head to the Argyle website.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

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Drink in a garden bubble by Sydney Harbour at Pier One Hotel

by James Banham

Updated: 11/11/2020

Perched upon the balcony of one of the Pier One Hotels’ incredible Harbour View Balcony Suites, you’ll find an outdoor oasis is filled with lush greenery and trendy rattan furniture, utilising the best views in Sydney. Floral arrangements by the creatives at POHO Flowers sit amongst the space, with cushions and throws adding pastel pops of colour. Come sunset, a floral chandelier and scattered fairy lights illuminate the space, complete with spanning water and cityscape views. You want pretty? Done. Whimsical? Deal. Stunning environs? Tick. Grammable? You know it. With food and bev packages, choose from Mediterranean style, cheese and charcuterie or indulgent desserts, or add one of the feasting menu packages to graze on throughout the day. In addition to the abundant wine list, Pier One Hotel have also created a series of colourful glitter cocktails, with delicious summer flavour combinations; perfect to soak up the sun and enjoy in the Garden Bubble. Keen? Make a booking at the Pier One Hotel’s website

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Drink in a garden bubble by Sydney Harbour at Pier One Hotel, drinks sydney, Harbour drinks Sydney, Pier One Hotel Bubble Sydney, Pier One Hotel Sydney

How to get your mitts on Nando’s new mouth-watering secret menu item.

by Emi Berry

Updated: 07/10/2020

Two words. Loaded chips. Are you frothing yet? You should be, because for a limited time only, Nando’s is offering their signature PERi-PERi Chips with a mix of juicy grilled capsicum, tomato, and onion, lathered in your choice of legendary PERi-PERi basting. On top of that, there’s a big dollop of creamy aioli and smoky capsicum relish finished off with tangy feta cheese. But there’s a catch! Before you can get your hands on this drool-worthy feast, there’s one small caveat. You have to be a PERi-Perks loyalty member to score yourself a serve of Nando’s ‘secret’ loaded chips. It will only be available on Nando’s new app for iOS or Android, via the website or ‘on request’ in the restaurant. Nando’s Loaded Chips are available for dine-in or takeaway for $9 without protein, $13 with grilled PERi-PERi Chicken Tenders or Superfood Veggie Patty, or $14 with a Great Pretender. When you join Nando’s PERi-Perks club, you’ll be rewarded for your appetite with exclusive access to member-only offers (like the loaded chips deal), freebies on your birthday, plus you’ll earn one PERi-Perks point for every $1 spent. The loaded chips are available until 1 November 2020, so all you need to do is jump on the app, online or head into a Nando’s restaurant and join Nando’s PERi-Perks loyalty program. To check out the rest of the Nando’s menu here.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, SYDNEY

Tags: chicken restaurant sydney, chicken shop, chicken sydney, nandos

Chin Chin Melbourne lives on with their Make Me Feed Me packs

by James Banham

Posted: 24/09/2020

With lockdown ruining our lives, there’s officially a silver lining: We can still go to Chin Chin on Friday 2 October. Well, not “go to” in the pre-Covid sense of the word, but they’re now doing delivery boxes to your place for just $75pp. In conjunction with their other incarnation, Hawker Hall – packs available for $65pp – , your weeknight meals are officially sorted. Appetite need whetting? Think wagyu brisket, butter chicken curry and cauliflower with curry spiced yoghurt cream – and heaps more. We’ve got the Chin Chin menu and Hawker Hall menu for your enjoyment. Pre-orders for delivery on Friday 2 October will cut off on Wednesday 30 September at 12pm, unless sold out prior. Delivery on all orders is a flat fee of $15 and SMS tracking is provided for all orders.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, MELBOURNE

Tags: Chin Chin, Chin Chin Melbourne, Chin Chin Melbourne lives on with their Make Me Feed Me packs, Melbourne food delivery, THE F Chin Chin

Rood Food is back in Sydney: Priscilla’s revives the dinnertime favourite

by James Banham

Updated: 17/09/2020

It was back in 2018 that the girls at the Imperial Erskineville in Sydney’s inner-west brought out their finest foods and roodest ‘toods for the entertainment of a packed room of diners. Then Covid; but now, we’re back! The Imperial Erskineville’s award-winning Priscilla’s restaurant has announced the return of Rood Food, a seductively designed X-Rated menu by head Chef, Christopher Dale Tolcidas. Think: a hen’s night gone wrong in all the right ways. Top quality food, prepared on site – and visibly – paired with a strictly adults-only drag review by the venues industry-renowned queens designed to stimulate your senses and launching on September 25. Think of it as a sensory experience. Emphasis on looks and tastes. As to be expected from dinner and a show that tantalises your tastebuds while delivering a plethora of tongue-in-cheek sexual innuendos performed by a roster of Australia’s leading drag divas. Priscilla’s head Chef, Christopher Dale Tolcidas has gone all out this round, producing dishes like Pussy Paté, Bring Back the Bush and the return of Rood Food favourites, the Panna-Knockers. “I’ve retained what Priscilla’s is best-known for, our plant-based menu and slow-cooked meats, and given the dishes a colourful dressing-up much like our queens,” says head Chef, Christopher Dale Tolcidas. Directed by The Imperial Erskineville’s resident queen, Etcetera Etcetera and starring favourites Peach Fuzz, Dammit Janet, Dakota Fann’ee and Riot, the nightly stage production consists of a three-part line up including an Uber Eats drag delivery spoof, a self-saucing dinner party, and an erect banana-themed number topped by… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

What’s the right way to drink Australian MILO, anyway?

by James Banham

Updated: 16/07/2020

When you think about the fact we drink cow juice, it’s enough to make you gag, so why wouldn’t you want to disguise the taste with something chocolatey, delicious and – as it turns out – completely and divisively contentious? Aussie MILO, of course. They took a poll recently and according to its results, turns out that in order to do so as an authentic Australian drinker; you do it cold. For two months, Australians fought it out, debating whether drinking MILO hot or cold is best, then taking it to a vote. The debate was settled today, with MILO cold emerging as the Aussie favourite with 65% of votes. The discussion took the nation by storm, as the equivalent of nearly one in four Australians got involved in 6 million interactions across social media, and ultimately, almost 90,000 people voting, for #MILOTeamCold – 58,199 votes – or #MILOTeamHot, with 31,388 votes. So, how do you make it like a natural? Heap a few tablespoons of the good stuff into the bottom of a tall glass. Fill it with cold milk. Add more spoonfulls of MILO on the top. Then, eat it by the spoonful from the top, mix the rest, eat what’s left and guzzle the milk. See more at the MILO website

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE

Tags: How to make cold Milo, How to make milo, Milo, Milo Australia, Milo cold, Milo hot

Celebrate World Chocolate Day with limited-edition lamingtons from Koko Black x Tokyo Lamington

by Emi Berry

Posted: 06/07/2020

Could there be a better way to celebrate World Chocolate Day than with a packet of limited-edition lamingtons from Koko Black and Tokyo Lamington? All we can say is, thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing this incredibly decadent offering to chocolate lovers for one day only. One of Australia’s favourite chocolate brands, Koko Black has collaborated with Tokyo Lamington, which was co-founded by Eddie Stewart, the mastermind behind Black Star Pastry, the creators of the famous Strawberry and Watermelon cake. For one day only, you can get your hands on these delicious lamingtons on World Chocolate Day, which is on Tuesday 7th July. But be quick, as there is a limit of one pack per person (which contains three lamingtons) and they will only be available for one day only for $21 per pack at the following Koko Black stores: VICTORIA: Carlton, Chadstone, Como Centre, Doncaster, Highpoint, Town Hall, Royal Arcade, The Glen. NSW: Strand Arcade & QVB While Tokyo Lamington is based in Tokyo and Singapore, there are plans for more collaborations on the horizon in Australia, so hopefully, we’ll see more of Tokyo Lamington in the near future. Here’s some more mouth-watering details about each lamington: Caramelised Coconut Lamington: Celebrating a Koko Black favourite, the Caramelised Coconut Praline, this decadent lamington features almond and caramelised coconut cremeux coated in delicious white chocolate with a caramelised coconut finish. Davidson Plum and Sao Thome Lamington: This unique lamington delivers an exquisite sweet and sour flavour, combining Australia’s native, sour Davidson Plum, with Koko… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, DESSERTS, FOOD & DRINK, MELBOURNE, SYDNEY

Tags: Koko black chocolate, lamingtons, Tokyo lamington, world chocolate day