Flavour Fest, mega food and music event, returns to Melton this weekend
A free food and music festival is returning to Melton this weekend, proving the “west is best” for street eats and lively beats.
Food
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Rockbank or Melton’s main drag may not be flush with eateries like Flinders Lane.
But that hasn’t stopped its lively food scene thriving.
“There are about eight or nine restaurants that range from Malaysian, Indian, Italian and Vietnamese, with burgers and kebabs too,” Woodlea project director Matthew Dean said.
To satisfy the local hunger, Dean created the west’s first mega food and music event – Flavour Fest, held this Saturday at Woodlea’s Frontier Oval.
For the first time this year the one-day event is being held in autumn, not spring, to capitalise on better weather.
Unlike other big-scale events, Flavour Fest champions local eateries and food trucks, with the majority of vendors hailing from the city’s west.
“It’s not just Melton, but western region areas like Mt Macedon, Bacchus Marsh, Gisborne, and into Sunshine and Taylors Lakes,” Dean said.
“We tried to have a certain percentage of stalls being local, and a mix of curated operators in the city.”
Pizza purveyors 400 Gradi, gelataria Zero Gradi and Greek doughnut van St. Gerry’s loukamades are among the big names.
Not-for-profit social enterprise Crepes for Change (pictured) will flip French pancakes for a good cause.
Other west side providers include Pecks Road Artisan Doughnuts, Hoy Pinoy, Dessert Corner,
Boofhead Bites (for dogs) and ReWine.
This year Flavour Fest is amping up the music, with live acts by the Pierce Brothers, D’Arcy Spiller and Mitch Santiago kicking off from 3pm.
Dean launched Flavour Fest in 2019, and after a few rocky Covid years he’s hoping the event’s third year will be its most successful.
“I’m hoping it’s bigger and better than ever. Last year we had more than 20,000 people turn up. This is the best food and music festival in the west and we’re doing it for the residents.”
Flavour Fest, Saturday March 2, from noon till 9pm. Tickets are free, flavourfest.com.au
Pretend you’re in Japan at Brighton’s new sushi joint
The Atlantic Group has opened another restaurant, just months after launching its first-ever regional restaurant in Ballarat.
Sushi Baby was initially set-up for takeaway on Brighton’s New Street mid-last year.
But after its popularity boomed, the shop has evolved into a dine-in venue complete with cherry blossom adorned courtyard.
Head Chef Chloe Kim leads the kitchen, flexing traditional sushi rolls and sashimi alongside modern takes on Japanese eats.
Think salmon nori tacos, chicken katsu sandos and tempura soft shell crab swiped in sake soy.
The Atlantic chief executive Hatem Saleh said: “We want to offer Baysiders an immersive experience that celebrates vibrant flavours in a setting where the contrasting pastels match the hospitable and playful energy of the venue and Sushi Baby’s beloved mascot.”
Edgy sanger draws crowds to Cheltenham lunch spot
Naming a sandwich the ‘f*cked up meatball’ is bound to get people’s attention.
And if the name doesn’t entertain you, the fillings will.
Smushed pork and beef meatballs swim against a rich current of napoli sauce, broken by pops of sweet spiced yoghurt and electric chimichurri. The best bit? That rewarding crunch of white baguette for contrast.
As social media suggests, the meatball sub has become a popular order at Cheltenham’s hot new sanger shop, Robin’s Deli, since opening earlier this month.
The team behind bustling Hampton cafe Merrymen are the latest local cafe to join the city’s sandwich shop bandwagon.
Seasoned Merrymen team member Anakin Williams is managing the Keys Rd shop to ensure customers enjoy the same bayside hospitality.
“We want everyone to feel like family, providing that same feeling of community and high energy vibe that Merrymen is known for,” he said.
“We want people to feel like they are walking into a good friend’s home with great banter, food, coffee and space to sit back, relax and enjoy.”
Unlike it’s bayside brunch sibling, Robin’s main focus is what’s slapped between sliced bread.
It sells two breakfast bites — a breaky muffin bouncing with pork sausage and fried egg, and a Vegemite number and a cast of cheeses — alongside two freshies and four toasties.
The controversial toastie may come second fiddle to the equally indulgent confit lamb melt, oozing with American cheese and bright pickled fennel, or deli meat of the moment mortadella heaped with snow-white stracciatella, fermented hot honey and pistachio.
Pimp out your lunch with hot chippies or a hash brown.
Williams said staff were already feeling the love from the community.
“It already feels like we’ve known the community for years and it’s hard to not have fun at work when you’ve got so many smiling familiar faces coming in with a fun new story from their workday or weekend or just with open ears ready to listen to whatever silly joke we’ve got to tell. We couldn’t be happier with our new home!”
Robin’s Deli, 132 Keys Rd, Cheltenham
Original panini kings open new Docklands store
Melbourne’s original panini kings are opening another CBD store.
Italian sandwich purveyors Frank Bressi and Peter Mastro are launching their third outpost at bustling Melbourne Quarter this Thursday.
The family-run business was one of the city’s first ‘made to order’ sanger bars and is famous for making Melbourne’s best salami.
Crowd favourites will be on high rotation such as the porchetta; made with slow-roasted pork and pecorino cheese, salsiccia; grilled pork and fennel sausage and the pollo panino; crumbed chicken with roasted peppers and pecorino.
Mastro said: “We have been working hard on our newest venue, and we are very excited to be putting the finishing touches on everything.”
Saluministi will pump out freshly filled cannoli and bomboloni, alongside its Italian style coffee.
The Melbourne Quarter site will be the third venue for Italian maestros.
Saluministi’s other outposts are found at 388 Flinders Lane, Melbourne and 892 Bourke St, Docklands.
Saluministi, Melbourne Quarter, 699 Collins St, Docklands, open for breakfast and lunch.
How new Filipino eatery is dodging ‘freakish’ food stigma
It’s heating up as one of 2024’s trending cuisines, but chef John Rivera doesn’t want to scare people off Filipino food.
“We don’t want people to feel alienated,” he said.
“We want to put on a great showcase of Filipino food for everyone.”
It’s why at Askal, you’ll try sisig (a sizzling platter of braised pig’s head) with a palate-friendly abalone substitute.
“Rich jowl, textural ears and snout is a bit freakish, which is why we’re replicating the texture with abalone.”
The former Amaru chef and Kariton Sorbetes owner is launching a three-level eating house on Elizabeth St in two weeks with hospo mates Ralph Libo-on (Serai), Dhenvirg Ugot (Society), Carlos Consunji and Michael Mabuti (Kariton Sorbetes).
Executive chef Ugot will be hands-on in the kitchen, with Rivera overseeing the food direction. The approach? Traditional with a twist.
“We’re taking a traditional approach with a modern interpretation. We’re respecting the cooking techniques ... but putting on a great showcase of Filipino food for everyone,” he said.
“Serai (fellow Melbourne-based Filipino restaurant) opened the door for non-Filipino eaters in this city.”
Other eats include Sydney rock oysters dappled with aged-aromatic coconut vinegar and green onion relish and black pepper, lemongrass and tamarind brined pullet (little chicken) grilled skin-side down teamed with soy vinegar-soaked sawsawan pickles and steamed coconut rice.
Rivera’s aunty also gets a nod in the leche flan dessert, made with Tanduay rum from the Philippines, drenched in a sticky caramel and pomelo sauce.
Cocktail whiz Libo-on is on drinks duty and Consunji will lead the front of house.
Askal, 167 Exhibition St, Melbourne, opening February 27
Cult ‘face biscuits’ bakery finds first home
The cookie hustle is real for Melbourne baker Georgia Chiarella
The face of cult-famous “face biscuits” knew she needed a unique idea to get her product in front of, well, people’s faces — so she centred her business around just that.
During the Covid years she baked and sent her vanilla butter and piped royal icing biscuits to anyone she could, including pastry stars Adriano Zumbo and Anna Polyviou.
“I was even asked to make one for the Kardashians,” she said, although Georgia is certain they never passed their lips.
Recently she was asked to feature in Richmond’s Co. Bake Space pop-up baking Taylor Swift-themed biscuits and cookies ahead of her Melbourne shows.
Now The Confectionist is opening its first ever bricks and mortar store in the CBD, with a second opening at Chadstone in May.
“We’re opening on Degraves St, closer to the Flinders Street Station, across the street from Pidapipo,” she said.
“Initially we were looking at shopping centres but we found the (Degraves St) store and thought it’d be great for our business profile.”
The Confectionist also sells loaded cookies, alongside its custom face biscuits.
Georgia, a passionate sketch artist, combined her love for drawing and baking in lockdown.
After blowing up on social media, the business she ran with partner Gabriel grew to 12 people.
“I couldn’t do this without him. I run the team and he does all the advertising and website production.”
The Confectionist, 5 Degraves Street, opening March
Fitzroy pub selling nothing over $40
A pub without booze sounds like a wild concept, but in this cash-strapped climate, so does a $40 dinner out.
At Fitzroy’s new-look The Gertrude Hotel you’ll easily get change from a pineapple, with nothing on the menu costing more than 40 big ones.
Chef Andy Lockyear said this was a deliberate move.
“We wanted to create something the locals could go to and not think it was super expensive,” he said.
“Plus a nice relaxing space that does beautiful food, where everything is great quality. We didn’t want to price ourselves out of the suburb and rely on people coming from elsewhere.”
Lockyear (ex-Gilson, South Yarra), and business partner Iza Dawkins, took over the Gertrude St watering hole last year from the flamboyant artist publican Tracey Lester.
Dressing down the overt dining room with subtle touches, Lockyear’s Italian-inspired food is also simple and crowd pleasing.
Pizzas, including a hot honey number with sopressa and stracciatella, crab linguine, slow-cooked beef cheek ragu, and a flame-kissed scotch fillet run alongside pub faves the chicken parma and veal schnitty.
Lockyear, who worked alongside Neil Perry at Sydney’s Rockpool, said the eggplant parmigiana was a hit with locals.
“It’s not your typical style of sliced and crumbed eggplant. They’re actually shaped into balls, with ricotta, parmesan and chilli,” he said.
“I prefer cooking simple, yet delicious food. You can really have a lot of fun, and this side of town is pretty awesome.”
The Gertrude Hotel, 148 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Tiny Greek eatery firing up Yarraville Village
“What problems are you solving?”
Alex Xinis asks the same question every time he opens a new restaurant.
When plotting his next move, the Melbourne chef knew the city’s west was starved of Greek eats.
So he created his own Athenian kitchen, Tzaki, to satisfy the hunger in Yarraville Village.
Tzaki, which means “fireplace” in Greek, is a tiny but mighty flame-powered eatery no larger than a one-bedroom apartment.
Xinis will bake traditional breads and pastries by day, served alongside North Melbourne’s Rosso coffee, with smart snacks, larger shares and Greek pours by night.
“I want it to be an all-day hangout,” he said.
“People can come in, perch around for a snack and leave. I don’t want people to feel like they have to come in for two hours for a full-blown meal.”
Tzaki lives inside the old Fig and Walnut Cafe and is expected to be a magnet for local families.
“There are a lot of families and younger generations living out this way looking for something different,” he said.
Xinis will lead the kitchen, with Tuan Tran (Lolo, Nobu) also on the pans.
Morning bakes may include sweet and savoury bougatsa (custard-filled pastry) and lagana (focaccia). Air-dried octopus, hung on rails over the woodfire oven — the restaurant’s sole cooking source —, “the best ever” smoked cow’s milk cheese imported from Greece, and flatbread plastered in feta butter are dinner menu favourites.
Expect somms to pour a mix of Aussie and Greek wines in your glass too, such as retsina and assyrtiko.
The George Calombaris protege isn’t a stranger to Melbourne’s restaurant scene.
Following the success of lockdown delivery hit Almost Like Yiayias, Xinis worked at city rooftop bar Fable and Camberwell’s Youngs Wine Room.
Last year he was set to open Collingwood eatery Orlo with James Klapanis before walking away to focus on his own projects. Greek chef Angie Giannakodakis has stepped into the project.
“I want (Tzaki to have) an edge,” he said.
“It’s a very tight space, I want it to be decently loud. The branding’s a bit out there. I’m just a bit sick of mundane venues.”
Tzaki, 31 Ballarat Street Yarraville, March 2024
Collingwood curry pub flipping Indian pizza
Australians are usually across new food trends, but Jessi Singh has found one that’s flown under the radar.
“Indian pizzas are massive in America and Europe, but Australians know nothing about them,” he said.
The pizza (pronounced Pijja in India) dough is made with the same leavened flour as their Italian counterparts, slicked instead with a heavy butter chicken or palpaneer sauce.
In 2022 they became so popular, Los Angeles eatery Pijja Palace, an “all-American diner done Desi-Style”, was named Eater’s Restaurant of the Year.
Though the trend began well before then.
The godfather of Indian pizza, Dalvinder Multani, brought the cuisine to San Fransisco via New York with Zante Pizza in the ’80s. The legacy has spread across the globe, taking hold in the motherland, Europe and beyond.
Next month Singh is bringing pijja to Melbourne at his new Collingwood curry pub, You My Boy.
“It’s named after an old-time Indian saying to the younger generation,” Singh said.
“‘Oh, he’s my boy’ gets constantly repeated in my culture and I thought it’d be fun to name a place after it.”
Singh, of Daughter-in-law fame, has installed former Dinner by Heston chef Janos Roman and Nishant Arora (ex-Society, Cutler and Co) at the Smith St restaurant’s helm.
They’ll sling two pizza styles: thin-based napoli and a ‘focaccia’ deep-dish laden in curry sauces, alongside rigatoni butter chicken, palpaneer spaghetti, butter chicken parmas, traditional curries and thali.
“We’ll also have pizza by the slice for $5,” he said.
You My Boy fills the void of Singh’s former curry pub Mr Brownie Rooftop in South Melbourne, which closed last year.
“Collingwood is naturally a better area for a curry pub. South Melbourne didn’t recover well after Covid, and there’s not a big local neighbourhood population in that part of the world,” Singh said.
Chefs Roman and Arora, and Singh, will also open intimate Indian fine diner Aanya next door to the pub in early March.
You My Boy, 368 Smith St, Collingwood, opening March 2024.
Market icon opens first new store in 74 years
Queen Victoria Market’s cult-famous doughnut van is opening its first bricks and mortar store.
After 74 years in the game, American Doughnut Kitchen is expanding by launching its second outpost at the Prahran Market this autumn.
For the first time, the Melbourne-institution will add coffee to its menu, served alongside its famous jam-filled, sugar tossed creations.
Managing director Belinda Donaghey said the new location had been a long time coming.
“We’re excited to share our legacy with more doughnut lovers in Melbourne’s south while still staying true to our roots as a market trader,” she said.
“The new Prahran Market shop will be an open invitation to join the American Doughnut Kitchen family and discover just how much a humble jam doughnut can mean.”
American Doughnut Kitchen, 163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra
Prahran’s hot new Sri Lankan diner
Prahran’s new Sri Lankan diner Hopper Joint is opening next month.
After eight years of planning, and more than a year since breaking the news, owners Jason Jones and Brahram Perera will open their anticipated Greville St venue on March 22.
The powerhouse duo, behind Entrecote, recently appointed young chef Ronith Arlikatti (ex-Park Hyatt Melbourne) to lead the kitchen.
Hopper Joint will serve Sri Lanka’s signature street food snack, and it’s namesake, the hopper, alongside treasured recipes from Brahram’s family cookbook.
Arlikatti has worked in big-name restaurants such as Sunda, Amaru and Lake House Daylesford and is excited to bring the vision to life.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me,” he said.
“Melbourne has enough wine bars and bistros that are Italian and French, and we are so diverse in population ... we need more diverse restaurants like this.”
“I’m from south India and the flavour profile of Sri Lankan curries are very similar, if not, better. Both the hoppers and curries are quite complex to make from scratch and I’m super excited to take the challenge on.”
Jones said the buzz around Hopper Joint was unprecedented.
“None (of my other restaurants) have had as much hype as this one,” Jones said.
“We’re so excited. After eight years of toying with the idea it’s finally coming together.”
The two-storey venue will have a 60-seater restaurant downstairs, as well as a 60-seater bar Salon Cricketer’s Club upstairs, serving small bites and cocktails, with a resident DJ Thursday to Saturday nights.
Joe Jones (Romeo Lane, Purple Pit) will be on drinks, wheeling an antique cart through the venue spruiking Ceylon tea, arrack, gin and scotch, and shaking up gin cocktails.
“People are really getting around Sri Lankan cuisine,” Jones said.
“Sri Lanka is becoming a huge holiday destination for Australians and people are really starting to understand Sri Lankan food as its own category. For so long it’s been lumped in with Indian cooking – but it’s so different.”
Hopper Joint, Greville St, Prahran, opening March 22, 2024
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