NewsBite

Advertisement

Besha Rodell

Chief restaurant critic

Besha Rodell is the anonymous chief restaurant critic for The Age and Good Weekend.

Arnold’s wine bar in Kensington, complete with disco ball.
13.5/20

This local wine bar stands out from the crowd with its blue drink and Mexican-ish food

Melbourne has plenty of neighbourhood wine bars, but not many have Arnold’s creativity and heart.

  • Besha Rodell
Marmelo at Melbourne Place.
Good Food hat15/20

Avoiding what’s obvious and popular, this hotel restaurant feels properly new

Focused on the food of Portugal, Marmelo is one of the more exciting restaurants to open in recent memory.

  • Besha Rodell
The “torotaku” hand roll.
14/20

This ‘fantastically affordable’ new sushi counter is the answer to our critic’s prayers

Why can you only get very cheap or very expensive sushi asks Besha Rodell. Nori Maki delivers high-quality sushi in a setting that feels special.

  • Besha Rodell
Big, and brash, and fun: The ground floor of Maison Batard.
14.5/20

‘Eye-wateringly expensive’: Does Maison Batard stand up to its prices and hype?

Chris Lucas’ ambitious four-level venue is Melbourne’s “opening of the season”. Here’s our critic’s verdict.

  • Besha Rodell
One of the pastel-heavy murals at Marmont.
14/20

Plumped up desserts and corporate vibes: Our critic’s verdict on Crown’s glitzy new restaurant

It might have little to do with its namesake Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont, but it’s serving sexed up and lascivious cornbread.

  • Besha Rodell
Advertisement
Pappardelle ripiene (pasta filled with Jerusalem artichoke) at Bar Olo.

‘Holy hell, this is good’: The seven best dishes our chief critic ate in 2024

After visiting hundreds of restaurants and sampling countless dishes, Besha Rodell looks back in hunger at the seven that rose above the pack.

  • Besha Rodell
Red velvet seats and timber panelling has helped transform a onetime bike shop into a rococo bordello.
Critics' Pick

‘Glammed-up bordello appeal’: Peek inside the southside bar where photos aren’t allowed

Come for the stellar French wine list and stay for the snacks at this exciting update to one of the city’s best-loved bistros.

  • Besha Rodell
Ardyn Bernoth at Di Stasio in Carlton.

‘Look at the magic’: Good Food editor Ardyn Bernoth signs off in signature colourful style

Good Food’s outgoing editor has spent much of her career observing the hospitality industry. Most recently she’s noticed the decline of the celebrity chef and the rise of the home cook.

  • Besha Rodell
Tortelli filled with asparagus, goat’s cheese and wild garlic sings of the fragility of seasons, food, life.
Good Food hat15/20

Eat it and weep: The pasta dish so good it brought our critic to tears

It’s been a decade of masterful pasta and good cheer from Tipo 00, the city Italian joint that’s become a Melbourne drawcard.

  • Besha Rodell
Peel back the lid of the chicken curry pot pie to reveal chunks of chook and vegetables.
Critics' Pick

He runs a two-hat city restaurant, so why is this chef serving pies?

The new project from Lee Ho Fook’s Victor Liong appears to have “affordable, healthy, and quick” as its watchwords.

  • Besha Rodell

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/by/besha-rodell-h29n0x