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Melbourne

Ahma’s popcorn chicken.

Taiwanese diner makes a bid for Melbourne’s best popcorn chicken

Halfway down a Chinatown arcade, Ahma is much more than a simple fuel stop in the city.

  • Dani Valent
Juni opened on Exhibition Street in late November.
13/20

Fun drinks, disappointing duck: Critic sees red at new modern Asian hot spot

The mood-lit restaurant plays it safe with a selection of greatest hits from Michael Lambie’s pan-Asian playbook.

  • Besha Rodell
Close to the water on the sheltered deck at Cptn Jack’s.

The secret’s out about seaside shack Cptn Jack’s (and its ‘extraordinary’ locals’ deal)

Dani Valent discovers a delightful waterfront hideaway at a little-known Mornington Peninsula boat harbour.

  • Dani Valent
Chef Kirbie Tate has flipped James into the eponymous Kirbie.
14/20

Restaurant goes from modern Korean to broadly European and finds its identity

Chef Kirbie Tate finally has her name up in lights at her eponymous bistro Kirbie (nee James).

  • Dani Valent
Omo cafe is styled on Tokyo’s kissaten.

Relive your magical trip to Japan at these nine Melbourne venues

Pocket-sized sushi restaurants, old-school Tokyo-style cafes, and affordable delis with build-your-own bentos are just the tip of a rapidly growing and highly specialised Japanese scene.

  • Emma Breheny
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Temaki platter, nori sheets and rice, ready for DIY assembly.

Get hands-on with this sushi platter with a difference at this 10-seat city restaurant

Tiny Temaki Sushi joins Melbourne’s growing number of Japanese specialty venues.

  • Dani Valent
Jamsheed’s converted industrial dining room.
14/20

The mash-up of cuisines at this suburban winery makes our critic ‘giddy’ (in a good way)

Clara Luna serves bar food, but it’s also soul food; Middle Eastern and South American, but also Australian.

  • Besha Rodell
The king-size thali at Namaste Haifa in Ormond.

This affordable, female-led eatery provides an ‘extraordinary’ discount to certain diners

Create your own vegetarian thali from the day’s 20 specials, all cooked by a team of mothers.

  • Dani Valent
Chilli crab linguine.
14.5/20

Well-heeled locals are lapping up this breezy restaurant (and its ‘bang on’ chilli crab pasta)

Every table at Henrys seems to order the linguine and I get it, I really do. But don’t miss the exemplary dessert, too.

  • Dani Valent
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

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/topic/melbourne-ch7