This Week in Food: A seriously fun new CBD space + a ripper Christmas gift
GOING GREEN
A seriously fun space has opened up in the heart of Bourke Street, the perfect combination of inside/outside drinking and snacking that allows for Melbourne’s thoroughly unpredictable weather. Bourke Street Green sits at the bottom of the RACV building, and has a great beer garden feel with the retractable roof necessary for weeks like this in Melbourne – Spring days with a Winter feel! House-made bar snacks are fun and filling – from saffron & buffalo mozzarella arancini and fried chicken & sriracha mini burgers; to Italian trapizzino pizza pockets. But the highlight, without a doubt, is their glorious ice cream sandwiches – my dessert of the year so far. bourkestreetgreen.com.au
ARGY BARGY
How happy am I … a beautiful Basque restaurant opens in the west last year, and now, an Argentinian eatery is on the way. This week, Hellenic Hotel in Williamstown transforms into Hotel Argentina. Exec chef (and Argentinian-born) Dan Szwarc had been slowly sneaking items like empanadas and beef short ribs onto the menu, now he’s going the whole hog, and I can’t wait. Expect staples like choripan (chorizo rolls), morcilla croquettes, great steaks and big South American wines. hotelargentina.com.au
THE CHRISTMAS STAR
Every year it gets harder to find the gifts for those people who have everything. So what about a limited batch bottle of beautiful Starward Whisky, with a personalised, bespoke label. Bang! Starward have popped up this year at the Myer Melbourne Giftorium, and you can shop their entire range, but in particular they are offering up this special single malt matured in four Australian red wine barrels from the Barossa Valley, with only 1200 bottles available for sale. They are seriously cool, and the perfect pressie for a whisky lover. Check it all out on level four of Myer Melbourne, or check out starward.com.au
ME TO A TEA
Some venues are just made to be enjoyed in summer, and Sun Kitchen is one of them – perched on the edge of Albert Park Lake in the building formerly home to The Point restaurant. This is high-end Chinese, so probably more in the the special occasion category when it comes to dining out, but during weekends in November they’re serving up one of Melbourne’s best value high teas. Sunshine, Blooms & High Tea by the Lake sees exec chef Chan Kwok preparing savoury treats like Crystal Mushroom Dim Sum with Capsicum & Truffle and Baked Seaweed & Sesame Mini Puffs; while Gault&Millau Pastry Chef of the Year 2018 Chef Jo Ward has created some stunnings sweets like Sichuan Pickled Pineapple with Coconut & Ginger Foam, Lime Caviar & Sesame Soil. Enjoy the yum cha-style savourites and a three tier sweet selection plus bottomless sparkling wine for just $68 per person. Bookings: sun-kitchen.com
MAKING A POINT
To celebrate its second birthday, Pt. Leo Estate is throwing open its gates and inviting guests to come and experience the stunning Sculpture Park and grounds for free over the weekend of Sat 30 November to Sun 1 December. That weekend they’ll unveil new world-class sculptures, you can enjoy live music, face painting and plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained; make a booking at Pt Leo restaurant for lunch, or try the more casual Wine Terrace menu. It really is one of our best coastal food and wine destinations, so this is the perfect excuse to check it out. ptleoestate.com.