ASADO Bar y Grill is the young cousin of restaurants San Telmo and Palermo. It combines a vibrant, youthful feel with traditional style Latin American cuisine straight from the open fire pit and charcoal parilla. I have visited several times, and most recently had a very special dinner there for the Melbourne Tango Circuit in [...]

Already 13 years old, RUMI on the edgy Brunswick East end of Lygon St, is one of Melbourne’s most marvellous modern middle eastern restaurants. The vibe is warm and welcoming from the Make Food Not War script at the entrance to the good natured staff and cozy atmosphere inside. This is the best sort of [...]

Here comes Spring Racing Carnival – and if I can put the horse racing debate aside, for this – it’s a very social time in Melbourne because the sun is out and everyone is getting together after the cocooning of the winter months. So, here are some of my perfect passaround recipes to serve with [...]

I’m back to baking and get really excited when new season stone fruit hits the market, so here is my luscious Upside Down Cake recipe made with fresh nectarines. This is a recipe my Mum gave me and she used to use canned apricot halves and tuck walnut halves in between the apricots. I make [...]

I’ve been lucky to be travelling in Greece and one staple here that I never tire of is the Greek Salad. It’s a dish that should be in every cook’s repertoire because it goes equally well with meat or seafood and is also excellent as a light meal in itself. There is much debate on [...]

You don’t have to be a card carrying member of the Country Women’s Association to be able to knock up a beaut home baked sponge cake. There are plenty of recipes to choose from …..cornflour sponges…separated sponges….egg yolk sponges….some with a little melted butter…but if you are new to baking, or simply time poor like [...]

So savvy. That’s Union House. A gentrified pub space downstairs serving easy going yet polished food pumps with energy from noon til night, with an exuberant crowd on the weekend evenings. And for those that relish good conversation, there is a more sedate dining room upstairs for full table service. Both are working off a [...]

Feast Of Merit is an example of what makes Melbourne’s restaurant scene so damn good, the best of an International cuisine tailored to the local market using our beautiful, bountiful produce. Here you will find fantastic Middle Eastern food with a modern edge that is designed to share. It’s fresh, it’s beautifully presented and very [...]

Making pancakes together is guaranteed to bring out the warm fuzzies, isn’t it? It’s often one of the first things we cook together with our kids. The magic of how a runny batter turns into golden, fluffy bites of yumminess appeals to their natural sense of wonder. And when you top them with sweet syrups, [...]