ED CHARLES dishes up the latest on Melbourne’s food, wine and bars
CHEAP EATS
Check out the Tuesday night meals at Swinburne TAFE in Prahran, being run under celebrated Geelong chef George Biron from April 22. For $25 you get four courses of fresh, seasonal ingredients cooked by third-year apprentice students. Biron says the wine list is excellent and reasonably priced. Mecanix Restaurant, O’Brien’s Walk, off 144 High St, Prahran. Bookings essential, ph: 9214 6589.
BISTRO 0 – DEVELOPER 1
Many a businessperson will be weeping in their shiraz as the endless march of city property development causes another laneway casualty. After more than 10 years serving popular European-style food, the Lee family’s Bistro 1 (126 Little Collins St) will be closed by the year’s end and replaced by an office and retail development.
FRESH BEER
Five beers are now available on tap at Victoria’s newest microbrewery at Otway Estate, where the cafe and restaurant are open seven days a week. Try the Otway malt beer which, with added coriander and orange, is very much like a Belgian-style white beer. 10-30 Hoveys Rd, Barongarook.
TOP NOODLES
“I think we have just had some of the best noodles in town,” reports Cin from the food blog A Few of My Favourite Things (http://myfavouritefoods.com). The noodles are made in-house with the chef hand-pulling them to order before dunking them in boiling water to cook. Noodle Kingdom, 175 Russell St or 51 Main St, Box Hill.
Best feed
BHOJ Docklands
Aside from the football, one of the few reasons to visit Docklands is the curry house Bhoj (54 New Quay Promenade), which is packed on a Friday night. Standout is the Rajasthani Sula, milk-fed pieces of marinated lamb cooked fresh. Most of the curries here are pretty good, though they sometimes lack spice and bite. Sadly, the Chicken Tikka Masala, the national dish of my home country England, appeared to be pre-prepared and the chicken was dry. For that dish, or Chicken Masala as they call it, try Bala Da Dhaba (56-58 Glen Eira Rd, Elsternwick). Drink Tiger Beer at both venues.