THIS WEEK IN FOOD

RIPPER ROOFTOP: Surely we have enough rooftop bars in Melbourne already? Surely not! Here comes the latest addition – The Duke Rooftop at The Duke Hotel on the corner of Flinders & Russell Sts in the city. It’s a glorious position, so promises views over the Forum, Fed Square and Flinders St station; a creative winter cocktail list and great pub food like Finger Lick’n Rooftop Chicken and Lasagne Croquettes. It’s open seven days a week from 12pm – late. More here.

PERFECT PASTA: Winter sucks. It’s cold, it’s windy, it’s dark. But – there is alway truffles. And comfort food. So all hail Pasta Classica’s Danny “Pasta” Tonin, who’s opening up their iconic Smith Street store for a series of truffle dinners in a rustic authentic Italian cucina setting. It all kicks off on on Saturday 7th July and runs for three weekends, with a different menu for each session. Highlights include Slow cooked beef cheek on truffle polenta with duck fat roasted root vegetables; Gnocchi filled with porcini mushrooms, with a cracked pepper, parsley and truffle crème fraiche sauce; and desserts like fried chocolate pasta filled with sweet ricotta, drizzled with truffle honey. They’re tremendous value at $105 for four courses, wine and coffee – tickets here.

OUI OUI: Bastille Day is rapidly approaching, which means there are going to be some seriously tasty offerings across Melbourne come July 14 – starting with award-winning Frenchman Pierrick Boyer’s decadent menu at his brand new cafe patisserie in Izett St Prahran. The menu sounds tremendous – truffled eggs benedict, mushroom veloute (velvet winter soup), French toast and brussel sprouts a la Francaise (brussel sprouts with shallots, bacon and peas). Of course – the French-themed strawberry cream cake will be completely OTT. Bookings – 9510 6868

LONG-AWAITED LESA: For those who love CBD wine bar Embla as much as Melbourne’s food media has, you’ll be excited to know their long-planned upstairs venue will open in early August. “Lesa” means “to gather” in old Norse, and what better reason to gather than set menu dining at a relaxed pace with thoughtfully curated wine and a big wood-fired hearth. Keep an eye out for official opening date.

(Acclaimed restaurateurs Christian McCabe and Dave Verheul at Lesa)