NAKED AND CHEAP: Already good value pintxos, Fitzroy’s Naked in the Sky has gone a step further and at lunch time every weekday all tapas dishes will be $9 – from empanadas and baked scallops, to slow roasted lamb shoulder on parsnip puree and a 300g angus scotch fillet with charred leek and bone marrow croquette. 

More info: http://www.nakedforsatan.com.au/naked-in-the-sky/

BOUZY NORTH: Ross and I are both huge fans of Jose and Sandra Oliveira’s Richmond institute The Bouzy Rouge, well they’ve crossed town and opened up the North Melbourne Hotel. I’ll be checking it out this weekend – what I can tell you that it looks as classy as the Bouzy Rouge, with an almost unfathomably well-priced wine list. The food is Modern European/Mediterranean share fare – I’ll let you know just how good it tastes!

More info: http://www.thenorthmelbournehotel.com.au/ 

POKE GO: No, not the app, could this be the next trend in foreign cuisine? A poke (pronounced poh-kay) restaurant has opened in the city, apparently poke is a Hawaiian verb for ‘to cut’ or ‘to slice in small pieces’ and these healthy rice bowls with raw fish and seasoning are all the rage in LA and NY. 
Poked – Shop 3, 551 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne

More info: http://www.lovepoke.com.au/

OFF TO SOUTH AMERICA: So we’re off to South America, if you want a little taste of what’s to come our way, El Atino & Co in Richmond is putting on a South American food and wine night with two regional winemakers – Vina Aquitania from Chile and Mi Terruno of Argentina. That’ll take place on Sunday 28th August. 

More info: http://www.elatino.com.au/ 

The North Melbourne Hotel.

El Atino ham hock.

Poked bowl.