Tito Ambyo

Duré Dara OAM is a titan of the Melbourne food world. We spent a rainy afternoon at her kitchen table to talk about her “smartass” wit and the art of looking after people.

You’re not imagining it. The tournament increasingly feels as much like a food festival as a tennis tournament, with everything from hyped sandwich shops to world-famous fine-dining restaurants involved. Why go to so much effort?

These new players aren’t just transplanting traditional warung food into Australian soil. Instead, they represent a culinary conversation between Indonesian heritage and Australian context.

Owner Lanka Imiyaarachchige serves classics including curries and roast paan, plus and original creations, including a Sinhalese curry-inspired betel leaf “taco”.

Head chef Jack Beck spent almost a decade at Teppanyaki Inn. Now, he’s grilling up signature wagyu hamburgs without the typical teppanyaki theatrics.

Things are about to get spicy. You’ll find 20 types of sambal – some substantial enough to be meals in themselves – at the brand’s first Australian outpost on Lygon Street, Carlton.