Snack Bar: Junda Khoo’s Malaysian Beer Hall, $7 Banh Mi and More Local Food News This Week

What’s happening around town

• Two West Melbourne favourites, Hot-Listed beer hall Benchwarmer and Thai cafe Udom House , will join forces this Sunday June 1 for a one-off collab. Stop by Benchwarmer from 3pm for Thai small plates, Thai highballs and live music.

• Melbourne restaurants are popping up at Mount Buller venue Villager this winter. Marmont will kick things off with a free launch party on Thursday June 5, followed by ticketed dinners on Friday June 18 and Saturday June 19. Entrecote and Movida will also host dinners at Villager, with more collaborators to be announced soon. The dinners are $295 per person, and tickets must be purchased in advance.

This week in food and drink news

• First look: Junda Khoo’s first Melbourne venue, Malaysian beer hall Ho Liao , is finally open.

• Rolls start at $7 at the new South Melbourne outpost of Luke’s Banh Mi.

• An ex-DOC chef makes pizza three ways at South Melbourne Market’s Pizzateca Lupa.

• Top venues including Bar Liberty and Lui Bar are making mini Martini and snack combos with Four Pillars Gin for one month only.

• Nine to try: new Melbourne bars to visit this winter.

• Where Chefs Eat: Saadi’s Saavni Krishnan and Sriram Aditya share the city’s best value Indian buffet and more.

• First Cook: Anchovy’s Thi Le owns her story with every page of her debut cookbook Viet Kieu.

• “Dough is hydrated to perfection” at this pizza pop-up , according to Julie chef-in-residence Diana Desensi.

• Seven to try: the best offbeat and classic hot chocolates in Melbourne.

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