Snack Bar: Smashed Indonesian Chicken, $69 Omakase and More Melbourne Food News This Week

What’s happening around town

• Social enterprise Welcome Merchant is hosting a trivia event on Friday March 21 from 6.30pm to 9pm at the North Fitzroy Library to raise money for PARA foundation. PARA provides emergency support to newly arrived refugees in Australia and people seeking asylum from Gaza. Tickets are $50 and include a Palestinian buffet by Aheda's Kitchen and comedy from Sarah Bartolo.

• Celebrate the fifth year of Rocco’s Bologna Discoteca sibling venue Poodle this Sunday March 9 from 2pm onwards. The team is throwing a party with DJs, cocktails and hot Italian sandwiches from Carlitos. Entry is free, but RSVPs are required.

This week in food and drink news

• Melbourne farewells The Everleigh and Bar Margaux.

• First look: chicken is fried, smashed and smothered in sambal at Chinatown’s Geprek in Melbourne.

• First look: welcome to Suburbia, Seven Seeds’ new bakery-cafe.

• First look: Bar Taralli has hard-to-find southern Italian dishes.

• Nori Maki is redefining the Melbourne omakase experience.

• First look: Nikuland has low-key teppanyaki and Wagyu hamburgs.

• No, the Waiters Restaurant isn’t for sale.

• Former Hope St Radio head chef Ellie Bouhadana is in residence at Napier Quarter until Sunday March 9.

• The Melbourne restaurants Billie Eilish recommends.

• 19 Melbourne bars, bakeries and restaurants that opened or closed in February.

• Relive summer with nine of Melbourne’s best Pina Coladas

The Hot List

• Four to try: Hot-Listed restaurants proving service still matters.

You might’ve missed

• Chinese coffee is coming to your local.

• Alejandro Saravia’s Morena is opening Sydney’s eyes to sophisticated Latin cuisine.

• Condiment Claire wants to be your flavour guide.