What’s happening around town
• Jollygood Junior has taken over the Airstream trailer at Rocky Ridge, previously run by taco greats CDMX. The team now serves American diner-inspired fried chicken sandwiches, beef smashburgers and vegan cheeseburgers at the Brunswick brewery.
• Etta head chef Lorcán Kan has introduced a Saturday lunch series with a $70 menu inspired by his travels to Malaysia. Titled Fish, Fried Rice and Shaved Ice, the series will feature a set menu that changes frequently, but will always include versions of the namesake dishes such as charcoal-grilled whole fish finished with seaweed butter and Kan’s take on the Malaysian shaved ice dessert, ais kacang.
• Chef Mo Zhou has teamed up with Chinese alcohol brand Moutai for a one-off five course dinner at his Gertrude Street restaurant Gaea, on Tuesday April 15. Zhou’s refined dishes will be paired with five cocktails such as a Moutai and Tomato Milk Punch and a Moutai Salted Kabosu and Wild Peppercorn Leaf Collins.
Stay in the know with our free newsletter. The latest restaurants, must-see exhibitions, style trends, travel spots and more – curated by those who know.
SIGN UP• Carlton North bakery Calle will launch a hot chocolate version of its croissant wheels on Friday April 4, featuring its signature laminated pastries filled with Parisian-style hot chocolate.
• CBD steakhouse Meatmaiden is collaborating with Sweden's Restaurang AG. The two venues will prepare three six-course dinners from Tuesday 29 April to Thursday 1 May. Tickets are $240 per person and are on sale now.
This week in food and drink news
• First look: Hector’s Bakery is about quality control.
• First look: Ramen Ako’s makes no more than 100 serves per day.
• 21 Melbourne restaurants that opened or closed in March.
• A guide to the best hot cross buns in Melbourne.
• Sunda is back – kind of.
• Seven to try: hot cross everything but buns.
• Collingwood’s Molly Rose Brewing enters liquidation.
• Where chefs eat: Moon Mart’s Eun Hee An loves these “extremely tasty and unbelievably cheap” noodles.
• First look: get coffee with a side of live music at new Cremorne cafe On Air.
• Nornie Bero’s Mabu Mabu has entered liquidation.
• Yugen Tea Bar makes a hard left.
• All the food vendors and restaurants at Chadstone’s new $485 million Market Pavilion.
The Hot List
• A royal palace for Melbourne’s sandwich king.
You might’ve missed
• Laurie Woolever told Anthony Bourdain’s story. Now she’s telling her own.