Where Chefs Eat: Sofia Levin Rates the Tacos at This New CBD Taqueria

Eat curiously. That’s been the philosophy of food writer and Masterchef Australia judge Sofia Levin for as long as we’ve known her – which is a while. Levin started her career in 2013, writing for the Age, Broadsheet, Lonely Planet, the Guardian and other publications.

Along the way, she’s become a respected name in Melbourne food circles, appearing on TV shows like Postcards and The Cook Up with Adam Liaw; putting on food-driven fundraisers for research into motor neurone disease (which her father passed away from); and launching The Seasoned Traveller, a website and newsletter that celebrates food from around the world and encourages us to #eatcuriously.

Ahead of Masterchef’s return at 7pm this Sunday, we checked in with Levin to find out where she’s been eating lately.

What’s your favourite bakery?
I’ve been visiting To Be Frank in Collingwood since it first opened. I love how small and intimate it is, and the viennoiserie is creative and underrated there. Hopefully they read this and bring back the kimchi twist! More recently, Dua Bakehouse around the corner at the Collingwood Yards has been a total treat. I can sit outside with my pup Jinkee while eating savoury shiopan – I’m addicted.

Who makes the best banh mi?
It’s got to be Ca Com in Richmond, hands down. There’s a misguided expectation that a meaty banh mi – say roast pork – should be around $12. Let me tell you, if that’s what you’re paying for a banh mi, someone, somewhere, is getting the short end of the stick. You’ll pay about $17 at Ca Com, and all the fillings are made from scratch by Thi Le and her team. My favourite is the house-made Lao pork sausage. They get whole pigs in and make the snags themselves. When it comes to price versus quality, it’s one of the best-value meals in Melbourne.

Where can you get the best noodles in Melbourne?
This question is like asking me to pick a favourite family member. To which I answer: there is no such thing as the “best” family member. If you were to narrow it down with a cuisine and a suburb though, I could point you in the right direction – though I’d probably still have a list of five to 10 places for you. I have a noodle problem.

What’s your favourite ice-cream or gelato spot? What do you order?
Kariton Sorbetes. I adore the fact that the flavours are massive crowd-pleasers, even though they are heavily based on Filipino nostalgia. Ube is on regular rotation. It’s bright purple with chunks of fudge and blackberry jam, as well as caramelised coconut curd. My favourite, though, when available, is the champorado, based on a Filipino breakfast dish of chocolate rice pudding made with glutinous rice, often served with dried salted fish. The gelato version is chocolate with toasted glutinous rice, candied cacao nibs and fish-sauce salted caramel.

Where can you find the best bread in Melbourne?
The word “best” when talking about food gives me a particular brand of culinary anxiety. But when I’m north-side, I find Falco the most reliable, and when I’m south-side, my go-to is Little Sister Bakery. I especially like the heavily seeded Sofia loaf at the latter. Unfortunately, it’s not named after me.

And who makes the best coffee?
I don’t think you can get a more expertly made cup than at Calere in Fitzroy. It’s tiny, and while all the nerdy detail is there for those who want it, it’s also unpretentious. A Coffee in Collingwood and Standing Room in Fitzroy North are also favourites.

Where do you go for special occasions?
Scopri always makes me feel special. It’s old-school without being stuffy, has arguably the best Italian in Melbourne, and certainly some of the best service in town. I’ve been there for birthdays, long lunches, dates, and even took Jamie Oliver when he was in town. If it’s good enough for him, well, you know how it goes.

If someone asked for a date-night recommendation, what would you say?
My new answer to this question is Taqueria Sin Nombre in the CBD. It’s moody and dimly lit, without any windows, serves tacos as good as any I’ve eaten in Mexico City, and epitomises Melbourne cool. The trouble is, you can’t book, so you need to be there super early before it opens, or make it a late dinner – which isn’t a problem given you can get a drink at Caretaker’s Cottage or Three Horses around the corner. If you can get a booking, I’d also say Zareh in Collingwood. It punches as hard in atmosphere as it does in flavour – one of my absolute favourites in Melbourne.

What’s the best place to eat when you’re with a big group?
Dainty Sichuan in South Yarra. It’s got to be some of the better Sichuan food in the country, plus you can pre-order some fabulous dishes (cue lobster mapo tofu), and it’s BYO. There’s simply too much deliciousness on that menu for a table of one, two or even four.

What’s the best place to eat as a solo diner?
Eat Pierogi Make Love in Brunswick East. You’d be hard-pressed to find a place as vibey. Guy, Dominika and chef Ola know how to host like Eastern Europeans, and they’ll probably pour you a shot of vodka, whether you’ve asked for it or not. It feels like an extension of a rowdy dinner party, and everyone’s invited. Tell them you’re dining solo and ask for a seat at the bar.

What’s the best place for a late-night feed?
Nana Thai in the CBD. This is mookata hotpot at its finest, and the kitchen doesn’t close until midnight. It’s a bustling, street-foodesque atmosphere with the menu to match. Aside from the hotpot, I order larb, grilled ox tongue, grilled pork neck, funky som tum, lotus stem salad with raw prawns, and sticky rice. My mouth is watering just listing those dishes.

Is there a restaurant in Melbourne that’s now closed that you wish could go back to for one night?
So many. Supermaxi. Bar Saracen. The Everleigh. Izakaya Den. But the place I wish still existed was a little Lebanese-inspired cafe on Johnston Street in Collingwood called Bayte. It was well ahead of its time – we’re talking pre-smashed avocado – but I still think about it regularly.

What’s the venue you think you’ve visited the most over the years?
That’s a toughie. There are certainly restaurants I’ve returned to many times, including Embla, Etta, Scopri, Bar Olo, the old Gerald’s Bar, France-Soir, Co Thu Quan and Thanh Ha 2 in Victoria Street. I am sure there are more, but they’re top of mind.

What Melbourne restaurant do you think is the most underrated?
I know those who visit think it’s great, so when I say “underrated”, I mean I’m surprised it’s not talked about more in the media – Cordelia in Carlton. The food is fresh, modern and produce-driven. The staff is lovely and the space is humble yet charming. Maybe we shouldn’t tell everyone about it, eh?

What’s your favourite regional restaurant?
You can’t beat the level of love and experience that’s gone into Tedesca Osteria in Red Hill. Chef Brigitte Hafner has the most elegant touch with fire and seasonal ingredients, and her co-owner James Broadway is just a delight. He knew my mum before I entered the industry and we’ve shared some special moments there.

What’s your bucket-list international restaurant?
I don’t travel for specific restaurants. I travel to eat my way through the guts of a place and deep-dive through food. Markets, street food and casual venues light me up the most.

Masterchef Australia returns to screen at 7pm on April 19 on 10 and 10 Play.