Snack Bar: Next-Level Charcoal Chicken, an Ex-Gimlet Chef’s Greek Spot and More Food News This Week

What’s happening around town

• Tom Sarafian is cooking at Northcote’s Vex Dining on Saturday June 26 from lunchtime until the early evening. Book in for a $90 meal of dishes including Armenian manti (dumplings) and kabob – a taste of what’s to come from Sarafian’s highly anticipated forthcoming restaurant Zareh.

• Stop by Hot-Listed Etta on Wednesday nights this winter for a bowl of head chef Lorcán Kan ’s laksa. Each bowl comes filled with house-made golden tofu and is accompanied by Nyonya-style sambal and a skewer of deep-fried prawns for dipping. There are just 20 bowls of the $30 dish available each week, with the option to add $8 skewers of extras including house-made fish balls and satay-marinated chicken.

• Zee Scott, a former Great Australian Bake-Off contestant, is hosting a guided bubbles and cake-decorating session at The Post Office Hotel in Coburg on Sunday June 29. At the four-hour session, there’ll be a grazing table and each participant will enjoy three prosecco cocktails to enjoy while decorating. Tickets are $99. Bookings are essential.

This week in food and drink news

• Dine Out, our blockbuster new food festival, debuts in August.

• First look: get laid-back Greek food from an ex-Gimlet chef at The Pontian Club in Collingwood.

• Coming soon: Yang Thai is not your average charcoal chicken shop.

• Local Knowledge: a Free To Feed teacher serves Palestinian comfort food at Huda’s Kitchen Rules.

• I Can’t Stop Thinking About: Katie, the “Tom Cruise Cake” from Penance.

• Where Chefs Eat: Marmelo’s Ross Lusted loves the steak at this hospo fave.

• All Are Welcome owes its staff $360,000, the ABC alleges.

• Banksia is one of Caulfield North’s most exciting restaurants – and it almost didn’t happen.

The Hot List

• Fitzroy’s Carnation Canteen runs its tap water through a “rose quartz vortex”. What does that even mean?