Tutto Bene Risotto Masterclass by Foghorn Leghorn

Tutto Bene has been in business for at least 12 years. On a busy night it dishes up around 140 serves of risotto. With that kind of track record, the people at Tutto Bene know something about risotto, and they’ve decided to share it with the rest of us at Risotto Masterclass.


Risi e bisi

It’s fairly simple. You turn up just before dinner, head chef Nathan Scarfo shows you in detail how to make risotto, and then you sit down for some delicious food and a glass of wine. You don’t actually do any cooking, but you can learn quite a bit.

Feastively by Obelix

For a person who loathes supermarkets and struggles to cook meals that are nutritious and delicious, meal kits like Feastively are a God-send, particularly on a week night.


Beef bulgogi in the pan

What sets Feastively apart is that they do all the prep work for you.  Every thing arrives chopped and ready to go.  All you need to do is to operate a pair of scissors to cut open the vacuum pack and apply heat - voila!  Dinner in 15 minutes or less.  

Meat Me Souvlakeri, Oakleigh by Bureaucrat

I've always been disappointed with the cluster of Greek restaurants around Lonsdale and Russell Streets in the city.  Who would have thought that the epicentre of all things deliciously Greek was hidden out in the 'burbs?  Oakleigh's Eaton Mall is full of conviviality and the appetite-inducing aromas of grilled meats.

Although we had already had lunch, the Lawyer and I just couldn't resist ordering a little something something.  We picked Meat Me Souvlakeri as it was one of the bigger and more popular establishments in the Mall.

This was the lamb platter.  I can sum this up succinctly: big and delicious!  There was a lot of juicy, tender lamb that was beautifully seasoned. I loved how it came with a wedge of lemon and a dusting of dried oregano.  I equally loved the fluffy, chewy pita bread, the fresh salad, crisp chips and the tzatziki. Priced at just under $20 this was incredible value.  We couldn't finish it and took the rest home (which still tasted pretty good several hours later).  I'm not sure if this platter is intended to be a single serve, but even if we hadn't already had lunch, this would still be a big serve for the two of us.  

Maker and Monger, South Yarra by Rockstar

I don't really like cheese. I don't understand the whole cheese platter thing. However....melted cheese is a whole other thing! And the best melted cheese is a cheese toasty. And in my opinion, the best cheese toasty in Melbourne is the fondue toasty at Maker and Monger with melty gruyere, coate, shallots, wine and garlic.....

I'm pretty sure there's butter on the bread and it's make for a glorious golden caramelised crunch that gives way to cheesy stretchy heaven. It's full on and I've never finished a whole one but every mouth full is divine! I'm sure the other toastys are delicious too, but I can't try another one this ones available. Hmmm, maybe go with a friend and split two different ones!!!!

Southgate Welcome Winter Feast by Ruby Grapefruit

It was an absolute pleasure to attend the Southgate Welcome Winter Feast to sample the new winter offerings at a range of venues in the Southgate complex.

We started off with a lovely glass of champagne at a new event space called Metropolis Events. We were very impressed with the clever layout which incorporated expansive spaces, high ceilings, cosy break out zones, and balconies with stunning views.

Nikos Cakes, Oakleigh by Bureaucrat

It's without a doubt that the Greek civilisation can lay claim to some pretty impressive achievements - philosophy, democracy, science and art to name a few.  In the culinary world, they've given us the lip-smacking combination of garlic, oregano, lemon and lamb and also syrup-drenched pastries.

After lunch with Big Fil at Kalimera Souvlaki Art, we wandered around to Nikos Cakes.  It's hard to miss Nikos, it's big and it commands one of the corners of the popular Eaton Mall in Oakleigh.  It's also easily one of the popular establishments.  I just had to get some pastries!