AUSTRALIA
Alpha Restaurant, Sydney
Located at the old Hellenic Club on Castlereagh Street , this multi-million dollar venue sees Greek cuisine pioneer Peter Conistis leading the kitchen, offering robust signature dishes such as scallop moussaka and rabbit pie. The restaurant will soon expand to offer an artisan food emporium, making it a one-stop-shop for all things Greek and delicious. 238 Castlereagh Street, Sydney 2000
Bar de Halcyon, Perth
Perth’s first pintxos bar, Bar de Halcyon, is the latest small bar addition to the trendy Wolf Lane. Serving up hot and cold plates of these traditional Spanish snacks, Bar de Halcyon is bringing a taste of San Sebastian to WA, along with a great list of local and international wines, cocktails and craft beers. Wolf Lane, Perth, WA
90 Secondi, Melbourne
Offering much-needed pre-game hunger busters, 90 Secondi is a new multi-level pizzeria located at Docklands’ Etihad Stadium. Spearheaded by Johnny Di Francesco (of Brunswick’s 400 Gradi fame), the restaurant imported a Neapolitan wood-fired pizza oven and uses traditional techniques in both a casual snack-style setting downstairs or more formal terrazzo upstairs. Gate 3, Etihad Stadium Docklands, VIC
NEW ZEALAND
Milse, Auckland
Auckland now has a restaurant dedicated to desserts and just the thought of it has more than one MiNDFOOD staffer’s mouth watering. Serving cakes, pastries and a dessert degustation, Milse (Gaelic for “sweet”) is run by master patissier Brian Campbell. Milse’s latticed corridor is lined with takeaway sweet treats, while the adjoining restaurant serves up the dessert degustation and à la carte options. Styled as a “secret dessert garden”, Milse’s space was designed by Cheshire Architects. It feels like Aladdin’s cave with its delicate filigree wooden panels and light-filled booths peering out to neighbouring fashion boutiques. Open Monday to Sunday, 10am to late. The Pavilions at Britomart, 27 Tyler Street, Auckland.
The Crab Shack, Wellington
The latest addition to the southern end of Shed 5 on Queen’s Wharf, the vibe at Simon Gault’s latest restaurant is best described as Cape Cod. The order of the day is (surprise, surprise) crab, and you can have it any which way you like – sautéed, grilled, or in chowder or pasta form. Steak and other seafood options also abound at this laidback new eatery. Shed 5, Queens Wharf, Wellington
Mekong Baby, Auckland
Founder of Banque in Remuera and GPK, Dominique Parat has opened Mekong Baby in Ponsonby. The new Southeast Asian fusion restaurant was inspired by the chef’s travels to Vietnam, and features lush interiors including a marble bar, and nostalgic wall prints of life in Hoi An. Menu highlights include Pork Belly, Apple Slaw and Chilli Caramel. 262 Ponsonby Road, Auckland.
WBC, Wellington
Four years in the works, WBC is the sibling restaurant to Capitol, offering a blackboard menu with an emphasis on tapas-style share plates. Perched above a barber and dairy, WBC is the brainchild of Tom Hutchison and chef Clay Toomer (who helped set up Arbitrager restaurant). A welcome addition to Wellington’s fast-growing dining scene. 107 Victoria St, Wellington
