Melbourne must-dos: Johnston St Milk Bar

Tonight I got off the bus in the miserable half-hearted Melbourne rain and walked halfway home. Then turned back and walked back the way I came, to the Johnston St Milk Bar. This is a place I have mentioned before but can’t stop myself from raving about again. When the chef at a place you already consider a favourite shakes your hand, introduces himself then makes a pizza that isn’t on the menu because he knows you’ll like it (even though you’ve only been there 4 times before) you have to rave. You just have to. I only found this out tonight, as even though I’ve always had a dark desire to become a ‘regular’ customer at a place that serves great food, it has never become a reality until now. This is largely due to budgetary restrictions, which have finally been overcome (yes!), as at the Milk Bar is not only truly amazing but cheap as chips. The customer service is also above and beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before. Not only are the staff the friendliest you’ll ever meet but it seems 5 mins of talking about jalapenos and snow is all it takes to score a free glass of mulled wine. While I get the feeling perks for regular customers aren’t uncommon, I love that the guys also aren’t afraid to give customers shit when they deserve it, especially since it is always kind hearted and jokey, never malicious like when I worked in customer service (people grrrr).

So does a cordon bleu (chicken, ham, blue vein cheese) pizza at the Milk Bar followed by a walk home in the drizzle listening to Nancy Sinatra finished off with lazing in front of the modern day fire (heat pump) and eating chocolate with my glasses still speckled with rain qualify as a great Friday night? If i was the type to swear on the internet, which i am, I’d say fuck yeah.

Bang bang!

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“Yes, he is.”
“I’m not!”
“He isn’t.”
“Well, he will be soon, he’s very ill.”
“I’m getting better!”
“No, you’re not — you’ll be stone dead in a moment.”
“I think I’ll go for a walk!”

That’s right, dear readers I’m still here, still kicking. The only excuse I have for you is that The Eastern being in town again and the increasingly dark walks to and from work have led to a hard-to-shake laziness in regards to keeping you up to date on what I eat. But no more! Here’s a rundown of amazing and secret (maybe, probably not) places to get great food in Melbourne

The Horn: Great for those who dislike utensils, not so great for those who aren’t very adventurous with their food choices. This place is probably a little overpriced for what you get but if you’ve always wanted to eat with your hands in public or eat Ethiopian food at the table next to someone who has a tattoo of Ethiopia, this is the place to be* (*I can’t guarantee that person will be there at all times, it was probably a once off but the significance isn’t lessened).

Bluebird: For a killer early morning breakfast served to you by majority kiwis, Bluebird is the only place to go. Well, maybe. It seems like almost everyone in Melbourne is a NZer. Anyway, go to Bluebird for the perfect weekend breakfast brunch whether you like it sweet, salty, spicy or milkshak-y.

Johnston St Milk Bar: Speaking of milkshakes! The milk bar is my new favourite cafe/restaurant/bar of all time thanks to its awesome milkshake menu (Cherry Ripe anyone?), board game selection and build-your-own breakfasts. That and the fact that it has almost the best pizzas of all time (title still owned by Memphis Belle in Chch)and that the dude with yellow glasses that works there is clearly the supreme master of the universe (but not in a cult-y way)

Hutong: For the best soup dumplings and chinese brocolli you’ll ever eat. Plus you can eat them till you explode, for under $15.

More tomorrow!! Love you all. But mainly, let’s face it, because only my friends read this. LOVE YOU ALL!!!