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February 15, 2015 Smith & Daughters was our go-to venue a second time within a week; on this occasion we shared brunch and cocktails with Melbourne blogger-turned-Sydneysider AOF and some mutual friends. Co-owner Mo and the youngest Moody Noodle did their best to photobomb our beverages. Michael ordered a gin-based Basil Luchador ($18) but was ultimately envious of others' Bloody Fridas; I went for a Citrus Kick ($8) that burned the throat with ginger and cayenne rather than alcohol. To eat, we fell back on ol' faves. The gluten- and pea-tolerant all requested tuna & pea croquettas to start ($5 each) - I'm not sure I'll ever tire of their golden crusts and salty centres. AOF and I shared the queso dip ($15) - she enjoyed the cashew cheese topping as much as I do, and we were treated to extra corn chips at no charge when the first batch failed to scoop it all up. A tart rocket-fuelled artichoke and chickpea salad ($16) was a great way to offset the dip'n

February 13, 2015 We had a small moment of panic recently when we travelled past Mankoushe and saw that their bakery was papered over. Actually it was a sign of good things to come - a new wood-fired oven and renovated bakery space! On a rainy Friday night, we tested out the new stools instead of retiring to the back courtyard. The Mankoushe folk aren't ones for staying still, and we typically notice new things on menu with every visit. Nevertheless they're consistent in offering numerous vegetarian options and a friendly nod to vegans - this time there were thirteen vegetarian items, six of them vegan. Our first experience with the Iraqi pizza ($9, pictured right) was a good one - crispy edged and spread with tomato sauce, filled with spicy chickpeas and potatoes then topped with rocket. I was even more enamoured of the Phoenician ($10.50, last slice on the left); here the rocket concealed sauteed leek, silverbeet, celery and dabs of fresh ricotta. Gosh, do these guys know how

February 13, 2015 New Day Rising is a charming vegetarian sandwich nook that we don't visit often enough. But I've found the perfect excuse to stop by a little more often - getting my hair cut and coloured next door at Lucky Buster .  It's a long time since my last CLT , but I resisted its sweet smoky temptation and tried the Reuben on Rye ($10). This Reuben doesn't make any pretense at replacing the traditional pastrami, relying on good Swiss cheese, a bit of seeded mustard, and plentiful sauerkraut made by their mate Keegan. It's simple but satisfying.  Noting that the bread was a little on the small side, my server generously offered to toast up a third half if I was still hungry. But having washed this much down with a bottle of orange and passionfruit soda ($4), I had no need. ____________ You can read about one , two , three of our previous visits to New Day Rising. Since then the CLT has earned praise on Veganopoulous . ____________ New Day Rising 221d Blyt

February 11, 2015 We've been keeping up our semi-regular visits to Smith & Daughters lately, but toning down the blog posts a bit - for a while it felt like every second post was another trip to Fitzroy to rave about their wonderful food. This visit, with James , coincided with an updated summer menu, which seemed like a good enough excuse to whip up another post. The menu hasn't changed dramatically - old favourites like the queso dip , the tortilla and the croquettas (which we ordered again!) remain, but there's been a steady turnover of dishes in the year since S & D opened and we had plenty of new things to try. The El Nino (spiced rum, lime, agave, mint, ginger and tamarind soda, $17) on the left and the pink lemonade (fresh strawberries, thyme, lemon, vodka, elderflower and lemon soda) on the right maintained Smith & Daughters' reputation for spectacular cocktails - I've yet to be disappointed. Our first dish was the brocoli y coliflor fritas

February 10, 2015 Five months since opening, Mantra Lounge attracts a keen queue of students and workers for their cheap, filling and veg-friendly weekday lunches. On a Tuesday date with an old friend, I enjoyed their peanutty vegetable curry served with rice, vibrantly dressed green salad and a square of carob-iced cake ($8). I also added a sweet and very green spirulina-charged Bananarama smoothie (+$2). As of last weekend, Mantra are extending their trading hours to weekend lunches and dinners. That should render them more accessible than ever to non-locals seeking a cheap and nourishing meal. ____________ You can read about my first visit to Mantra Lounge here . ____________ Mantra Lounge 167 Grattan St, Carlton 0433 531 345 menu on a previous visit http://www.mantralounge.com.au/ Accessibility: Mantra Lounge has clearly given accessibility some thought - there's a ramp up from the footpath and plenty of space around the counter, where ordering, payment and food pick-up occ

February 8, 2015 The Sporting Club has fast become one of our favourite pubs, so we were a bit anxious when it rebranded itself the Charles Weston Hotel. We peered in the windows a few times when they were closed and nothing really seemed to have changed, but we figured we should go and check it out to make sure. Aside from a couple of shiny signs on the outside, the fit-out is basically unchanged. We set up camp in the courtyard to make sure the food still measured up. The menu is clearly labelled and includes an expanded range of vegan options, including tofu tacos ($10), polenta fritters ($10) and a beetroot and quinoa salad ($18). There's plenty of gluten-free stuff to choose from as well. Cindy spent all morning craving the haloumi burger ($18), which we've somehow never blogged before despite ordering a whole bunch of times. It's the same as ever: a crumbed haloumi square with some tomato and lettuce on a brioche-y bun. Throw in a side of crispy fries and this was an

After more than eight years of blogging, reviews of over 700 restaurants in 34 cities, nearly 900 recipes and more hours than I care to tally up, where's the beef? is poised to publish its 2000th post! We're going to welcome the start of our third millennium with some tweaks of our design and some long overdue updating of our where's the best? list, but we'd also like to mark the occasion by eating food. Tons of food. Note: this food is for illustrative purposes only, actual picnic food may vary So we're going to have a potluck picnic in the park to celebrate. Cindy and I are going to pack up loads of food and plonk down near the pond at the Northern end of Princes Park from midday on March 22 . You're all invited to join us - bring food if you want to, but feel free to just swing by and say hi as well. We've set up an event over on our facebook page , so sign up there if you want to keep track of updates and frantic weather-related rescheduling. We'd

February 6-7, 2015 Our friend Erin promptly scheduled in a second Ottolenghi potluck one month after the first . I spent that month utterly occupied by my job, working through all three weekends, and by the time the potluck rolled around I was keen to break out and contribute one of the Plenty More desserts. Predictably, it was the icecream recipe that took my fancy. Ottolenghi's halva icecream is rich with cream and egg yolks, with only a hint of sugar and tahini in the custard. It's fudgy chunks of halva folded through that provide most of the bitter-edged sweetness. The chocolate halva I bought from a local deli was crumbly and breaking it down into the directed half-centimetre cubes wasn't possible - I liked the texture it asserted in bigger blocks anyway. Ottolenghi elevates the icecream to full-blown sundae with brandy-spiked ganache, peanuts and black sesame seeds. It's the best kind of over-the-top - alternate spoonfuls of smooth chocolate with salted crunchy

February 7, 2015 We've had a few nice breakfasts at Brunswick's Code Black Coffee so figured we'd give their new North Melbourne branch a go on our way to the Queen Victoria Markets. It's another warehouse refit, although this younger sibling lets in more light and offers some cheery splashes of colour. With a bare floor, high-energy tunes and enough customers for a wait list, it's loud. The menu is shorter and lacks the vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free symbols that so impressed us in Brunswick. Instead there's just some small text suggesting you "chat to your server". Gluten-free bread is available, and it looks like vegans might be constrained to salad. After a brief wait in the sun, we were seated at a small table on the mezzanine level. Michael cooled down with an iced latte ($4.50). From there we were in for a bit of a wait for food, though our waiter did regular rounds topping up our water. Michael ordered black beans with a fried egg, jalape