Michelle See-Tho

Going out on your own is something most people avoid, but then a venue like Willows and Wine comes along to make a solo mission seem downright desirable, perched with a book in one hand and a shiraz in the other.We’re talking about West Melbourne’s bookshop bar, which is the perfect solution to homebodies who want to get out more.It might have opened earlier this year, but the bar’s owning a well-worn look. Vintage furniture adorns the place: oak tables are streaked by sun exposure and uneven chairs are draped with lavender-scented knitted blankets. It’s cosy, pre-loved and stained with memories, much like the books it harbours.One side of the room is lined with bookshelves, filled with everything from To Kill A Mockingbird, to Justin Bieber’s autobiography. We’ve yet to find something over five dollars and most have aged well, with a few wrinkled and frayed exceptions. You’re free to pluck one off the shelf and settle in for a gander with a wine before you buy. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy a ‘Blind Date with a Book’ – books wrapped in nondescript brown paper with dot points hinting at what’s inside.Behind the bar ceiling-high wine racks are stocked with European wines like the Villa Wolf from Pfalz, Germany, which is crisp and dry, or the German Dr Loosen riesling that tastes of peach and citrus. Or if you prefer to match your reading with red, order the spicy Pittnauer Pitti, hailing from Austria. There are also wines bottled closer to home. The Huia brings pa

Unlike traditional all-you-can-eat situations, dinner at Okami doesn't involve food sitting in bain maries for a questionable amount of time – there’s table service, and the food here is made to order, coming to you fresh out of the kitchen. It’s the dinner you actually want, with a salary cap. In a boon for budget-conscious indulgence, you only pay $29.80 per person and you can order anything off the set menu. Bookings are preferred (of course this deal is popular) and you can select from two sessions: 5.30pm, preferred by young families, or 7.30pm for the rest of us. And those sittings are full – expect to back your chair into another table at least once and inadvertently eavesdrop on your neighbours. Once seated you can order anything from the laminated set menus. There’s an a la carte menu too, but it’s more fun and economical to opt for all-you-can-eat. Portions are based on the number of people dining, so the smaller your party, the smaller your dishes will be. But fear not: you can repeat orders if hunger persists. This is not quite a well-oiled machine.The food comes out sporadically, and in no particular order so don’t arrive hangry as service can be slow. Ask for the status of your dishes if it’s been a long wait; ordering again might leave you with plates of unnecessary nigiri. Though that’s no bad thing – the nigiri walks that tightrope of acid and salinity in the vinegared rice and fresh fish with the balance of a circus performer. The maki rolls feature clean-cu

If you want to eat old-style Chinese-Malaysian street food but can’t afford a flight to KL, take a trip to Heidelberg Heights instead. Local eatery Jade Kingdom is churning out the good stuff by the hot, sizzling wokful. Along a small strip of shops on a residential street, Jade Kingdom makes itself known by the neon glow of its signage and the smoky aroma of ever-so-slightly charred noodles and pork lard, the flavour base of Malaysian fare. And it draws a crowd – on Friday and Saturday nights, be prepared to wait among swarms of far-northern suburb dwellers and Malaysian expats for your hit.  The restaurant replicates the hawker centres of Malaysia – quick and no-fuss – so don’t expect the waitstaff to introduce themselves or ask you how your meal is going. Do expect them to deliver hot fresh food, fast, and leave you the hell alone to get stuck in.   They work in layers of flavour here: char from the heat, salt from pork and light soy sauce, brine from seafood and sweetness from dark soy and vegetables. Start with the lobak, a deep-fried entrée hailing from Penang. These rolls are made of Chinese sausage and crunchy vegetables, diced up and mixed with five spice before being stuffed into a sheet of shiny tofu and deep fried. They’re served in slices that you dunk into a mixture of dark soy, five spice and sugar. We absolutely recommend one of the fried noodle dishes (we also recommend not wearing white). The hokkien mee of thick egg noodles, fish cake and vegetables all bra