INSIDER NEWS

Hot tables, lust-have products, the latest news, trends & more.

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A Greek revival is taking shape in Ramsgate in Sydney’s south. Joining The Good Filo, a Hellenic bakery that debuted earlier this year, is BLE (above). Accomplished chef Natalia Gaspari (ex Alpha) is breathing new life into the cuisine. Taramasalata is infused with caviar, lobster ravioli enlivened with haloumi cream, and king prawns dotted with ouzo-tinged feta. Pendant lamps, bentwood chairs and splashes of blue that echo the name add up to a stylish environment.

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“LAURA is a love letter to the Mornington Peninsula,” says Phil Wood, who recently unveiled the urbane new restaurant at Pt. Leo Estate in Victoria. Wood carves out many exceptional dishes: Lion’s mane mushrooms with abalone, mussels with dehydrated tomatoes and polenta, and figs melded with cumin-inflected ice cream among them (above). The name refers to the seven-metre cast-iron artwork by sculptor Jaume Plensa, one of 50 on the sprawling vineyard.

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Stone floors, jewel-toned furnishings and jaw-dropping vistas seduce guests at NINETEEN AT THE STAR, (above right) a new rooftop restaurant and lounge at The Star Gold Coast. Hatched by Simon Gloftis and Billy Cross, and atop The Darling hotel, the glitzy venue excels at suitably lavish fare such as rock lobster bolognese, roast duck with foie gras, and a 400g wagyu sirloin. The cellar is stacked with more than 2000 wines.