TIRAMISU TAKE TWO

While there’s lots to admire about Orazio D’Elia’s latest Sydney outing, MATTEO

DOWNTOWN, it’s the tiramisu that takes the cake. Inspired by a caffè corretto, an espresso with a dash of liquor, the chef places a dot of Baileys mousse on the coffee-soaked sponge with light mascarpone and whipped cream parfait. A dolci dream.

In a former mill, HALF ACRE (above) is an inviting addition to industrial South Melbourne. The airy interior blends a glasshouse eatery, a rustic bar and a cavernous events space. Chef Eitan Doron dishes up Israeli-inspired fare spiced with thyme, dukkah and harrisa, and prepared over woodfired coals. Co-owner Adam Wright-Smith is the host with the most impeccable taste; his lighting choices alone are killer.

“It’s meat, but not as you know it,” announces the website for CHEEK on Melbourne’s Swanston Street (right). Chefs Tom Peasnell and Adam Goldblatt riff on American, Chinese and Korean barbecue, with creative dishes including New York strip with bone marrow sauce, aged duck with smoked hoisin, and charred asparagus with black vinegar.