• Here are four reasons to love Carlton’s new pasta paradise Al Dente Enoteca. (One: it’s a visa holder – and lockdown – success story.)

• This unexpectedly extraordinary snag is a must-order at Aru, one of Melbourne’s best new restaurants.

• A new Melbourne supper club is bringing back the good old-fashioned dinner party. Our tip? Go alone. And expect cracking food and wine in a snazzy ’70s-era space.

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• Would you dip into your savings for a steak sanga? Bourke Street’s Niku Ou is serving a katsu-sando-style one with A5 Kobe chateaubriand and gold flakes for an eye-popping $228.

• Coming soon: Chin Chin’s Chris Lucas is opening a third new restaurant, the Italian-inspired Grill Americano, this year.

• Insta-investigator Real Dimmies of Melbourne is on the hunt for the best dim sim in town. And he reckons connoisseurs might find his number-one pick a bit controversial.

• Spicy corn ribs, fluffy falafel pitas and crisp cauli burgers at Marko, a new plant-based eatery in South Melbourne.

• Hemingway’s is bringing French wine and cheese – including crisp fried camembert and truffled brie, both from Milawa – to East Melbourne on Wednesday nights.

• First Look: Stomping Ground opens a boisterous 460-person beer hall and brewery in an old cigarette factory (with parmesan-crumbed schnitties).

• It’s Christmas in July at All Are Welcome. That means fluffy panettone, fruit mince pies and Eccles cakes, and weekly sandwich specials with Christmas ham (yes) and turkey.

• Maha’s Shane Delia is the host of new SBS series A Middle East Feast. Here’s a knockout recipe for his turmeric chickpeas with tomatoes, greens and zhoug (“like a spicy coriander pesto”).

• Time to get cosy. CBD restaurant Pepe’s (in a former synagogue) has transformed into an Italian winter chalet – complete with snow showers, a custom-built sleigh, spicy vodka rigatoni and hot toddies.

• Truffle Trinity is a newly relaunched wintry experience at one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most luxe locations.

• At its new Preston cafe, coffee roaster Makeshift is dishing up cheesy fish-finger sandwiches (with house-made tartare).

• One day only: chocolatier Koko Black and dessert powerhouse Black Star Pastry are doing a decadent, limited-edition dessert. This is what to expect.