What we covered in Melbourne food and drink this week
• A Melbourne fave came in at 23 on the World’s 50 Best Bars List in Singapore this week. (And a Sydney staple made number 15).

• A first look at Kare Curry, a sleek new diner near Queen Vic Market dedicated to the craft of Japanese curry.

• Three new Thai restaurants, specialising in regional dishes from Phuket to Isan.

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• Siblings and fromagier scions Ellie and Sam Studd want to teach you – and the world – about cheese.

• A first look at three-year-old pillowy-souffle-pancake purveyor Keki Milk Bar’s first permanent location.

• CBD spot Parcs has reopened with an ex-Brae chef on the pans. Here’s what you can expect at the new iteration of the fermentation-focused 20-seater.

• Cult favourite American chilli crisp brand Fly by Jing finally lands in Australian supermarkets.

• Tom Sarafian, Pidapipo’s Lisa Valmorbida and a Lebanese-bakery legend team up on a two-week-only ashta gelato collab.

• We talk to Sup Club founder Sophie McIntyre about how her pop-up series helps people make new friends in work, life and love – all over great food.

• Pinot Palooza – the festival that celebrates all things pinot noir – is back for its 11th edition this weekend, with 50 winemakers from Australia and New Zealand presenting their best bottles.

• Andrew McConnell’s venerable Cumulus Inc has turned 15, and it’s been kicking up its heels all year. The latest deal? $2 Sydney rock oysters from 3pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

You might have missed
• Six salad servers that even make lettuce look stylish.

Listen up
• This week on Broadsheet’s podcast *Around Town*, Australia’s chocolate queen Kirsten Tibballs chats chocolate fails and essential baking tips, and Sebastian Pasinetti of Minds en Place tells us how the local startup tackles safety and wellbeing in hospo.

More, please
• One of our favourite north-side meal-delivery services is launching south-side and bayside delivery. The Sweet Potato Kitchen is all about nourishing, tasty home-cooked meals made with ethically sourced ingredients and organic produce. Founder and cook Emmy Feingold uses some of Melbourne’s best suppliers – fruit and vegetables from Natoora, meat and poultry from Cherry Tree Organics, and seafood from Ocean Made – for regularly rotating dishes like lamb tagine, ginger and sweet potato coconut stew, and quinoa and miso congee. Check out the menu here or visit the The Sweet Potato Kitchen for more info.

• Former Lume chef Diego Huerta Chabert is taking over the kitchen at Carlton’s Al Dente Enoteca for one night only on Monday October 30. He’ll be collaborating with Al Dente Enoteca chefs Andrea Vignali and Davide Bonadiman on an Italian and French feast. Tickets are $110 per person.

• Four Pillars’ eighth annual Christmas Gin is set for release on Halloween. This year’s version – distilled with Christmas puddings and aged in muscat barrels – comes in a glass bottle with bright, kitschy label art by local painter Jo White.

• The divisive durian is arriving on the Kumo Desserts menu. Starting tomorrow, the CBD spot will be flipping buttery soufflé pancakes with Musang King durian and ube ice-cream on the side.

As seen on the web
• Beloved Australian dessert brand Sara Lee has entered voluntary administration after more than 50 years. We’re thinking Harry Styles might have had something to do with it.