Episode 30: Father's Day

This week on Postcards, Grant heads to the unique Lyon Housemuseum in Kew, Glen indulges in a seafood at The Atlantic, Brodie goes to Gippsland, Shane feasts on the best Sunday roasts and Pia goes to a beach houses in Barwon Heads.  

The Atlantic
The Atlantic restaurant in the Crown Entertainment Complex is on the riverside promenade and is inspired by the famous New York meat packing district. Executive chef Donovan Cooke believes in trying for perfection and uses the best quality ingredients available to create daily specials and signature dishes like the olive oil confit salmon with muscle broth and basil. The beauty and wow factor of The Altantic is everywhere, and there are dining options from the main restaurant and private dining rooms.

Crown Entertainment Complex
8 Whiteman Street, Southbank
Ph 03 9698 8888
www.theatlantic.com.au


Barwon Heads
The White Beach House is a grand Hamptons-style beach house in the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula's Barwon Heads region.  The elegant double story home sleeps up to ten people in five bedrooms and is decorated in cool spa-inspired colours chosen to evoke relaxation.  Guests are welcomed with a hamper of locally made and grown produce and if you want the kitchen stocked, there’s a concierge service, or it’s only a short walk to the main street shops and cafes.

At the Heads is one of the best-known restaurants in Barwon Heads and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but if you’re after something quick and casual stop by the Kiosk for some delicious local grilled whiting.

The White Beach House
Ocean Grove Stays
Ph 03 5254 1571
www.oceangrovestays.com.au

At The Heads
The Jetty, Jetty Road, Barwon Heads
Ph 03 5254 1277
www.attheheads.com.au

Mirboo North
Cafe Escargot in Mirboo North is a two-hour drive from Melbourne through the rolling hills of South Gippsland. In an area known for its dairy and livestock, this environmentally-friendly farm is producing an unusual delicacy: snails.  And these aren't the type that attack flowerbeds. Cafe Escargot specialises in snail or escargot dishes.  It takes about eight months for a snail to reach eating size, when they're put on a cleansing diet for a week. Most people associate escargot with French cuisine, but cafe cook Vincenza Alexander explains that they've been on European menus for centuries. The menu also features tapas dishes like salt and pepper calamari, chorizo kebabs and patatas bravas, and don't miss Vincenza's ricotta cake for dessert.

Cafe Escargot
10 Old Nichols Road, Mirboo North
Ph 03 5668 1589


Lyon Housemuseum
The Lyon Housemuseum is a family house and a contemporary art museum. Architect Corbett Lyon and his wife Yueji began collecting contemporary art 20 years ago. When they needed somewhere to keep it, the housemuseum idea was born. The Lyon family makes the house and collection available for viewing by small groups on designated days. Visitors pay $22 for access to everything except the bedrooms. The collection has grown to about 300 works and about a third of them are on display. Some of the spaces were designed to house specific pieces, such as Howard Arkley’s Fabricated Rooms and Habitat by Callum Morton, which comes with its own sound track.

219 Cotham Road, Kew
Ph 03 9817 2300
www.lyonhousemuseum.com.au


Sunday roasts
La Luna Bistro in Rathdowne Street, Carlton celebrates the tradition of a weekly family roast with chef Adrian Richardson offering roast lamb and pork on Sundays.

The Commoner in Johnston Street, Fitzroy, specialises in modern British cuisine, and also does a roaring trade on Sundays.  Their website will let you know the weekly special, which could be anything from spiced and wood roasted leg of lamb to rolled and stuffed pork belly with house made black pudding.

Across town on Jacka Boulevard in S tKilda,  Donovans's executive chef Emma D'Alessandro also makes a seasonal special of the day Sunday roast.

La Luna Bistro
320 Rathdowne Street, Carlton North
Ph 03 9349 4888
www.lalunabistro.com.au

The Commoner
122 Johnston Street, Fitzroy
Ph 03 9415 6876
thecommoner.com.au

Donovans
40 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda
Ph: 03 9534 8221
www.donovanshouse.com.au

Postcards diary

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week
As the seasons change, spring fashion takes over the city.
Where: various
When: to 11 September 2011
More: www.thatsmelbourne.com.au

Taste of Melbourne
Indulge at Melbourne's premier restaurant festival.
Where: Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens
When: 15–18 September 2011
More: tasteofmelbourne.com.au

Crown Presents Focus on Footy
With the AFL Grand Final is only weeks away, Crown celebrates Melbourne's favourite sport with a photo exhibition.
Where: Crown Entertainment Complex
When: to 2 October 2011
More: crownmelbourne.com.au