Melbourne: Fitzrovia

Located along the fringes of Albert Park, Fitzrovia was one of my favourite cafes in Melbourne. The atmosphere is hard to beat, when you enter the restaurant, it is as if you have stepped into someone's modern countryside kitchen. The visually arresting dessert counter had me thinking about the after party even before we ordered our mains. To top it off, their warm service was a sharp contrast to the gloomy overcast day we were experiencing. 

Given the eating we would be dong throughout the day, we stuck to our game plan - a couple of main dishes and dessert. An ocean trout, tiger prawns and salmon pie filled us with warmth and comfort; and pie is something I would very much associate our trip with this time round.

The crispy skin roast Strathfieldsaye pork belly in red curry was such a surprise (given we have quite a fair bit of experience with curry) and the accompanying roasted pumpkin was sublime.

For dessert, it was a hard choice, and we ended things with a banana, fig and espresso pudding.

It is a lovely place for families, couples and just about anyone who would like to enjoy seasonal, artisanal food.