Bite-size Stories

120 Hardware Street, Melbourne This little cafe is like a pocket guide to Paris, complete with teeny-tiny counter seats, Croque Madame, Cassoulet Et Eggs and excellent service. I tried the superb confit duck with chestnut puree and potato gratin ($22.00) with a glass of Abellio Alberino ($8.50). One of the 'it' places in Melbourne for quite a while now, eating out at Hardware Societe is more like a cultural event, complete with walking through the Melbourne lane ways and queuing out front. You will need to be ready to forgo your weight loss program, but who wants to be on a diet, when you can have a fried brioche with lemon curd instead! Confit duck with chestnut puree and potato gratin Mon to Fri 7:30 am - 3:00 pm Sat to Sun 8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Dear reader, In my flavor-hunting mission, I come to you with a warning: Mr Mister plays with his food. I’m not against breaking table etiquette now and then, but an open omelette with roasted artichokes? That’s a blow to morning eggs de la classique. And who can be expected to behave with dignity when pear and blue cheese appear on the same plate? The final blow: confit tomatoes. I won’t even mention the prosciutto, lightly grilled for that matter. My dear, refined friend suffered her own ordeal: baked beans married to caramelised pear. Naturally, in protest, we ate croissants with extra coffee - and, under duress, ordered lime–coconut–pistachio balls to go. We cannot be blamed.