This place is simply and old style fish and chips shop. It is accross the road from Moonee Ponds…read moreSwimming Pool and Queens Park (both of which Ive also reviewed here on Yelp for those of you who want to get the full "big picture" experience of the plae). The fish was as good as any other place and the chips were better than most, as were the potato cakes and dim sims. I forgot to order scallops so I will have to wait for next time to have an opinion on those... My companion ordered a fish souvlaki and I asked her if it tasted nice or if it was just food. She said that it was just food... which kind of sums the fish souvlaki up.... But that said, if you are looking for fancy, healthy, extravagent, gourmet food then why on earth would you go to a fish and chips shop in the first place??? So to cut the long story short, the fish and chips were good and tasted the way fish and chips are supposed to taste. Like all fish and chips they were probably fairly bad for us and contain very little nutritional value but so what - thats what fish and chips shops are supposed to be like. My kids ate them enthusiastically and everything consumed played the expected role of "food" thus doing its job properly... The staff were nice and were tolerant of my twin 3 year olds annoying everyone in the shop and sitting on the counter ringing the bell on the statue of the smiling Chinese cat that you see in Chinese restaurants or Chinese run establishments of all types (I wish I knew what those cats were called). They were also tolerant of my wet swimming shorts making there seats a bit wet too (we had been at the pool accross the road - swimming and fish and chips work well together as one is always too buggered to cook after a long swim). Anyway, apologies for my wet bum marks on the seats - but justice occurred when I had to go back and collect one of my kids sandals which he left in the shop - so the time it took for the seat to dry was probably about the same time it took me to go back and collect the sandal... it was a long hot day... On another note, the shop is right next door to the Cheesecake Shop - meaning that you can have fish and chips for your meal and then get a cheesecake for dessert - if you can manage to eat that much and that combination which doesnt exactly work to my mind... Anyway, enough about my life - check out this shop if you are in the area and want fish and chips - its a good one and its also very very reasonably priced. A pack of 2 big pieces of blue grenadeer (fish), 3 potato cakes, 2 dimsims and a whole heap of chips cost $14.80 or something like that. I think it was called a "Two Pack". Hats off to Valley Seafood! 4 stars!!!! If the fish souvlaki was more than just "food" it wouldve got 5 stars!

I have always seen the line out the door of this place on a sunny evening and promised myself that…read moreI should give them a shot one day. Unfortunately I should have just kept walking... The queue is most probably full of people like me who were walking/playing in the park or at the pool across the road and had "a brilliant idea" Fish and Chips for dinner! * The chips were actualy good and I would go back for them * All of our fish was 'meh' flavourless fish. Even the grilled fish was bland. Note to self: go across town to somewhere else next time I get an urge for Fish and Chips

A brilliant wine festival at Atrium, Federation Square! I'm often at a loss as to which bottle to…read morebring to events. A Summer Chardonnay, for example, could either instantly delight or cause repugnant disgust. This is why VIC100 is a standout event. You get to sample the top 100 approachable and accessible wines from Victoria's burgeoning wine regions. This selection makes picking some real winners a breeze. A handy brochure showcasing the cream of the crop was a definitive keepsake. I'll be sure to keep it handy when next prepping for a soirée. The master classes were a lot of fun too. Prosecco and Aperol Spritz cocktail making was a particularly fun standout. The Riedel glass for your wine tasting pleasure was a classy touch too. A fun crowd and entertaining winemakers topped the afternoon. I'm looking forward to next year. Thanks for putting this one on the radar Yelp, and for the standout hospitality.

Different (in a good way) from other wine festivals. Victoria's finest in a small /medium…read moreproximity meaning you will get to taste a number of quality wines and some in your time there. Ticket price is money well spent , includes a high quality Riedel wine glass + generous pours. I tasted some fantastic Pinoir Noirs , Shiraz Blends and Prosecco. Do yourself a favour and get there next year!

This place would probably be best described as a licensed video game parlour as opposed to a bar…read more Mind you, it is one of those retro gaming bars that you see popping up everywhere, but rather it is sort of like one of those places that happens to be full of games that one wouldn't be able to put on a computer. Yeah, it does have an outdoor balcony, which is nice, but honestly, it isn't anything that I would make an effort to visit a second time.

A really friendly place to try as many wines as you'd like from their tasting menu (there's at…read moreleast 9) for $5, which disappears if you make a purchase! They have some nice baked goods as well you can try, as well as cherry based alcoholic ciders. Definitely stop in.

If we're on the Warby Hwy side of the Yarra Valley, Seville Hill is inevitably where we end up…read moretaking visiting guests or friends who haven't been there yet. Wines are uniformly lovely - with quite a selection to taste - and the grounds are beautiful with some stunning panoramic views. During Shedfest and other wine festivals during the year they clear out the storage shed and put on some great food too. A must visit for wine lovers out this way.

This gem of a performance space is nestled on a lot in Carlton. The Melba Spiegeltent (literally…read moremeaning 'mirrored tent') is beautiful. It was originally built 100 years ago in Germany. Mirrors adorn the wood posts and coloured glass fills the windows. There are cosy booths circling the back. But I prefer a seat out on the floor where my view isn't obstructed by those pesky (but pretty) mirrored posts. There is also a basic bar at the back with beer and wine to quench your thirst during performances. The venue is home to Circus Oz, but truth be told, I've only seen one-off performances by other artists here. The programming seems to lean towards the safe side - with cabarets where your work colleagues or mother could join you for a show. I recommend the Spiegeltent for an atmospheric night of theatre.

Great venue! Quirky, fun and festive, like most of the events beneath it's beams!read more

Northcote is pretty much hipster central. For those yet to venture over to the north side; think…read morequirky cafes, organic supermarkets and edgy locals. So it's only natural that Northcote's annual street festival, High Noon, was absolutely packed with Melbourne's trendiest. The streets were teeming with energy as hordes of vintage stalls, delicious multicultural delights and a thriving music scene jostled for the crowd's attention. Inside the cordoned off drinking areas, merry folk queued for ciders under the sun, whilst munching on smashed avocado ciabattas and kangaroo burgers. This being Northcote there was, of course, only the most gourmet fare on offer. Not a sausage sizzle in sight. Local pubs, such as the Wesley Anne and the Peacock, were packed to the limit, with bands playing to packed dance floors late into the night. Held on Sunday the 18th of September, it's a date to be penned into your well-worn leather diary. So pull on your skintight denims, grab your fixie and head on down to High Street Northcote.

I have never seen as many pedigree dogs within the confines of the Northcote stretch of High Street…read moreas I did on the day of the High Noon festival in September. Whether that's a gauge of how cashed up Northcote has become or how laid back the festival is I have no idea but it is what it is. Inexact dog barometer aside, the High Noon festival is a damn good free festival - offering food, music, arts and crafts - in a very interesting area which does a very good - and hugely well organised - job of showing off Northcote's many talents. Boasting three sponsored stages with an eclectic music lineup of local bands covering genres including reggae and rock; countless pop up food and craft stalls; and a very lovely crowd, High Noon festival is definitely worth a visit. The festival draws so many people to the area that local bars can become hugely crowded and there is the occasional queue for food, but all in all High Noon is a hugely well executed free festival that I would definitely return to next year.

Okay, while I'm not a particularly big fan of modern art, this is one of those museums that I have…read morebeen meaning to visit for a while. I actually suspect that the reason for its exitence has something to do with there being a style of Australian art that developed in the region, though this museum doesn't really display any of it, namely because that tend to be elsewhere. This museum really works to promote more modern art, and as such most of the spaces are for exhibitions - there really isn't any art here that is own by the gallery. Mind you, they do have a pretty large outdoor area where there are quite a number of sculptures, and wandering through there is actually free. It is also a great place for a picnic, and while they also have a cafe on premises, it tends to get rather packed at times. Yeah, this place is cool, though one problem is that it can be tricky to get to if you happen to be relying on public transport.

The Heide Gallery of Modern Art is a must for anyone interested in art, or those in the Melbourne…read morecommunity who want to know more about important historical and cultural houses. What started off as a retreat for influential and up and coming Australian artists has become a beautiful and unique gallery and space. Walking around the buildings and through the gardens it isn't hard to imagine great artists like Sydney Nolan, or Albert Tucker practicing their work along with the owners and patrons Sunday and John Reid. The Heide Gallery of Modern Art is modest. Its small Australian collection is interesting and well presented. White walls and spacious rooms contribute to a very modern atmosphere, matched by the evocative and sometimes confrontational pieces of work. What I like about Heide is that it's a collective experience. You can't just go and see the gallery without walking around the garden. You can't just see the garden without visiting the old farmhouse. You can't just visit the old farmhouse without walking through the gallery and looking at the Reid's legacy. Take the time to walk around Heide and experience the natural beauty and modern art. You won't regret it.