Your arachnid senses tingled when he entered frame in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Your jaw dropped at his performance in Crazy Rich Asians, and it damn near locked throughout his two seasons on ABC’s Aftertaste.
You stroke your chin approvingly whenever he joins the panel of Triple J’s news show Hack, and your fancy tickles when he walks the runway come Melbourne Fashion Festival.
His name is Remy Hii. He’s one of Australia’s proudest screen exports (see: his Old Spice ad), and he’s in town for a month-long run of supernatural thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story, playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre theatre until 20 August. This is how he does it when he does it in Melbourne.
I know I’m in Melbourne when I’m fighting to get my order for dumplings in at Shanghai Village, or watching the sun set from Ponyfish Island, or at Rooftop Bar, or at Edinburgh Gardens.
My defining food moment in Melbourne was my first time at Lentil as Anything at Abbotsford Convent. What a wonderful concept (pay what you can) that brought community together, gave to a good cause, and fed us when times were rough. RIP.
The best new thing I’ve found is the pandan croissant at Agathe Patisserie at South Melbourne Market.
When I want to push the boat out on a meal, I… I had to Google this saying. Apparently it’s a nautical saying from when sailors would rack up a big bill before going out – so in keeping with the ocean theme I’ll go to Claypots Seafood Bar in St Kilda and order everything on the menu.
There’s no better value in Melbourne than the Moroccan Soup Bar. Bring your own container and they’ll fill it all the way to the top.
And when I want to dazzle friends from out of town, I like to take them to the Peninsula Hot Springs. Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds and have all your worries melt away.
In the mornings you’ll find me walking the Tan Track.
My local is South Melbourne markets. There’s something to fill every craving, and those pandan croissants.
If I could change one thing about eating and drinking here it would be… Wouldn’t change a thing!
And the one thing I hope never changes in Melbourne is the friendliness of the locals.
Catch 2:22 A Ghost Story at Her Majesty’s Theatre from 25 July-20 August.