Espresso

The trio behind Fitzroy restaurant Huxtable and its burgeoning spin-off Huxtaburger plans to bring burgers to Carlton. Early next month Daniel Wilson, Jeff Wong and Dante Ruaine will open a pop-up at the Curtin Hotel at 29 Lygon Street, which will be there “for at least six months, with an option for long-term,” says Wilson. A fourth standalone Huxtaburger store – due to open at 681 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, in October – has been hit by delays, meaning they're unlikely to flip their first burger there until February 2015.

And to satisfy Melbourne's obsession with dude food, Huxtaburger added to the menu a burger filled with Southern-fried chicken, slaw and jalapeno mayonnaise. They've dubbed it the Clair Burger, named after the matriarch of Huxtable family, from the '80s comedy series The Cosby Show. Clair joins other members of the Huxtable family on the menu, including Denise (“the hot one”, with jalapenos and Sriracha mayo) and Sondra (tofu with sesame-soy mayo).

South of the border

More than a dozen of Melbourne’s Mexican restaurants will join Independence Day (El Grito) celebrations at Federation Square this Sunday, 11.30am-8pm. Most are serving special dishes. Mesa Verde (pictured) will be pumping out chipotle-salt popcorn, pulled pork tortas and watermelon salad, along with bottles of its house-made Hazard hot sauce. Paco’s Tacos will be bringing miguel – the classic MoVida dish of chicken escabeche in a bun – as well as char-grilled lamb tortillas. La Tortilleria, Mamasita and Touche Hombre will also be there. You may still have to queue, but at least there will be mariachi music. Simone Egger mexfest.com.au

Just the tonic

An Australian tonic water alternative has smashed its crowdfunding goal within days of opening its campaign. Blood Moon Tonic launched its Pozible campaign on August 13 aiming to raise $10,000. It hit the target within three days and looks set to reach $20,000 by the end of the month. Blood Moon founder Karolina Partyka says she’s been overwhelmed by the response. “I suspected Australia was ready for a truly delicious, hand-made alternative to standard tonic water, but to reach our goal in less than three days is humbling.”

Blood Moon produces three types of tonic syrup. The traditional syrup contains ingredients such as cardamom, black pepper and rose petal. There’s an unsweetened variety and what Partyka believes is the world’s first tonic using Australian ingredients including lemon myrtle and rosella flower. They’re diluted to taste with water or soda water – and gin. Callan Boys pozible.com/bloodmoontonic

For chocolate lovers

New York City chocolatier Alison Nelson is set to bring her rock ’n’ roll tinged ‘‘candy store for grown-ups’’ to the CBD’s Emporium complex. Sweet-toothed regulars at Nelson’s NYC Chocolate Bar flagship include Hugh Jackman, Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker, who are said to go gaga for confections such as dark chocolate with salty pretzel and her take on s’mores – a chocolate ‘‘bark’’ studded with Graham crackers and marshmallow bits. Based in Melbourne for the past month to open her first Australian outlet, Nelson has teamed up with Malvern chocolatier Drew Maddison of The Ministry of Chocolate, who’s been busy skilling-up on Nelson’s recipes such as peanut butter and jelly bonbons and chipotle cinnamon brownies. Nelson’s salon-style cafe will offer shoppers a range of chocolate delights (fondue, sundaes, high tea) as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner menus from NYC chef Chris Luu.
Leanne Clancey

Chocolate Bar Melbourne, level 1, shop 36, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, chocolatebarnyc.com

Just open: Polepole Bar & Kitchen

Inspired by their travels through East Africa, owners Dean and Jeanelle Mariani have opened Polepole (Swahili for ‘‘take it easy’’), an earthy, rustic watering hole from Richmond designers Votre Monde. Skip the cutlery for a communal-style menu of sweet, smoke and spice (ribs, biltong, pork-filled cigars), balanced with such exotic cocktail combinations as ginger, honey, banana and coconut. Proceeds from imported African beer sales will go to not-for-profit organisations YGAP and Women for Women in Africa. Open daily 4pm-late. Daniel Lewis

Polepole Bar & Kitchen, level 1, 267 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 9650 2448, polepolebar.com.au

Piccolo

• Fresh from winning new regional restaurant of the year for Geelong’s Tulip in The Age Good Food Guide 2015, Matt Dempsey has a new project. He’s opened Seastar at the Lorne Bowls Club, with a changing list of home-style dishes, all under $25. It’s open for dinner Friday to Sunday. Details: 5289 1377. Meanwhile, former Vue de Monde chef Clinton McIver will serve his last meal at Clayton Bowls Club’s Champions Bistro on November 23. He’s spending some time in Brazil before returning to open a restaurant mid-2015.
  
  
• Think Royal Melbourne Show food and you think hotdogs, chips and CWA scones, right? This year, the show rewrites the menu with pop-ups at the Taste of Victoria Pavilion from three of Melbourne’s favourite restaurants – Estelle, Hammer & Tong and Pho Nom. There’s also a chance to sample Victorian craft beers and ciders. The show is on from September 20 to October 1. royalshow.com.au
  
  
• Yarra Valley winemaker Mac Forbes has opened a wine bar in Healesville. The Grace Burn Wine Room, named after the creek that runs through the township, is a platform for Forbes to sell wines by the glass, flight and bottle, along with cheese and charcuterie boards to share. The 35-seat space, at 11A Green Street, is open Thursday to Sunday from 11am.
  
  
• Kiwi-born baristas Joe Molloy, Matt Hampton and Stan Bicknell are on a mission to make specialty coffee more accessible. They’ve teamed up to open Rumble Coffee Rosters at 8 Thompson Street, Kensington, selling coffee beans roasted on site, coffee training and weekly cupping sessions. Details: rumblecoffee.com.au
  
  
• Maurice Esposito, who closed his Carlton restaurant Cucina di Esposito in May, has re-emerged at Firechief in Hawthorn East, where he’s determined to deliver fresh, sound Italian cooking, including his signature gnocchi.

fresh now

new in The ewes at Prom Country Cheese are settling into peak milk production. New-season cheeses made with spring milk, such as their camembert-style Woolamai Mist, are fresh and mild. Taste on Saturday at the opening of the farm’s cheesery in Moyarra or at Coal Creek Farmers’ Market.

try this At Eltham on Sunday, Stephen and Penny Crawford will have four varieties of kale, but their mild red russian is best for green smoothies.

in the vegie patch Don’t plant summer vegetable seedlings, such as tomatoes and eggplant, until the soil warms to about 16 to 18 degrees.

accredited farmers’ markets Saturday, September 13: Bendigo, Coal Creek (Korumburra), Coburg, Collingwood, Elwood, Kyneton, Old Cheese Factory (Berwick), Mornington. Sunday, September 14: Flemington, Eltham. Sophie O’Neil vicfarmersmarkets.org.au