Piccolo: Melbourne restaurant bites

■ "A horrendous period of weather" has prompted chef Annie Smithers to stop serving Thursday and Friday lunches at her Trentham bistro, Du Fermier, so she can devote more time to her Malmsbury kitchen garden. It's now open Friday and Saturday from 6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4pm.

■ Gumbo Kitchen brings the tastes and sounds of New Orleans to Melbourne for its third Fat Tuesday Second Line Event. The Lowdown Street Orchestra and Cajun trio Johnny Can't Dance will perform at Hardy's Reserve, Carlton North (March 4, 4.30-9.30pm) and Warrawee Park, Oakleigh, (March 11 5-9.30pm). Details: gumbokitchen.com

■ Royale with cheese, anyone? New Brighton joint the Royale Brothers leads the menu with its version of the beef burger made famous in the film Pulp Fiction.

■ Albert Park Deli notches up 40 years in business this month. The Xynas family opened the continental deli in 1974 and some things haven't changed - including spanakopita and lasagne made to the original recipes.

■ Favoured by baristas at Seven Seeds, Padre, Cutler & Co and Rockpool, hand-bottled, farm-fresh milk from Fitzroy micro-dairy St David is now available for retail sale at Piedimonte's, Fitzroy North; Leo's Fine Foods, Heidelberg and Kew; and Toscano's, Kew, Richmond and Toorak.