Digital Nomads

While we love to go out and enjoy food and drinks, we generally don’t visit fancy places (not that we have any fancy places where we live anyway!). So, our night out on the town in Melbourne a few weeks ago was an absolute treat.

We started the afternoon with our son at the Ballers Clubhouse. This funky place has an awesome vibe. The décor is very cool, and it’s not just a bar. It’s a place where you can play ping pong, shuffle tables, interactive darts, and more. We hooked ourselves up with a cocktail and hired a ping-pong table for an hour, which was great fun.

Next, we headed to the Berlin Bar to catch up with some friends from Melbourne, which was even cooler! This bar is “reminiscent of the city of Berlin during the Cold War era when the metropolis was split into two countries by an iron wall; the Communist East Germany on one side and the Capitalist West Germany on the other.” We headed to the East side and sat at a table that included old bunk beds for chairs. The amount of detail in this bar is astonishing. They do offer food, but we just stayed for a cocktail. We chose from the most interesting cocktail menu I think I’ve ever seen.

We then headed to La Madonna for the main event—dinner. Now this restaurant would have to be THE FANCIEST place I have ever been to! Our friends knew the chef and took care of ordering, and we are so glad they did. I have never tasted food so delicious. We indulged in:

• Salt + Vinegar Zucchini Fritto | Aioli
• Hiramasa Kingfish | Spring Onion + Ginger + Sour Apple
• Wagyu Bresaola | Romesco + Pickled Zucchini + Togarashi
• Dry-Aged Striploin | Cavolo Nero + Green Peppercorn | Leatherwood Honey
• Triple Cooked Potatoes | House Spices
• Green Beans | Yuzu Kosho + Almonds
• 20 Day Old Dry-Aged Duck Crown

For dessert, we had an authentic Italian Tiramisu that wasn’t even on the menu. This place was just so different from anywhere we had ever eaten, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

With our bellies full and still wanting to enjoy the night, off we went to the Manchuria Bar. The place was packed, and I thought there was no way we were getting in… but it turns out our friends knew the bouncers, so next minute we had our own private booth! The bar attendants at this place were absolutely incredible. They were exceptionally busy but still ensured that every cocktail was made with absolute precision and care, right down to the fresh rose petals and grated nutmeg on top. The ambience in this place was mind-blowing.

Lastly, we ended up at a karaoke bar, but not just any Karaoke Bar. We went to Mazo128, which has private karaoke rooms! We were able to sing to our hearts’ content without anybody else hearing us. For those who have heard me sing, you know the rest of Melbourne would have been very grateful that I was in a soundproof room.

The next night we were invited to our friend’s house and they cooked for us. And wow could they cook! We enjoyed smoked salmon, camel salami, beef tartare and rib-eye steak and quail cooked over fire and coals. OK, I wouldn’t exactly say I enjoyed the beef tartare but I did enjoy having the chance to taste and appreciate it. The steak may have been the best I’ve eaten. No fancy sauces were needed on this dish!

This experience was honestly just one of the best times of our lives. The hospitality, generosity, and kindness shown by our friends were just something else. It will truly be a night that we will remember forever.