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Cosmopolitan taste treat

 Between shows in Melbourne there is a feast of great eating. Andwith food from every culture – from the Italian postwarimmigrants to the most recent surge of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese– there's a dish for every palate.

Beyond the food itself is a level of service New Zealanders arejust not used to: in The Press Club on Flinders St, our group ofsix was welcomed by a hugely competent maitre d, a professionalsommelier who knew our orders and recommended great wines to match,three waitresses and two waiters. And each knew who was havingwhat, and when.

It's a dining experience hard to find in Wellington, and if the newgovernment wants to do our tourism industry a favour come November,it could do worse than send the whole sector to Melbourne to findout what good service really is.

The competence, knowledge and casually professional service isepitomised at MoVida, a Spanish tapas 100-seat restaurant on HosierLane that is so popular it has had to open next door.

Spanish-born, Australian-raised Frank Camorra's combinations ofsalty flavours – anchovies with roast tomato sorbet, forinstance – are exciting and challenging.

With "tapa" – individual pieces at about NZ$5 and"racion", entree-sized portions at $7-$10, it's possibleto cover the taste spectrum in a succession of small bites,complemented by white linen napkins, fine glassware, and thevelvety flavour- packed wines of Spain.

The Press Club is the flagship of chef George Colombaris –the Good Food Guide's chef of the year – and offerstraditional Greek food with very modern twists: cumin-roastedbeetroot, pistachio biscuit, yoghurt cheese and honey; black musselspanakopita, warm vinaigrette of white anchovies and chickpeas.

The roast cuts and exquisite desserts are just as interesting.

Straight-up modern Melburnian food is served at Gills Diner, offLittle Collins St, one shop up from the bakery that supplies allits bread and pastry.

The warehouse-schoolroom tiled-wall space has shared refectorytables, an efficient clatter, and French-Italian blackboard mealsserved with local beer and wine in serious glassware.

The vibe, and the music, are managed by Lazlo Evenhuis and histurntable, amp and timber speakers, and the warmth of theatmosphere shows off the tastes of the earthy, slow-cooked,market-fresh food.