Thanks for all these suggestions.
Melburnian abroad, last visited late 2017 and will be back Nov 2019.
Our tastes are fairly downmarket but son likes to shout us to his local favourites once (or maybe twice).
We spent most of mealtimes eating in with family but these are some particular places we enjoyed when we went out:
- Collingwood Smith St: Bowl Bowl - very good , busy , unpretentious dim sum & noodles and I'm not especially a dim sum or noodle-lover! My wife in particular was searching for a "Singapore Noodles" as good as the one she had in some forgotten hawker stall in some forgotten year in Singapore and declared that THIS was the match. (walkable from MCG for those who asked)
- CBD: Chin Chin - son's treat. Everything my wife (and to some extent I) hated normally - loud background/foreground music, insanely busy (Friday night) , no reservations, queuing, sharing tables, sashimi ... but we just took the $69 (still showing that price) "Feed me" option, let the chef choose and she loved it, as did we all. Everything was a delight, including one or two sashimi dishes. Washed down with some crisp local and Asian beers. Son's partner took care of the queuing to put her details down, and we repaired to a quieter nearby bar until the text showing vacant spaces came.
- CBD & Richmond : The Meatball and Wine Bar. Does what it says, meatballs are very tasty and hit the spot when what you want is just - meatballs. And wine. (other drinks are available. Also vegeballs). The pork balls (w/sage, fennel seeds, orange zest) are particularly interesting.
- Camberwell, Burke Rd: Elyros. Cretan specialities, bit of a fine dining spin but still a neighbourhood Greek vibe. Albeit an upmarket neighbourhood. Their Mandarini Spritz is the best Aperol drink we've had in Australia (normally too weak & watery) and is up there with the best I've had in Italy, Bavaria and elsewhere. Addictive. Made from her Cretan grannies' homegrown mandarins, the manager assured us. Their mezze selections are up there with the best small plates in any Spanish, Scandinavian or Japanese place. Right across from Camberwell station. Worth dropping in if only just for a mandarini, if you happen to be passing.