Son in Law, cute bao in Melbourne CBD

Back in late 2023 Sylvia kept showing me photos of the cute and colourful food at Son in Law in Melbourne Central and we finally went there in December 2023.  It was even more amazing than all the pictures I had seen.  Since then we have been back quite a few times to try baos in different characters and flavors.

It can be challenging to find Son in Law.  It is not fancy.  Just a counter inside with a few basic tables outside in a Melbourne Central laneway near the corner of Elizabeth and LaTrobe Streets.  I only learnt in writing this blog post that it was part of the Ella Precinct in 2019.  This just added to my confusion about how to find it.  Sylvia and E like to go in the first lane on Elizabeth St after LaTrobe St.  I like to go to the Ground floor of Melbourne Central and find the  the signpost to Menzies Lane (near the shot tower) and turn right where it bends into "Ella" (which according to the Melbourne Central map is the name of more than one lane).  Argh!

[Son in Law also had a separate restaurant in Collingwood that closed in 2022.  They attend various events and festivals in Melbourne and beyond.  We wanted to buy a bao when we went to the Night Market at the Queen Vic Market last year but the queue was far too long.]

At first glance there is nothing too impressive to see as you walk past many small eating place.  Step inside and you will encounter the display shelves of adorable little bao characters.  You can choose a sweet filling (top two rows), burger (third row) or a savoury filled bao.  Of course you can get plain bao for slightly less money but Sylvia and I are always there for the fun.  The work that goes into the cartoon baos seems worth the extra price.

This is the first meal we had from Son in Law in December 2023.  We were in the mood for youthful fun.  This was our quick dinner stop before seeing the Bluey Myer Christmas Windows. I ordered a Mikey (from Monsters Inc) bao burger, which comes with fried chicken and waffle on the menu but can be made vegan with golden fried tofu and hash brown as well as lettuce and mayo.  We had some crispy golden chips and a couple of sweet bao: a penguin with nutella and banana filling for me and a unicorn with Thai milk tea filling for Sylvia.  It was all excellent, quick and not too expensive.

 

Sylvia also got the giant Totoro fairy floss.  It was as bigger than her head and I am sure she did not eat all of it.  It was cute but in previous visits we have tended to prefer the bao for a a sweet treat.

In May 2024 we were in the city for a talk on Melbourne's soon-to-be new Metro Tunnel.  Then we went for cake and I really needed savoury food.  Son in Law was a convenient option nearby.  I had a crispy fried tofu slice, cucumber and tamarind sauce in a brown Bear faced bao (one of the "Gau Bao" section of the menu).  I asked for my bao without chopped peanuts so Sylvia could try it.  Unable to resist the siren call of the sweet bao, Sylvia had an uber cute pink Totoro stuffed with a nutella and banana filling.  They hit the spot!

While in Melbourne Central for ear piercings for Sylvia in early 2025 just after Christmas, we dropped into Son-in Law.  Sylvia had a  Hello Kitty tofu bao with the cucumber, coriander and tamarind sauce but no peanuts .  She also wanted to try their new crispy tempura broccoli side dish.  I went elsewhere for lunch but could not resist a sweet Minion bao filled with nutella and banans.  Sylvia also had a sweet one with a Hello Kitty filled with jam.  The creativity of the baos can be seen in the two Hello Kitty ones that are quite different styles.

As you can see, we are very fond of the baos but there is more to Son-in-Law.  Here are a few of the savoury dishes we have also ordered (clockwise from top left): 1) Plant based meats and tofu with rice; 2) Crispy soft boil eggs with tamarind sauce ; 3) Bowl of chips; 4) Tempura broccoli with chilli jam.  They are all fried which I find can be a bit intense but they are really nicely cooked and served piping hot with a garnish.

In October 2025 we went to Son in Law before heading to see the Brandenburg Orchestra?  We ordered more than we could eat: a blue and a pink savoury bao each filled with fried tofu, cucumber, coriander, tamarind, [omitted peanuts] ($7.5), tempura broccoli with chilli sauce ($8), a bowl of chips ($7), crispy soft boil eggs with tamarind sauce ($9), a green tea filled sweet alien bao ($7.80).  It was delicious but far too much food.  Everything is served in disposable containers.  They are neither fancy nor environmentally friendly but was useful for taking our leftovers with us.

The baos are so gorgeous but the green alien with a bright green filling was the one we really oohed and aahed over on this visit.  I think it is one of the aliens from Toy Story.  

This photos is from a visit to Son in Law in 2025 by Sylvia with E.  They were very happy with a blue Totoro savoury fried tofu bao, a biscoff filled brown Bear and a strawberry jam filled grey cat.

On the weekend we met friends with kids this month who have recently returned to Melbourne from Brisbane.  Sylvia had a savoury fox bao with tofu ($8.50) and a Plant based meats and tofu with rice ($16.90).  The rice dish is one she has wanted to try for a while but had to ask for it without the mock chicken which had a satay sauce (due to her peanut allergy).  She really loved the hot crispy chunks of tofu but was not so keen on the red mock duck.  The "meats" came with rice, cucumber, grated carrot and a delicious seasoned soy sauce.  I could not resist the vegan purple Totoro burger with tofu, hash brown, lettuce and mayo ($12.50).  It was pretty messy with a lot of mayo but so good.

 

Our friends' kids were delighted with their giant fairy floss characters on a stick.  

We were glad we chose a place that was casual.  It was great for not needing to arrive on time or order all together as Sylvia and I had to head off early so we arrived early and nabbed a 6 seater table for the group.  It was Sylvia's first visit since going vegan and she was pleased to have plenty of choice (the rice bowl, tofu burgers, sides, two of the sweet fillings in the baos).  There are always different bao cartoon characters to choose from so I am sure we will continue to go here occasionally to add a touch of fun to events in the city.

Son in Law, 
Melbourne Central shopping centre
Ella precinct between Menzies Lane and corner Elizabeth and LaTrobe Streets
Melbourne CBD
Open 7 days a week from 12pm to 7pm 
https://www.instagram.com/soninlaw_melb/

Street Art in Melbourne CBD: Warburton Lane and Guilford Lane etc

  

I heard about beautiful French themed street art in Warburten Lane in the city.  When I had time I rode in and found it was indeed very impressive.  It was lovely to see some fun and thought-provoking street art in the this lane.  I had a quick look in a nearby lane and then went around to Guilford Lane to look at their street art, which had been wonderful on my last visit.

Warburton Lane: 

Above is a "fleuriste" shopfront

 Boulangerie shopfront

 Cafe shopfront

 Eiffel Tower in pink above a pink doorway.

"In 1788 Elizabeth Street was a river".  For those who don't know Melbourne, Elizabeth Street was drained of water and made into one of the main streets in the city.  When we get a lot of rain it floods and there have been some big floods there since the invasion of Australia.

Typewriter with text: "until the wind from the west blows you back again"

Clockwork Orange parody: Missing: have you seen this sheep?

Colourful koala illustration

Worried woman's face with hand to her head

Creepy half human, half robot creature with a tail who is perhaps undersea

A woman strokes a bomb

nearby lane 

Brightly coloured illustration of a majestic pink cat with crown and jewells.  On the right is a buzzard with a cupcake tree.

Exotic woman with pink hair surrounded by pink flamingos and palm trees.

Guilford Lane 

I love this illustration of an old factor and windows that merges into the brickwork of Guildford Lane.  I have posted a picture of this street art before but have shared it again because on my previous 2019 post of Guilford lane street art this illustration did not have the plants either side of it.  As well as enjoying looking at street art, I enjoy seeing how it changes over time.

Young girl crouches and looks with interest through her magnifying glass.  The illustration at the bottom of the wall just above a patch of greenery make her blend in well.

A colourful mosaic disc with text below: "Life is a boundless sea of sorrow, yet art is that lotus vessel in its own suchness."

Note: "what good shall I do this day?" beside an image of a cheeky kitchen hanging off the edge of a brick.

"Please do not lick the walls"

 Cat in an old fashioned aviator cap sitting on a flying fish.  

Green alien with purple background on a corner of the wall.

Three masked workers doing dishes in a kitchen with a big stack of plates.

 
More Melbourne CBD (or city) street art on Green Gourmet Giraffe:

Street Art in Melbourne: Hosier Lane 2018-2019   

Street Art in Melbourne: Hosier Lane 2021

Street Art in Melbourne CBD: ACDC Lane and Duckboard Lane  

Street Art in Melbourne city: (CDB) 2019 

Street Art in Melbourne city (CBD) 2022-2024  

Melbourne street art CBD - Presgrave Place 

 

My Monthly Chronicles: March 2026

 

March was filled with many amazing events that kept me taking many photos and spending too much tune deleting photos on my phone to make space for more. I have written separate posts about our whirlwind trip to Sydney and the delightful Cake Picnic (links in this post) but I would love to write posts about the Pulp gig, Sydney Road Street Festival, Big Alma cafe, my sister's wedding, the Vegan Market and so much more.  I console myself with having this monthly round up of eating out and other outings where I can share a few photos.  If only I had the time to write all the posts I wish I could!  (I have written more about my month at In My Kitchen: March 2026)

Pulp at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl 

I was delighted to see Pulp perform at the Myer Music Bowl.  This is my favourite band and it was fantastic to see them perform in Melbourne.  Previously I have seen them in the UK at Kinross (T in the Park), Elgin and Cardiff, as well as a solo support by front man Jarvis Cocker at the Pixies gig at the Myer Music Bowl.  I went through a huge Pulp phase years ago so I found it very nostalgic when they dedicated "Something Changed" to band member, Steve Mackey who died 3 years ago to the day, and had a photo slide show of Pulp photos over the years (see above photo).

The support act was Bleak Squad (a Melbourne supergroup of Adalita (Magic Dirt), Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), Mick Turner (Dirty Three), and Marty Brown (Sodastream). They were playing as I arrived.  It was later than I intended to get there but I stopped to eat  Lord of Fries chips (to keep me going before a late gnocchi bake).  I did spend time in the queue for merchandise before I settled in my seat which was where I heard most of their songs, who sang "a quality set of songs tailor-made for those long, dark nights of the soul" (Guardian quote).

I knpw the songs so well up to This is Hardcore that I could sing along to most songs in the set.  Most songs performed were from Different Class and His'n'Hers albums. The lighting was alternatively fun and reflective.  I could listen all night to Jarvis' laconic chatter with his long vowels and dropped consonants from Sheffield.  He struts around the stage and pulls awkward rockstar poses with his lanky limbs.  His wry sense of humour can be seen in announcing that he is about to play an ABBA song and then unsettling expectations by playing the obscure "The Day Before You Came".  

I would have loved to have some of the older songs (such as My Lighthouse, My Legendary Girlfriend, Blue Girls) or more from This is Hardcore than the title track (such as The Fear, Dishes, TV movie).  They just have too many great songs!  I loved so many of the songs they performed including: Razzamatazz, Do you Remember the First Time, Sorted for Es and Whizz, Babies, Acrylic Afternoons, Mis-shapes, Disco 2000 and the wonderful Common People whose biting social commentary is every bit as relevant today as in 1995.  So much youthful angst, insolence, joy, anger and insight.  My favourite of the newer songs was the gorgeous Sunrise.  

I booked to see Pulp on the morning tickets went on sale and wanted the front seated section but only got the terrace section behind it.  I was pleased when I arrived to see there was a ledge in front of the terrace behind a walkway.  I could sit there and chat while we waited and then stand and dance and sing along when Pulp started and I had a pretty good view.  (As a short person, I find myself looking for gaps between heads when standing and hoping the people in front of me don't move.)

I had hoped to be able to see the blood moon while I watched the gig.  The Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor venue.  My seat was so close that I had to crane my head back to see the screens that everyone else had to watch to see the details.  It also meant I was at the edge of the covered area.  No view of the moon.  It was only when I walked back to Flinders Street Train Station that I saw the blood moon.  It is in the above photo but not so easy to see that it is a pink colour.  It was past its reddest moment by then!

Street Art, Warburton Lane, CBD 

 

On a ride to the CBD, I had a look at the street art on Warburton Lane off Little Bourke Street in the CBD.  The artwork of quaint French stores and Eiffel Tower is gorgeous.  I heard about it on the local radio from a commentator whose political views often anger me.  It was good to find something I liked about her!  I hope to share more of these photos soon.

Sydney Road Street Party, Brunswick 

I hadn't planned to go to the Sydney Road Street Party but as I was out on my bike, I stopped there briefly to have a look at the local colour and catch up with Sylvia and E.  There were some fun things to see.  I loved the chonky orange decorated crockery for sale by hellomaë.  In the craft stalls on Dawson St were so many gorgeous creations and it was even lovelier to see an Indigenous artist at work.  I was surprised to discover that Brunswick has a lacrosse team.  I was so happy to eat a free slice of watermelon from the Greens (political party)'s stall.  I was so hungry but then but waited to get home to have my lunch.  (Sylvia had been pleased to  the Mokum mushroom bitterbollen aka fritters.)

Brunswick is a suburb with a history of activism and this continues today.  So it was no surprise to see the  have pockets of it today.  I loved that the Victorian Socialists had a booth for anti-racism screen printing and banner painting.  More shocking and amusing was the Smash Fascism pinatas (pictured above).  A group had made lots of orange trump face pinatas and charged people for whacks while the pinata was placed on top of a ladder.  I did not yield to be temptation!

Big Elma's cafe, Coburg

My friend Alison was in Melbourne so we had lunch at Big Elma (138 Nicholson Street).  We all had toasties ($16 each).  Alison and I had the Potato: creamy taleggio, rosemary roasted potato, caramelised onion.  Sylvia had the Kimchi and Cheese: miso mayo, vegan kimchi, mozzarella, spring onion.  

Sylvia and I both had a vegan European hot chocolate.  They were delicious but intense.  Sylvia loved the vegan whipped cream topping and I loved the dense chocolate drink that was so thick it was more pudding than drink.  I ate it with my spoon.  We should have shared one.

Family Wedding, Archive wine bar, Geelong 

My youngest sister had a small marriage service at a local wine bar and and invited us to join her and her new husband for the reception in the same location.  It was a really lovely afternoon with finger food (excellent mini cheese toasties), music, flowers, (gluten free) chocolate cake, speeches and lots of photos.

Everyone had a great time but we were sad that my older sister and her son wer unable to get to the wedding after her flight from Dublin got turned back.  There are far worse outcomes of the Iran war for others and we were able to take lots of photos to share.  

Holiday in Sydney 

We went to Sydney at short notice to use the tickets my sister and her son could not use after the Iran war scuppered their holiday plans It was great to spend time in Sydney with my parents, to enjoy the spectacle of the harbour and eat at some great vegan restaurants. It was also sad that my sister and nephew could not be there with my parents.  

To read more about our Sydney trip, check out there posts:. 

Duke of Clarence, QVB, Uchilounge (City centre), Sydney

Miss Sina, Oh My Days, Sappho Books (Glebe and Marrickville) Sydney

University of Sydney Quadrangle, Camperdown

Bills, Bourke St Bakery, Shift Eatery (Surry Hills), the Rocks, Airports, Sydney  

Opera Bar and Sydney Harbour 2026

Sydney street art 2026

    

Cake Picnic, King's Domain

I went to the Cake Picnic that was held in Kings Domain as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.  It was amazing, delicious, beautiful and at times too much cake and too much waste but I am glad we went.  You can see more photos and read more at my post on the Cake Picnic, Melbourne 2026.

Vegan Market, Coburg Town Hall

Sylvia was keen to go to the Vegan Market at the Coburg Town Hall.  There were Easter eggs, bakes, gorgeous crockery, candles,  art prints,  and animal rights organisations.  Outside were food trucks for the hardy vegans who could brave the rain between bouts of sunshine.  Sylvia was excited to buy from Better New Bakes and I could not resist the Little Sweet Things Dubai Chocolate slice or the slabs of panisse.  (See more about them at n My Kitchen: March 2026.)
 

There was lots of good vegan food to eat there.  We shared a Spinach and cheese borek from Chef's Borek.  It was so good and flaky.  

Sylvia had good memories of Woking Amazing's food truck's offerings and could not wait to try it again.  She ordered the "Kyiv Mushroom Tempura Burger: Crispy oyster mushroom & fresh baby cos lettuce drizzled with Smokey Aioli & Garlic Butter in a toasted sesame seed bun" with smoky fries on the side.  She really enjoyed it but it was so filling that she took some home.  She also had a chai tea which was nice but a bit sweet for her.

Coburg Farmers Market 

We love a reason to go to Coburg farmers market.  When I bought panisse at the Vegan Market, I decided we needed good bread to go with it and there is always a good sourdough at the farmers market.  So we walked across the road in search of bread and were delighted by all the beautiful colourful vegetables that you can see in these photos.  

 

Green Man's Arms, Carlton and Project Hail Mary

I got out to the Cinema Nova with my friend Heather to see Project Hail Mary (an interesting and fun movie about a scientist in space on a mission to save the world and who doesn't love ryan gosling's cheeky grin).  Afterwards we had dinner at the Green Man's Arms (418 Lygon Street).  

Heather had the House Made Gnocchi with carrot puree, thyme beurre monte and almond cream ($30).  I had a taste and it was really good and I wished I had ordered it.  My reason was that we were having a couple of gnocchi meals that week but really, given it shows a love for gnocchi, I should have taken the chance to eat an amazing gnocchi dish!

My choice of dish was the Massaman Curry with roasted purple sweet potato, pickled thai eggplant, toasted cashews served on steamed rice. ($30)  They kindly service the chilli oil on the side so I could choose how much to have.  It was pretty mild without and I probably should have added some but didn't feel brave.  It was a great comforting curry.  I was not so enthused about the pickled eggplan but loved the slices of sweet potato with crispy skin.  Both our dishes were both gluten free and vegan.

In the News

The news was dominated by Trump and Netanyahu unleashing war on Iran with which was horrible to watch unfold.  The death and destruction in the Middle East, the travel disruptions and the world wide anxiety about fuel prices and the economy has made everyone sadder, less trusting and more anxious.  Thank goodness for Afroman to cheer us up!

Extreme rhetoric in Australia's right-wing political circles deserves more attention, by Gareth Hutchens, ABC News, 1 March 2026.

Neither preemptive nor legal, US‑Israeli strikes on Iran have blown up international law, in the Conversation, 1 March 2026.

Trump, the Six-Year Itch, and the Mirage of a Quick Victory in Iran, by The Snarky Gherkin substack, 2 March 2026.

Read these words from 100 years ago about immigrants in Britain – and see how history is chillingly repeating itself, by George Monbiot in The Guardian, 5 March 2026.

The government granted Iranian footballers asylum. Then, it moved to block 7000 Iranians from Australia, in 9 News, 12 March 2026 

Raising rates while petrol prices soar shows the RBA ignoring reality and basic economics, by Greg Jericho, The Point, 17 March 2026.
'The Reserve Bank has completely misread the economy and risked sending more Australians into poverty on Jobseeker by raising the cash rate to 4.1%.'

The media wants disabled people to be locked inside until they die (disinformation on NDIS funding), by Jon Delmenico, The Shot, 18 March 2026.

Afroman prevails in cops' music video defamation suit after a brief but viral trial, in NPR on 19 March 2026.  
'Afroman was just trying to turn lemons into "Lemon Pound Cake" when he started making music videos and social media posts mocking the law enforcement officers who conducted a heavy-handed raid on his Ohio home.'  Also check out the hilarious Jon Stewart Show report.

The left brought a thesaurus to a knife fight, in The New Daily, 20 March 2026

Growing up means realizing that none of the worst villains are in prison, by Caitlin Johnstone, 31 March 2026

Watching, Listening and Reading: 

How to get to heaven from Belfast: a hilarious ridiculous and brilliant show with a convoluted plot. The middle age characters aren't quite as loveable as the creator's previous show Derry Girls, but they have baggage and unrealised dreams as well as odd anxieties and quirks.!  

Coal Black Mornings: a beautifully written autobiography by Suede's Brett Anderson of his council house childhood in the home counties and student days in London where he channeled his life as a misfit and a dreamer into becoming a musician.

It by Pulp (which is meant to read as Pulpit) : I've enjoyed listening to their debut album in 1983 with the wide-eyed dreaminess 19 year old Jarvis Cocker and wishing they played some of the song at their gig this month.

How Can We Live When the World Feels Broken? The Stoics: By Carrying On, by Jack Maden on Philosophy Break: this was shared by Nupur on her One Hot Stove blog who writes with such warmth and thoughtfulness in every post.  I found this post comforting to read when the world around us is filled with leaders that let us down and make the world feel unsafe.

Dirty Dancing: I've never watched this 1980s iconic movie and was surprised to discover it was set in the 1960s.  It was a enjoyable enough but the lead actors don't really appeal to me.  (Give me Rebel without a Cause over this any day!)

Building an Underground Shipping Container Pool Home - I've watched this video too many times and dreamed of a bedroom with the light rippling in through the swimming pool on the other side of the window.