It's shaping up to be a long, cold slog to the other side of winter, but don't let all those puffer jackets and long johns ruin your romantic pursuits. You can still share adorable Lady and the Tramp-style evenings thanks to fancy Vietnamese diner Annam.
On Mondays Annam is heating things up with a special hot pot menu, where you can choose between three regional broths for $25. You might be taken with the idea of a comforting pork hock and artichoke broth from Northern Vietnam. Or perhaps you need the fire and zip of the Hue-style broth made with chilli and lemongrass. From the southern climes there comes a hot and sour broth, and for plant-based eaters there's also a shiitake hot pot base for maximum umami.
Each hot pot comes with Szechuan chilli soy and lemongrass sate dipping sauce and from there you purchase your meats, seafood, tofu, fresh herbs, vegetables and noodles on top. Expect vegetable sides to go for $5-$7 per serve, seafood and meats from $5-$14 and noodles or tofu are $5 each.
Luckily, one broth bowl will serve the soupy needs of two to four people, so it's a pretty budget-friendly way to warm up this winter. Of course, the key is booking ahead. There's limited availability, and there's nothing worse than setting your heart on a winter meal only to discover it's all sold out.
Need soup right now? Try one of Melbourne's best soups. And if you want another winter warmer, can we interest you in a hot cocktail?