Review Fortify Bar & Restaurant - Armadale

Absolutely amazing dining experience! The owners know their stuff and are the most knowledgable foodies I have ever met. Provided a great insight into each dish and were extremely friendly! Chocolate fondant was a clear standout for desserts. Definitely have return visitors :)

I am blown away by the service and interaction from the team at Fortify. The food is exquisite and is restaurant quality. If you after food and wine with a twist this is the place. I tried the new potato dahphine's with the Jamon Serrano and they were out of this world!! 5 star food and 5 star service. Highly recommend to stop by this establishment and indulge in the delights.

Fantastic, quirky restaurant. Attention to the wine list refreshing and the food was excellent. Easy parking out front always a bonus.Highly recommend, perfect for private parties and Xmas Functions.

Great new place with amazing French food with Lyon cheese. Craft beer on tap for $7 a pint and espresso martini`s with a unique recipe

Outstanding value Italian wines and french food. One of the best Rubens in Melbourne too for $16.

Amazing food and atmosphere, great selection of alcohol. Very enjoyable place for a great night.

Good service but the whole place needs a good clean & freshen up. No competition for 1160 further up the road which is much more polished & well presented.

A cute and fun bar that has a great happy hour, that has a decent menu with a very good service.

Contender for worst bar in Melbourne...ok food with the most generic Aldi-inspired supermarket wine list I’ve ever seen...plenty of world class options in the area such as wine 1160, Toorak Cellars and the Mt Erica Hotel.

Great menu but food very disappointing. <br/>Re heated , pre frozen, and fried twice is what we got. <br/>Service good <br/>Good wine list available by the glass.

The wines are well priced, partly because of Fortify's specialisation in Italian wines, which are not only very fine drinks, but also better value. The Dauphine potato croquette, topped with slivers of prosciutto, is incredibly smooth. The choux pastry included in its mixture adds extra decadence in flavour and texture.

We had been meaning to come in this new place for a while, the new happy hour (4-6:30) tilted the scales. Was suspicious of the google and Facebook reviews both over 4.5/5 especially one person saying it was the best service they have ever received. <br/><br/>Well they were right! <br/><br/>Ordered the charcuterie for 2 ($45), moules frites $25, and the sticky date pudding $11. All 3 were outstanding, mussels special was the highlight. I was told the secret ingredient was juniper. <br/><br/>For drinks I had the Iranian saffron cocktail and the wine of the week, which was Greek. Both amazing. <br/><br/>Music was louder and on point, even if there were some people at the bar a little rowdier than most, they really are positioning themselves as the 'fun' place to be in Armadale with the games and all. This area needs it badly, and as long as they don't raise their prices, I'll be back.

This is my first and hopefully last 1 star review. <br/><br/>I have been putting this off as I truly hate doing this but after stewing about it and seeing glowing 5 star reviews I'm going for it. <br/><br/>Now, this is my opinion. I've eaten at 599 places around Melbourne and reviewed them and I did not dine in I ordered on UberEATS and to be frank it was the worst food I've had in any world. <br/><br/>Secondly, Zomato need to delete all the reviews for Lona, which are giving this place a 3.7 - not only is this not ethical it's literally for a whole other world of cuisine not this place. <br/><br/>The cheese sandwich. It was dry, tasteless and the only thing that saved any grace was the pickle. <br/><br/>The chicken fingers - well I don't know what the hell I had but we opened it up and it stank like putrid fish. Rank fish. FISH AND ITS CHICKEN. <br/><br/>Then the "chicken fingers" were all bone. Like wings cut in half and cooked in oil that prawns or other seafood were cooked in for ages without cleaning the oil. Bones. Fish. Enough said. Being allergic to seafood this was just not on. <br/><br/>Then, a $21 "French onion soup" was hands down the worst thing I've ever had in front of me. The bread had dissolved and was like glue. See the photo. No joke looked like something that comes OUT OF YOU. <br/><br/>But, KUDOS to UBEREATS- they saw the pics and immediately refunded all my money. Usually they say nah sorry here's $10. This time they refunded the whole $59. <br/><br/>Now, if you want to go here go here - there are plenty of 5 star reviews. I'm so sorry to do a 1 star but as someone whose been to every place in the area this is one I'm not fond of in any way.

Easily the best bar in the surrounding area, with awesome staff, atmosphere, and a great selection of drinks which are surprisingly affordable.

Good, genuine French food and worth a visit for a number of the menu items. But the wine and cocktail list is really excellent and great value, especially for this part of Melbourne.

The worst experience we ever had in a restaurant.<br/>When we walked in the place smelled of frying oil, obviously they dont use the Rangehood ?<br/>No heating in the place so they had domestic electric heaters at strategic positions right through the place to warm it up<br/>Only 2 staff on duty. The person behind the bar (even though nice) had no idea about alcohol, because he was supposedly the chef who had to move to the outside area for the night because owners away in Vietnam.<br/>In the kitchen only one person an Asian cook.<br/>We asked for Sav Blanc, but they didn't stock any Sav Blanc wines.<br/>Mail meals are pricey, the duck is $45.00, but it was the worst duck I have ever had. It was just pan seared with no taste & a marmalade sause on the side which you pour over the top of the duck, even after doing this it was still tasteless. The dish was supposed to come with wedges !!! instead it came with nail size potato fries.<br/>The whole night was a disaster from start to finish

OK mains but very expensive for a casual suburban place. Desserts were tiny- very poor value. Pana cotta had the wrong texture- like cheesecake. Service patchy and just a bit odd. Freezing even with the random portable heaters. Food, service, atmosphere doesn't match the prices.

Absolutely a must this restaurant is amazing the service outstanding the food exceptional the experience all round with atmosphere and friendly staff should be a must for any couple or group wanting to experience the best of Armadale in Melbourne and it's dinning experience a definite must for me was the lobster cognac bisque with fresh wild tiger prawns super rich and a definite must try <br/>The choices of wines and cocktails are abundant and nothing is to much effort from this wonderful bar / restaurant but my absolute favourite being the chilled Moët mmmmm <br/>Thanks so much for one of my favourite dinning and socialising experience ever <br/>Thank you to the staff of Fortify I shall defiantly be back <br/>

Fortify is a great new Bar and Restaurant on High St, Armadale! The decor is modern industrial which fits the space perfectly and staff are friendly and know their stuff. Sat in a comfortable booth we were recommended the Sparkling Sake which is one of the house specialties that the owner imported directly from Japan! I had never tasted anything like it, it was absolutly delicous! Lite and bubbly with just the right amount of sweetness and tang! The menu is french inspired with a few twist here and there and reasonably priced. I had the Cognac Lobster Bisque and it was as good as any Lobster Bisque I've tried in France. Will most definaly be back again to test out the rest of the menu, cocktails and wines. I think they're on to a winner here!

Been meaning to drop into this new place for a while. Happy hour has $1 wings and $10 pints on tap. Place was very busy on a Friday. New owners are personable and certainly like a chat. Menu has some serious gourmet french items like fois gras, duck and lobster cognac bisque.<br/><br/>The cognac bisque was outstanding and ask for the Greek Shiraz off the menu...superb and won't cost the earth.

Caught up with a friend who recommended this place and loved it. Great menu, sadly they were out of the Moreton Bay Bugs when I was there but my meal was fine. The wine was a highlight, i should know because I tried many of them. Recommended.

Food is not we expect at all. <br/>Venue is so cold everyone wearing jacket or coat Little Portable heaters didn't help much. <br/>Waitress or Manager after gave us menu to read he just stood there waiting for us to order straightaway.

The story goes like this. A group of young people who used to run the no.1 party hostel in all of France, in Lyon take over the former Lona Pintxos bar in Armadale. The result? Fortify Bar & Restaurant, a slick European bistro and wine bar that is perfect for imbibing in food matched with wine. This chique fitout does not come at the expense of warmth, as Fortify exudes a welcoming and casual atmosphere perfect for people of all walks of life to gather.

Come to this great, little spot a few times now and it's seriously good. Tremendous wine list and the French influenced food is legit. Don't miss out on the scallop gumbo!!

Came to this place to check out the $1 happy hour chicken wings. So good, with both a hot sauce and a blue cheesy ranch type option. Washed those puppies down with a $7 pint...you can't beat that!<br/>I'll be coming back when I have more time to check out all the other stuff I saw, games and such. Really a perfect place for hanging with your friends and enjoying top quality food with prices that don't hurt the rest of the night out. <br/>Wow, I'm thinking tomorrow I'll be back. <br/>Great friendly staff and clean classy place. <br/>Thanks for the great experience.

Amazing service. Great range of drinks. Tried the truffled scallop New Orleans bourbillaise with house hot sauce....truly one of the best meals I have ever had. Michellin quality food. Saw the steak and cheese platter as well and they both looked great.

Great new place. Delicious French food, amazing wine selection, cocktails and beers on tap all for a reasonable price. Cool vibe, would highly recommend popping in for happy hour!

Came for the opening of the new place. The draft beer was great and only $7 for a pint all day, every day, they also have cocktails of which the French 75 was delicious and the espresso martini uses a unique recipe that gives it something extra; I'm told this was Frangelico. Tried the food and the beef bourgignon was incredible with flavours that were only matched by the sauvers cheese the chef brought over from Lyon and is unavailable anywhere else in melbourne. Definitely going back, even for a quick pint on the way home or before chapel street.

Great food， great tapas， great ambiance. We had the patatas bravas， spanish meatballs， chicken taco， and pulled pork sliders. All were great (except for the sliders， which were just average). We ha churros to finish off the meal， which were lovely and airy.<br/><br/>Cant wait to come back.

It's beautiful. The food presentation was on point. The decor was nightclubesque.<br/>The menu was very limited. Ran out of things to pick from even on our first visit. Taste wise - fairly average.<br/>Very quiet for a Thursday night - but would make for a romantic dinner for two.<br/>

I'm definitely a fan of the pintxos/tapas style menu, they do have a good variety of options available which was nice. However portions were incredibly small for the price they are, it's definitely too overpriced in my opinion.

Ordered dinner through UberEATS last weekend.<br/><br/>Summary of the order:<br/>- eggplant and tuna dips were good. <br/>- meatballs were overpowered by way too much cumin (I love cumin but this was too much and flavored didn't balance) and lacking salt. It was a pity as the meatballs themselves were nice.<br/>- prawns were good<br/>- chicken skewers a little tough<br/>- corn was underwhelming, would have been nicer if they had been charred a bit more<br/>- croquettes were nice, lacking in salt<br/>- prosciutto was average<br/><br/>Speedy preparation was appreciated but all in all I wouldn't order from or dine here again.<br/>

Lona is a cute little bar tucked away in armadale, the pintxos are awesome, just like in San Sebastián. I really liked both the croquettes and also the pork sliders. You can also order from the menu if you want so there's quite a few options.

Great atmosphere, lovely service, beautiful wine! Spanish Tempranillo is a must! 🎀Unfortunately the tapas are tasteless, bland and also no cutlery provided. It's not hard to make flavoursome meatballs you know 🙄

Our local watering hole. Great drink specials along with pinxos and share plates. The perfect "afternoon drink" spot. Friendly staff..us girls will be back often!

C insisted for a long time that he wanted a round table dinner with his close friends this year, and drinks with other friends afterwards. Him being indecisive wasn't helping at all. So I found Lona. $39pp for the tasting menu where we had a table of 14 upstairs, and could stay on for drinks after. Food came quick for the first 3 courses, and then we waited for almost 45 mins without food. Found out much later that there were some hiccups in the kitchen hence the delay. Would appreciate if someone could at least notify us. Food was good though so that made up for it. Everyone had a good time. I think they weren't really expecting a big crowd from us, friends just kept ordering more drinks. Wouldn't mind going back and try other dishes for sure.

An interesting, mysterious place. Portions are small, and are meant to served as a bar snack style. As a non-drinker, I was seeking something more substantial than just a snack with a drink. I ordered a mix of snacks: Some croquettes, pork sliders and fried chorizo. All very tasty, and almost faultless, but the price definitely added up to over $40 to feed just myself, and my friend was also in a similar boat. There needs to be a paella, or something bigger than can be eaten solo, or shared amongst a group in a more cost effective way for everyone. As much as I enjoyed the food, it isn't my kind of place. Great for the drinkers who like their nibblies too.

Have been twice for dinner now and love it. We love Spanish food and particularly tapas style: great patatas bravas, loved the calamari and the lamb cutlets as well. Only disappointment was that last time we did the set menu and the churros were the most ridiculously tiny things - having previously been there when I had separately ordered churros from dessert menu I knew the difference. Cmon guys, add a couple of dollars to the meal price or call them 'micro churros' on the set menu description rather than sending out measly tiny churros beside a disproportionately large amount of sauce! Child friendly on weeknights which is great

Idea of Spanish pintxos was great, looking in from the outside was great. Sat down inside and quickly realized there was no vibe or atmosphere. Food was horrible. Poor quality. Won't be back here again!

We had drinks in the fabulous garden out the back and quite a few yummy snacks. Staff really helpful, and nice picking at bits of tapas type food over the afternoon!

Great local wine and tapas bar. Friendly service and a tasty, reasonably priced menu. We always have a good meal here.

It’s no secret to people who know me that I love Spain. I spent the a month there this year, and while in San Sebastian I tried to eat at each of the 38 pixtos bar that appeared on a map I acquired. When I heard of Lona, I patiently waited until the opportunity arose to get down there.

This is the 2nd time I have been to Lona with a big group. The food is seriously good, friendly staff & good wine list. Thank you Lona!

I was in at Lona for the first time the other night and I had good reviews however I will definitely reccomend. There were 4 of us and from the moment we arrived we were greated with friendly and attentive staff. When we were ready to order the waiter even asked us if we would like and extra piece as most of the dishes had 3 pieces so we could all have a piece each. The standout for me was the calamari which was gluten free and served in a lettuce cup with a smokey aioli and with out a doubt the pork sliders with Jalepenos, crackling, and chipolte. The waiter recommended these and they lived up to how he explained them. We had a bottle of wine and a few beers between us and the bill was $40 per head. Definitely will be back.

WAY OVERRATED. Food was average, very small portions and totally uninteresting. The pintxos was poorly prepared with no attention to detail just thrown on the bread with no love. We ordered several meals from the menu and found them to be the same. Porterhouse skewers were chewy and had a strange taste and the pork sliders dry and uninteresting.<br/>The service was good, but the place was borderline greasy and not clean including the toilets.<br/>Way way overpriced for what we ate and enjoyed.

Bad food, slow service, good beer.. This place reminded me of Spain. Greasy meat on stale bread and poor service. Nice looking, and the beer was good (Estrella), but you couldn't drag me back to this place.

Miss. Female

We love Lona!. Being locals, we often swing by Lona for a glass of bubles (or 4) and some gorgeous morsels of spanish goodness. The staff are great - lots of fun and very friendly. The arancini are delicious, as is the salami, the smoked salmon and the chocolate truffles. Go during happy hour for a buzzing vibe, or swing by later at night for a more mellow experience.

No atmosphere in this place tasteless pinxos and over priced.

Quality not quanity. I had been meaning to visit this place since it opened and finally made my way there last month with a girlfriend. We ordered a red wine each and started off with the pintxos. Great idea as everyone has different tastes! Then we ordered 2 items off the main menu to share: meat balls in this delicious flavorsome sauce and the leek croquetas - these were amazing! The items weren't huge but the quality was amazing. I'd rather a smaller dish that packs a punch then a large meal with no flavor. The service was good and the vibe and setup of the restaurant inviting. I will be back soon with my boyfriend.

Can't believe I haven't been here earlier. Such a wonderful little tapas bar. Spent my birthday here tonight and the staff were so warm and hospitable. The food is exceptional! Love love love. Will be back

Very Good. Fantastic service, very good food and for those who say it is expensive well it's Armadale not Doveton and the waitress Sally well if thats not enough to get you there for a drink I don't know what is.

Great night out. So nice to finally have a decent bar in Armadale. Menu was fantastic and can highly recommend the Croquetas, Pork Slidders and Calamari. Also a very good drinking bar thanks for the night

Have been to Lona a few times now, and have loved the food more and more each visit. Pulled pork sliders were heaven on Saturday night!<br/>Great wine and cocktail list, and a different array of hot pintxos circulating each visit. Delicious!

Great Night. Had a great night at Lona on Friday, staff very friendly and professional. Bar has a great vibe and is exactly what High Street needs. Enjoyed all the Pintxos on offer particularly the pulled Pork Sliders, Potatos Bravos and the Lamb cutlets. Wine and Cocktails were a winner too. Highly recommend!!!

Looking for a great night out?. Well look no further than Lona! I was told about this new lively bar by a friend of a friend who knew how much I loved Spain and wow was I impressed. I had such a great night out with a few friends - Charles and his knowledgeable team of friendly staff were very impressive and the food and cocktails were amasing. Hats off to Lona for bringing a touch of Spain to Melbourne - well done! I highly recommend.

Outstanding!!. Once again a fantastic experience at Lona last night. The sliders are worth a visit themselves, and the chorizo was delicious. Staff always excel and made for another relaxing and enjoyable evening? This place is just what Armadale needed. Thanks guys and keep up the great work!

Our group of 6, had ANOTHER fantastic evening at Lona and once again were impressed with the quality of food and service. Why not pay a few extra $$ for a thoroughly enjoyable evening!! love having a great local bar too. Keep up the good work!!

Wow what a rip off. Yes... The place looks kinnda trendy, staff very friendly BUT the food was just a ripoff, not only the taste was JUST average (frozen type) i have not seen such small portions anywhere irrespective of those ridiculous prices. . $16 for 3 little pieces of calamari on some cos lettuce or 3 very small lamb cutlets for $17 or one tiny whit bait for $3, three of us spent $90 on food and another $30 on few drinks absolutely never again. We went home feeling absolutely robbed and hungry.

2nd time at Lona last night, loved it...was very surprised to read the below review, 4 of us tried 7 types of Pintxos including pork sliders, calamari, patatas bravas, delicious meatballs, chorizo, lamb cutlets and jamon iberico + drinks for just over $30 per head. Less then a main meal anywhere else, will be a regular!

Went tonight and I really do not get it. Portions were tiny for what they were charging and when I complained they told me food prices had gone up??? Would give this a miss personally, no atmosphere and why pay through the nose for a very average evening!!! I am still starving!!!! and we have spent $140!!!

Food the most expensive for the size I have ever expericnced

Loved lona tonight. Funky deco, spunky waiters.

Really enjoyed Lona! The food was so delicious and the service was fantastic. We had a group of 10 & they looked after us so well, a glass was never left empty and constant flow of hot food. The pintxos is on the more expensive side but well worth it. Will definitely be returning, try the cava - great drop for a great price! The leek croquette, lamb sliders & pork belly were my favourite! Was sad to not see oysters there (on the menu online).

This place is perfect for a few quiet drinks and a bite to eat with friends. Great wine list and the beer tap is consistently fresh. Wouldn't go for a whole meal as it might get a bit expensive but otherwise a great bar.

Overrated. Staff were friendly but very squashed booth seating. We ordered baba ganoush as an extra it came out with 3 tiny pieces of pita bread the one you buy from supermarket with a dollop of the dip for $17+ dollars what a rip off!!!!!! The food in general was okay but nothing to rave on about. We went for dinner & most of us were still hungry after paying $70 a head with some drinks. To be paying that sort of money I expect a lot more. Might be ok for a drink before or after dinner but would not go back!

It is Amazing!! Such nice staff and atmosphere!! Feel like I'm back in Barcelona!!! Wait staff are pretty hot too!!

Fantastic service! The waitstaff were so welcoming and offered wonderful service. The food was beyond amazing! Try the sliders!! Wonderful experience, absolutely loved it!

Update 13/10/17. This review is about Lona (a Spanish Tapas bar), which is no longer located in Armadale. I understand Lona has re-opened in St Kilda.  Fortify (a French restaurant!) has taken over the original location.   I'm not sure why this review appears under Fortify as I have never been there. <br/><br/>Review on Lona (Armadale)<br/><br/>Would write a lot more if wasn't using phone. Lets say its a great place. Relaxed and vibey. Food was totally enjoyable. Brought back memories of being in La Rambla (Barcelona) a few months ago. Both staff (one was the manager) were friendly and accommodating, even to the point of exceeding expectations. Try the High St Mule (one of their version of mojitos) - more memories of Spain. Only negative was, I couldn't try everything, so will have to come back to try more. Thanks.

Friday night at lona was amazing. Great service by Tom and Charles. The Pedro ximenez espresso martini is a great twist on an espresso martini, and the honeycomb garish is genius. Pintxos are fresh, flavoursome and delicious but the croquettes are the best - a must order. We ended on bloody Marys - with a chilli garlic basil infused vodka that came with a celery and jalepeno garish. Out of this world and better than the black pearl! Lona thank you and i cannot wait to come back!

Lona, the other side of Barca. We visited Lona on a quiet night in the school holidays. <br/><br/>Despite most on the bubble set being down the coast, the kitchen kept a tasty selection of hot pintxos coming out. Enjoyed the international wines and friendly service. Look forward to coming back.

Perfect night! Had a table of 8 who all loved the place... great food, vino and service the pefect combination to an excellent night.

Had high expectations and was really looking forward to the experience. The reality however was less than ideal. The wine selection was great, but the food was over prices and ordinary. The service from the ( assume) owner was fine but the bar manager was slow and unprofessional. What ended the evening for me was being served stingy "by the glass" after spending over $150 on a bottle is wine. Won't be back.

What a great concept. Went to Lona on Sat night and loved it..such a different concept, nothing like i have tried before....You can not miss it from the street, this awesome huge pink light. Its got seating upstairs and downstairs, and it was quite busy so had a good vibe. <br/>There is a cabinet up the front where you can go and help yourself. I tried this delicious tuna mix in lettuce leaf, frittata and lots of nibbles on bread - salmon, capaccio, mussels, lots of yum things. They had the most amazing gluten free bread, one of the best i have tried. Then waiters came around and offered more different bite size snacks....the pork bun was delicious...also loved the little mini frankfurt....lots of good food and huge range of cocktails<br/>would def go again, and would recommend for a big group....had a lot of fun and will be back

Great place. Will be a regular! Great food, service and wine

I have been a frequent visitor to this fine establishment since it is located near my humble abode<br/>Charles and Tom are wonderful hosts who make you feel very welcome and bring back memories of wonderful ambient neighbourhood bars I enjoyed during my travels to Spain<br/>The concept is simple, a bar where you can imbibe on great Spanish wines by the glass, nibbling on olives, pintxos, plates of jamon and other delicacies, exquisite cheeses and interaction with other locals of similar mindset<br/>We have even done the full restaurant dining experience with family and friends and just as much fun<br/>Looking forward to a culinary and drinking journey of discovery as this bar develops its own unique character<br/>A wonderful addition to high st<br/>But sshhhh don't tell anyone I want this for myself

I've been here a few times, lovely food and wine, great atmosphere and friendly staff. Can't wait to go back!<br/><br/><br/>-----19 May, 2013-----<br/><br/>Amazing!!. I came here with a group of friends, we had a great time, fantastic pintox, great atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious wine! Can't wait to come back, highly recommended!

Was keen to try this place after a recent trip to San Sebastián but was sadly a little disappointed. Hoping they will improve as they're only new.<br/><br/>The vibe upstairs was a bit off - nice paintings/decor but loud pumping music and a tv playing sky news - mood killer!<br/><br/>The cold pinxtos bar failed to impress - mostly empty on a relatively quiet night, I found the variety, presentation and quality subpar - pinxtos were limited to can tuna salad in cos lettuce leaf, Jamon on bread, salmon balini , marinated veg and sliced smoked chicken on bread.<br/><br/>Hot food was tasty but not so authentic -- meatballs on bread, American style hot dogs etc. <br/><br/>Wine list good but servings by glass a little stingy for the 10-15 price range. <br/><br/>Service friendly however slow, waited 15 mins for a cheese board (again, it was a quiet night!)<br/><br/>Overall, probably wouldn't recommend and will probably stick to Naked for Satan for my pinxtos fix.

Excellent. Brilliant service, delicious food and a great atmosphere. Perfect place to start a night off.

Fantastic friendly service. Modern yet cozy with an Ab Fab background playlist to accompany the atmosphere

Armadale bar. Friendly staff++ bit noisy and bright. Happily return though for special wines not on list. Will get popular. Recommend!

Fantastic new place. Will be a regular weekend hang out!!

The food was good, there was a lovely local cozy feel to it and the people working there were great. Lots of local regulars hang out there (the guy behind the bar knew everyone!). Best dish of the night for me were the meatballs.

A Guide to High Street Armadale, Melbourne Those who live around Armadale tend not to venture too far – they have everything they need within walking distance. From quaint cafes and impressive restaurants to a thriving antiques trade, art galleries and shopping galore, it would be a shame to let the locals have all the fun. I grew up just north of Armadale’s High Street, the Melbourne shopping precinct that dates back to the late 1800s. I used to have swimming lessons at Recreation gym before it turned into Goodlife, but I didn’t stick around long enough to reap the benefits when Pressed Juices opened next door. It doesn’t matter – all I cared about at that age was getting my hands in the glass jar of killer pythons on the front desk, a fair trade between my parents and I for my attendance.  Since then a flurry of high fashion stores have opened on the strip, popping up next to antique warehouses and shops that have been around for decades. It’s a comfortable mix of old and new, as evident in the ornate architecture that harks back to the post-war boom.  Things really started to happen in the area in 1879 when the first trains ran through the suburb, removing it from iso