If you live in Melbourne and haven’t heard, attended or been bombarded by the advertising of various open air cinemas then you must be hiding under a rock. We definitely aren’t running short of them that’s for sure. Ranging from traditional moonlight cinemas to the unique experience of a silent cinema located within the bustling atmosphere of Southgate shoppers, and let’s not forget the mysterious vibe of Melbourne’s underground cinemas. With out a doubt, there is something to suit everyone out there.

So let’s be realistic, with all the choices already available, we didn’t really need yet another open air cinema to pop up. Yet that’s exactly what happened between the 2nd and 6th of this month with Gourmet Cinema making an appearance on the scene for Melbourne’s 2016 Food and Wine Festival.

With a fresh, unique experience, Gourmet Cinema sure was a crowd pleaser with majority of the evenings being sold out!

Bringing together Melbournians’ love for food and film, the Gourmet Cinema was the place to be. This unique take on an open-air cinema gave attendees the opportunity to socialise while enjoying the wonders of some of Melbourne’s best restaurants before topping the evening off with a notable film.

Held over five consecutive nights, with each night being hosted by an iconic Melbourne restaurant offering menus inspired by movies, there was a lot to salivate over.

The final night was courtesy of The European as they hosted Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris.

With the events’ menus ranging from Italian pizzas to American inspired delights, there was something to tickle everyone’s taste buds.

Mamasitas Elote for Inez – grilled corn rolled in chipotle mayo and cheese – although an effortless dish, was a mouth watering one. With each bite it was like fireworks going off in your mouth – with the spicy chipotle mayo kicking your taste buds awake, followed by a subtle hint of cheese before your teeth punctured the succulent corn kernels. Although not an elegant dish to eat, with the yellow bits of corn stuck in your teeth and the juices dripping down your face, it was, without a doubt, worth every bite.

How does one top off simple yet mouth-watering grilled corn? With Le Bon Ton’s Chilli Cheese Fries. Forget about the diet as you devour crispy chips smothered in traditional Texas style chilli beef drizzled with cheese sauce. The only negative of this dish was the lack of cheese sauce considering they are chilli CHEESE fries.

Both meals went hand in hand with a refreshing aperol spritz – a cocktail of Aperol and soda water topped off with some fabulous bubbles of prosecco.

Events with pop up restaurants tend to mean long waiting lines – the Gourmet Cinema was no exception. However, making use of Deliveroo – a hosting partner of the event – allowed customers to have their food delivered to their seat without the hassle of waiting inline.

Overall, Gourmet Cinema was a pleasurable way to finish ones’ weekend. No doubt it will continue to host sold out events at future MFWF.