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July travel news

GOOD THINGS IN SMALL PACKAGES
British diners red in the face over chilli explosion in nation’s capital.
LONDON British-born food writer Fuchsia Dunlop is responsible for a quiet revolution, bringing fiery Sichuan food to a wider audience with her book Sichuan Cookery – and then with the follow-up restaurant, Bar Shu, in Soho, in which she assisted as a consultant to owner Shao Wei. Next up from the same duo came the small dumpling café called Baozi Inn, but this year has seen the biggest sensation of all with the opening of Ba Shan, which serves small, tapas-style dishes from across mainland China. Shaanxi jia mo resemble hamburgers at first glance, but the careful chopping of the ingredients and the spicing marks it as Chinese; other dishes resemble dim sum, until you feel the kick of the chillies. With its mid-priced dishes and extraordinary flavours, this is already one of the most critically acclaimed restaurants of 2009. Ba Shan, 24 Romilly St, Soho, London, +44 20 7287 3266. GUY DIMOND

BACKING A WINNER
Derrière steals spotlight in City of Light.
PARIS Mourad and Akim Mazouz, the creators of Moroccan restaurant 404 and nearby bar Andy Wahloo, are behind the city’s latest hot spot, Derrière. Beyond the unmarked front door lies a multi-room apartment crowded with bric-a-brac décor. You can eat in the “office”, complete with wall map and bulletin boards, in the so-called “playroom” (beware of flying ping-pong balls), or at the kitchen table where Cage lamps by La Corbeille dangle from the air like giant whisks. Traditional French fare is served family-style for about $88 a head, with wine, and tastes just as it should. 69 rue des Gravilliers, 3rd arrondisement, Paris, +33 1 44 61 91 95 ROSA JACKSON

MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Pick your poison – and dosage – at Fifth Element.
BRISBANE There aren’t many restaurants or bars where you can order 2002 Cristal by the glass, and fewer where you can sip a “taste” of a 1988 Grange, or half a glass of 1999 Rockford Basket Press. Brisbane’s Fifth Element boasts what it claims is the largest selection of wines by the glass in Australia – more than 60 options preserved in innovative Enomatic machines, which let you self-serve anything from a taste to a full measure with a swipe of a card. A European-influenced menu, courtesy of chef Nick Baker (ex-Isis Brasserie and Tisane), is matched to the wines, not vice versa. Stretch out on a banquette in the indoor-outdoor lounge and nibble a selection of charcuterie or dive into the likes of wagyu sirloin with root vegetable galette, Brussels sprouts and Bordelaise sauce. Once you’ve spotted the wind, air, fire and water features, see if you can work out what the mysterious fifth element might be. You may need another glass first. Fifth Element, Cnr Tribune & Little Stanley sts, South Bank, Brisbane, Qld, (07) 3846 5584. FIONA DONNELLY

Move over Google, just “Bing it”. This new internet search engine offers video thumbnail previews, best matches and a “hot spots” function linked to tourist sites.

TREASURE OF THE DEEP RESURFACES
When it hit the market almost 40 years ago, the Omega Seamaster PloProf (more on that later) was groundbreaking, and this piece of arm candy has become even more coveted over time. It boasts enough state-of the-art techno features to keep even the nerdiest of watch nerds happy, including increased water resistance up to 1200m, shark-proof bracelet (no joke) and its famed Co-Axial technology. All good, but we love it because it’s as ruggedly handsome now as it was back in the day when it was developed in conjunction with French diving guru Jacques Cousteau. And what of the name? PloProf derives from Plongeurs Professionels, the French words for professional divers. Stockists (02) 8080 9696.

GROUNDBREAKING EXHIBITION
The Roman empire has landed Down Under with Melbourne Museum’s latest blockbuster, A Day in Pompeii. The exhibition, from 26 June to 25 October, brings relics of the city, buried in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, back to life. The marble sculpture, gold jewellery and delicate frescoes are particularly exquisite and a selection of body casts offers a small glimpse of the human tragedy that unfolded all those centuries ago. KERRYN BURGESS

HOP TO IT, SNOW BUNNIES
Get ready to hit the slopes before leaving home at mountainwatch.com. Created by the team behind surf website coastalwatch.com, it offers weather forecasts, snow reports, and event and resort info.

AIRLINE NEWS
JUST LOUNGIN' AROUND
Jetstar has a new passenger lounge at Gold Coast airport, boasting plasma TV screens, internet connections, mobile- phone charging areas, a children’s play area and complimentary food and beverages. Entry costs $20 per person when pre-purchased with a flight booking or $25 at the airport. Children six and under are free. 131 538. 

FARES TAKE A DIVE
The financial crisis has caused airfares to fall by about 40 per cent on international routes and 20 per cent on domestic ones this year, says Webjet managing director David Clarke. Airlines, however, are still expanding. Pacific Blue now flies non-stop to Bali from Sydney and Melbourne.

SKY'S THE LIMIT
Emirates has expanded its services to India, adding 22 weekly flights to the subcontinent. The airline also recently bolstered its A380 services from Dubai to Bangkok (daily) and Toronto (three times a week).