‘I’m very simplistic’: Shaun Micallef’s not-very-foodie Melbourne favourites

Australian comedian and TV host Shaun Micallef may not be much of a foodie, but that didn’t stop him from sharing – or avoiding – dishes with his celebrity travel companions while filming SBS series Origin Odyssey .

“Food is about as interesting a conversation as talking football is to me,” he says.

In the new series, Micallef travels to Scotland with comedian Luke McGregor, Ireland with TV personality Tony Armstrong and the Aeolian Islands (north of Sicily) with actor Pia Miranda. Each trip presented its own food challenges.

“I couldn’t stomach the haggis in Scotland, and Tony Armstrong had the serve of Irish breakfast I didn’t eat either,” Micallef admits. “I did eat a nice pasta dish between course seven and nine with Pia’s family. It had apricot in it.”

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At age 64, Micallef turned a recent type 2 diabetes diagnosis around with some healthy adjustments to his diet, which has never been especially adventurous.

Micallef confesses he has never tried an artichoke, or a lychee, and won’t eat oysters either. A man of simple rituals, these are the places he likes to return to. And what he actually does like to eat.

Your favourite place to eat in Australia, and its special food memories

I remember eating a meal at Florentino with Sir Michael Palin, who was in town to promote a book and TV series. We had dinner together upstairs and Guy Grossi came out of the kitchen and grated truffle onto my soup.

Other memorable meals are milestone anniversary dinners with my partner. We like Vue de Monde for the degustation.

I also took Monty Python’s Terry Jones to Sebastian in Williamstown for dinner one night – it’s got a great outlook of the beach. I will always have a steak and a salad on the side there.

We love to go to Thai street-food restaurant DoDee Paidang in the city. I get a bit of carb action with noodles, but it’s always fish or pad Thai with chicken.

When in the city, we go to Kenzan Japanese for a degustation dinner. We also like The Hardware Club for the fish of the day.

I have enjoyed dining at Pizza d’Asporto over the years. In Williamstown, I go to Squires Loft for a fillet steak, medium-rare with English mustard. It’s the same meal every time I go. I don’t even have to order it now.