To me, Melbourne is one of the food Mecca’s of the world. However each time I visit it is not to return to my old favorite haunts but to experience what is new and exciting on the dining scene.
While there recently I sampled just a few of the latest restaurants to open.
The paint was barely dry at Pei Modern, Mark Best’s venture at the Sofitel Hotel on Collins Street when we popped in for a late breakfast. In a distinct departure from his Sydney fine dining eatery Marque, Pei Modern is, as the name suggests, contemporary in both style and menu.
We found the breakfast menu slightly disappointing, although the coffee and the house-made pastries were both perfectly passable. However a look at the dinner menu confirmed that this would be well worth a re-visit for dishes such as Dutch Creams (potatoes) Mojama, Coffee and Bone Marrow or Roast Rabbit, Salt Bush, Sea Parsley Wakame.
We found the breakfast menu slightly disappointing, although the coffee and the house-made pastries were both perfectly passable. However a look at the dinner menu confirmed that this would be well worth a re-visit for dishes such as Dutch Creams (potatoes) Mojama, Coffee and Bone Marrow or Roast Rabbit, Salt Bush, Sea Parsley Wakame.
Albert Street Food and Wine opened a few months ago with Phillippa Sibley heading the kitchens. Located right up Sydney Street in an old bank, it’s been nicely decked out to incorporate a food store on one side where their own label preserves and olive oil are sold, alongside other tasty treats and Phillippa’s books.
A wood fired grill turns out delicious morsels like sardines with a Sicilian style salsa, a brochette of smoked mozzarella, anchovy and oregano or haloumi with green tomato relish and zucchini pickle (both of which, if you love them, you can buy next door). A pile of crunchy school prawns completed our feast.
Great bread, organic shaped and glazed dishes, wooden boards and the clever use of a metal stand so more plates can be accommodated on the small tables all contribute to the overall appeal. And, remembering Phillippa Sibley’s pedigree as a pastry chef, the dessert menu should not be ignored.
Andrew McConnell’s new Golden Fields sits behind a rather ordinary store front on St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street. Inside though you’ll find a smart space with a few subtle hints of the Orient here and there – just enough to indicate what might be on offer on the menu.
White tiles and a long marble bar down one wall, place settings waiting for diners to claim them, eclectically displayed vases of golden chrysanthemums and black lacquer chairs create an instant charm and I chuckled at the tiny goldfish decorated tin bucket the salt came in. Modern Asian is usually only ever good or bad but this is very, very good. With time to sample just two dishes I opted for a cold dish of shredded chicken, sesame paste, house-made flat rice noodles, and chilli oil. What was presented was a beautiful plate of tender poached chicken accented with the pale green of cucumber and coriander leaves. I swooned until the gentle kick of the chilli hit me. Perfect.
My other choice was the twice cooked duck with its clever crispy ‘skin’ of mung bean paste flavoured with Szechwan pepper. It came with plum sauce, black vinegar and three steaming buns into which I piled the duck, some cucumber sticks and plum sauce. Dipped in the vinegar this was just the best thing I’d eaten in a long time. This will definitely be on my ‘return to’ list.
White tiles and a long marble bar down one wall, place settings waiting for diners to claim them, eclectically displayed vases of golden chrysanthemums and black lacquer chairs create an instant charm and I chuckled at the tiny goldfish decorated tin bucket the salt came in. Modern Asian is usually only ever good or bad but this is very, very good. With time to sample just two dishes I opted for a cold dish of shredded chicken, sesame paste, house-made flat rice noodles, and chilli oil. What was presented was a beautiful plate of tender poached chicken accented with the pale green of cucumber and coriander leaves. I swooned until the gentle kick of the chilli hit me. Perfect.
My other choice was the twice cooked duck with its clever crispy ‘skin’ of mung bean paste flavoured with Szechwan pepper. It came with plum sauce, black vinegar and three steaming buns into which I piled the duck, some cucumber sticks and plum sauce. Dipped in the vinegar this was just the best thing I’d eaten in a long time. This will definitely be on my ‘return to’ list.
The Atlantic on Southbank was in ‘soft opening’ phase when I was last in Melbourne a year ago but I decided to treat it as new anyway. We settled down in the Oyster Bar - dark wood, accents of turquoise and earthy pottery dishes - where the menu is a condensed version of the restaurant one but still with plenty to tempt us.
Three icy-cold Duck Bay oysters from Tasmania were amongst the best I’ve ever eaten - even if, as I discovered later while chatting with chef Donovan Cooke, they’d been opened earlier that day and not just before serving as expected. The soft red wine vinegar and shallot dressing was perfect. Same couldn’t be said about the tired, cut yesterday, lemon wedge.
We bypassed the caviar and lobster in favour of some tasty grilled bug tails and a whole grilled garfish which came with just salt, pepper and lime.
The simplicity reminded me of how fish is served around the Med. A salad of shredded cos (yes shredded!) with orange, pinenuts and a miso dressing was quite a revelation.
So some good stuff and some not so good – I’d still recommend it though.
The simplicity reminded me of how fish is served around the Med. A salad of shredded cos (yes shredded!) with orange, pinenuts and a miso dressing was quite a revelation.
Also new and recommended but not tried so let me know what you think if you go to:
Senoritas for authentic Mexican
16 Meyers Place,
(03) 9639 7437
16 Meyers Place,
(03) 9639 7437
San Telmo Argentinean cuisine
14 Meyers Place
(03) 9650 5525
