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Whitebark – West Melbourne – Thursday 15 May 2025 – Dinner

I had booked Benchwarmer several weeks in advance to try before a show. We were only there for a short amount of time. The whole experience was confusing. When we arrived, we were immediately asked if we were there for “the event”. We looked blankly and said, “No, we’ve got a booking for two people”. We were led to a table out the back, right in front of the kitchen window.

Once we had moved from the rather uncomfortably placed table, we were told tonight’s menu was very restricted because of an event (“the event!”) In actual fact, the menu was completely different and ridiculously brief. We’d made a booking several weeks before but had not been notified of the change, which was incredibly disappointing. We did get an apology the next day in response to my slightly irate email, and it was sincere and well written.

With all of this threatening to derail our dinner before the show, we decided to have a look around West Melbourne to quickly find somewhere else. We came across Whitebark, a great looking, small venue with a long rectangular bar dotted with some bar stools, and a few smaller tables placed towards the back. We were greeted professionally by the friendly staff behind the bar, one of whom is the main person serving.

The only other person behind the bar is doing the cooking, with no verbal interaction with customers, though not in an unfriendly way. We were told that the premise of the bar is to serve Australian and New Zealand ingredients, play Australian New Zealand music, and serve Australian and New Zealand drinks. The menu is not necessarily what I would say is approachable, but if you give your trust to the chef, you’ll be rewarded with some great diversity of unusual flavors and contrasts.

For example, the emu dish earlier being made in front of us looked delicious, but is one that not everyone would be keen to try upon reading the menu. It is rubbed with bush tomato and ultimately torched with a flame briefly, keeping the emu extremely tender, but adding that beautiful, fiery flavour. Then there’s a “green pea brick”, which, again, we needed a description of prior to putting our trust in the chef to have a go. It is absolutely delicious. Split green peas have been cooked, then pressed into a brick, before being scattered with herbs. Next, we tried the barra skewers. Deboned and diced Barramundi is combined with other ingredients, and turned into a fish cake like texture, before being skewered and grilled again. Another great dish, but it did leave a lasting impression on us, acting as a date-night warning!

As we went to the Ball Park Music concert (an Australian band), we could still taste the barra, but it was worth it. As a finale, we had some blue cheese, which is served with some roasted grapes, and some local jam. A touch earlier, we tried the tart covered with local bush tomatoes that have been preserved. There’s some novelty shown, but the chef has a knack for beautiful combinations of flavours.

On the drinks front, the wines by the glass list has some delicious options. My Roussanne blend with some Grenache Blanc (by Riley Harrison) was so good I went back for a second glass when I would normally try something else. Catherine had a Chardonnay (by Small Wonder in the Tamar Valley) that was equally well chosen. I went on to try the orange Viognier (by Honky Chateau), that was also superb. I must admit I can’t remember trying wines from any of these producers previously.

We like places like Whitebark. They’re growing custom through excellence in what they provide, as opposed to being a large enough venue that word of mouth will necessarily spread like wildfire. Tonight, there were a number of places available on the bar, but it feels quite full, and people are enjoying a few drinks and a few nice dishes from the chef. There’s a good atmosphere and vibe.

I find that the service, whilst there’s only one main server, is enough. An extremely capable individual, there’s almost not a time where we need to look up to gain attention amongst twenty or so other diners. It’s a wonderful wine bar that you’d love to have down the street. We had come across town for Benchwarmer. And whilst we understand the food on a normal night is supposed to be excellent there, there is no way we would cross town to return again. Serving from the heart, we would definitely cross town to return to Whitebark.

Whitebark
https://whitebarkwine.bar
313 Victoria Street, West Melbourne
Mon; Wed-Fri 4pm-11pm
Sat-Sun 12pm-11pm
drink@whitebarkwine.bar
0493 028 334

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Harriot – Melbourne, City – Friday 27 June 2025 – Lunch

The new venture by the restaurant group behind some of our favourites such as Tipo 00 and Osteria Ilaria, has opened a French bistro. The specific similarities end with the ownership, but the general warmth is shared inside Harriot. On a crisp winter day, Catherine and I enter the restaurant on the corner of King and Collins, protected from the busy intersection outside by low hanging curtains. We are brought to a corner table on a lengthy banquette, and settle in for a quick but luxurious lunch.

This may be the first time we’ve been invited to a soft opening, but such is Catherine’s following of Tipo, Osteria, and Figlia, that her long time patronage has been recognised. While I myself have been a long time patron too, it is normally walking-in and sitting on the bar at Tipo from 11.30am, so I am seemingly off the radar. The only noticeable feature of the soft opening is the absence of tables of more than four people, likely allowing the kitchen to not be overwhelmed in the opening days.

Service from the outset has a genuineness and care that is not surprising given the stable of venues. It has an ease about it, and doesn’t show any signs of opening greenness. There’s an understanding of what is being offered, and there is some initiative being shown too. As an example, we decided to start by sharing the spanner crab ravioli. While we are initially given some share plates, the kitchen seems to suggest presenting the shared dish on two separate plates, and the floorstaff are open to changing their minds.

The pumpkin bisque, diced firmish pumpkin, and scattering of espelette pepper, often used in Basque cooking, is a glorious combination. Due to its richness it is excellent to share, but as a single dish I could easily indulge next time. It is at this stage that we are finishing our nicely executed cocktails (a martini, and a “French Pearl”), and moving into a glass of Chenin Blanc (Chateau de Plaisance ‘Anjou’) and Langhe Nebbiolo (Pierro Busso). These wines, and the look of the wine list more broadly, are delicious.

Sher Wagyu rump is the second main that we split, and it comes with rosa radicchio which illuminates the plate, and parsley root which is pureed. Combined with a well-dressed leafy salad, the wagyu is rich and tender, cooked to our medium-rare request. Next door we notice other diners gushing over the sweetbreads, and they have gone on our list for next time, but we really enjoyed what we had ordered.

Dessert for Catherine came in the form of a disk of vanilla custard, draped in white chocolate, with rhubarb sherbet granita hidden, but for the escape of the red juice beneath. More traditional, my chocolate sabayon tart, with buttermilk ice cream, and wattleseed, made it three from three on the rich list today. Both desserts were nice sweet endings to the meal, but I preferred mine.

I feel that this part of town, while dotted with good and solid options, needs more diversity and excellence. Harriot is the west-end place for versatility. You could be happy with a cocktail or glass of wine and a snack, through to an elaborate multi-course meal; a dessert for a nightcap, or a quick one-dish lunch. Whatever the reason I’m looking forward to the next time.

Harriot
https://www.harriotmelbourne.com
555 Collins Street, Melbourne
+61  (03)  7053 1036
info@harriotmelbourne.com