by

Audrey’s – Sorrento, Victoria – Friday 22 April 2022 – Dinner

We like to be organised and we are not huge risk takers when it comes to choosing a venue. As we walk through the plush surroundings of the newly renovated Continental in Sorrento we feel like astronauts in outer space. It almost is as if we are walking in moon boots.

To make matters more surreal, the first person we see at the pass is Scott Pickett. I’ve never met him, but having been to so many of his restaurants I can’t help but say “Scott” like an old friend and extend my hand. We explain that we really enjoy his menus, especially at Matilda, and that we were on the wait list tonight and got the call up only a few hours prior.

We were going to come to Audrey’s anyway, and try for the bar, but we really didn’t think we’d get in so our mindset was more fancy pub menu downstairs rather than a $150 per head tasting menu. Seated in a luxurious restaurant, Catherine on a gorgeous banquette, we are looking around like we had not seen a fine diner before.

We settle as we sip on our glasses of Tattinger Champagne and familiarise ourselves with the tasting menu to come. Snacks arrive in the form of bbq abalone, Coopers Island oysters with finger lime, and mussel escabeche. The abalone stands out for its boldness, avoiding its inherently chewy nature, showing real adventure by the kitchen.

As part of the snacks the baguette is also outstanding alongside three butter options. Next comes along the spanner crab crumpet. I have come to realise that an extremely large number of fine diners are serving spanner crab, and to be completely open, I will order it almost every time. The subtlety of the crab needs to be honoured, and in this case, while the crumpet is delicious, it is also delicate enough to not overpower. The eel reminds Catherine of our meals at Lake House. We are starting to relax on this adventure.

We are looking forward to a bit of a seafood extravaganza to come. For good measure we have thrown in the optional Great Ocean Road duck option later as a half serve each to try. The first of three seafood courses is delightful Yellowfin tuna under a sheet of glutinous shiso, with white radishes in the mix for both its flavour and texture.

By this stage we are enjoying a glass of Marc Rougeot-Dupin Bourgogne Chardonnay from Burgundy. Mornington Peninsula squid comes looking like finely handled fresh pasta. Alongside is the most deeply flavoured shiitake XO ragu, that is singularly incredible, but somehow enhanced with the squid. The combination shouts signature of the house for years to come, and perhaps is one to specifically ask for on future booking requests? Last of the seafood trio is King George whiting. Perfectly cooked, elegantly presented, this marriage of fish and butter sauce is long lasting and spectacular.

As we move to the duck I make sure I order the Eldridge Estate Pinot Noir quick smart. While there are mainly positives on the service, this is a restaurant in its infancy, with a lot of less experienced floor staff (though well trained and eager), and our first request for our second wine did go forgotten for our entire Yellowfin tuna course. Yes we are in Sorrento, but the tasting menu is expensive, so some minor critiques are not unreasonable. As the floor gets more used to the menu, and the expectations of guests, I expect their training and eagerness to translate to smoother service.

There is no critique regarding the duck from across the ditch mind you. The half serve is perfect for us with dessert and petit fours to come. Bathed in a good helping of flavoursome jus, and paired with cubes of golden plum, there is only contentment.

Lately I’ve found that restaurants are on script with dessert. The days of overly savoury offerings have subsided and dessert is once again a celebration of sweetness. Audrey’s vacherin of rhubard, apple and ginger, fits the modern script. It’s pretty, delicate, sweet, and nicely executed. Though petit fours in the form of jellies and truffles are definitely an indulgent treat in themselves, this dessert makes for a great ending to the main event.

There’s a feeling of excitement to have an opportunity to dine at Audrey’s at the last minute. There’s also a feeling of appreciation that what appears to be a powerhouse entertainment venue at the new Continental, also appears to have a marque dining venue that rivals anything on offer in the city. Maybe Society isn’t the biggest opening of the past 12 months afterall?

Audrey’s – https://thecontinentalsorrento.com.au/#audreys
1 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento
Lunch: Wed-Sun; Dinner: Thurs-Sat
+61359351250
bookings@thecontinentalsorrento.com.au

by

Hubert – Sydney, City – Saturday 9 April 2022 – Lunch

Excited. Super excited. For an excitable person this is the most excited I’ve been about dining in some time. Despite the driving rain as we decide to skip our State Library glimpse, waiting 15 minutes for Hubert to open its doors this morning is no issue whatsoever.

By the time the doors open our umbrellas are closed, and we have caught a little glimpse of Circular Quay instead (it is the only classic Sydney glimpse we see today). Downstairs we descend, momentarily held up by the mid-level display of thousands of spirit miniatures, before entering the dining room slash jazz room. It is lit up with long candles on each table and just looks perfectly inviting as no empty room has ever looked.

Perhaps I made a mistake by booking on the bar, with no direct view of the jazz performance, but there are many reasons why it simply didn’t matter. The primary reason is the food which is the most stunning spectrum of traditional French bistro classics I’ve encountered in Australia. Then there is aspects of the service, not entirely perfect, but entirely Sydney, and the maître d’ who is as close to perfect as any restaurant manager could be.

Yes, I’m possibly embellishing, but it has been several days since we were dining here, and I’m still marveling at the experience. We wait a little for Catherine’s Tom Collins, and my (unbeknownst) cheap and delicious gin martini with a twist. Suddenly we are enjoying spanner crab with brioche toast, beautifully presented, alongside half a dozen Merimbula oysters. It is an appealing start.

We move into some Dauvisssat Chablis for Catherine, and some Clusel-Roch Gamay for me. Murray Cod a la Hubert is lashed with brown butter, capers, and lemon; and roasted Wollemi duck is layered on a plate ensconced in a balanced orange sauce that is jazz to my ears. Are we clapping for the performance, or the mains, or both? Even the frites, as you might expect at an exceptional bistro, are addictive. The endive mesclun salad eases the guilt.

Not being big eaters we don’t need dessert, but dessert has never been necessity. Watching Catherine say half way through “that is enough” of the crème caramel, only to continue going back for more is akin to my addictive personality, which includes the horses I’ll be backing a little later at Randwick. For me there is no hesitation in demolishing the passionfruit soufflé with cultured cream. When a soufflé appears on a menu the chances of it getting out alive are extremely remote. Both desserts are first class and it is consistent with the rest of this deliciously indulgent offering by Hubert.

We have four group one races in front of us, and some wine at 10 William Street, but I could easily end this day trip right here. One day I’m going to come here for lunch and stay for dinner. Then I’m going to try to hide upstairs near the many cases of wine and do it all over again the next day.

Restaurant Hubert – https://www.swillhouse.com/venues/restaurant-hubert
15 Bligh Street, Sydney
Lunch Wed-Sat from 12pm; Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm to late
Phone +61292320881
Email reservations@restauranthubert.com

by

Aru – Melbourne, City – Wednesday 23 March 2022 – Lunch

Walking into Aru we have the strange feeling we’ve been here before. Is it the old Review on Little Collins? If it was, it is remarkably changed, and we are happy to try it on, just the same way Catherine has tried on many a Review dress back in the day.

The long rectangular room has sleek furnishings, mainly wooden, with a metallic curtain divider giving a modern, clean feel, much like the forthcoming food, and smooth service. The bar looks inviting for another time, maybe an evening cocktail and snack.

Duck sausage sanga, leatherwood honey, onion, peanut; torched salmon sea succulents, horseradish, orange kosho

We are in the mood to celebrate and enjoy a big lunch out in the city. Bookings are not easy to get these days and we got this one a few weeks ago. We must admit it wasn’t the first we tried to make, checking sister restaurant Sunda (only open for dinner) as part of our efforts. Now we are here and we are ready!

We have a new floor person today about three weeks in. He’s keen and is ready to extend the hospitality of the restaurant with a smile on his face (under the mask). It’s okay to be nervous if you are caring and hospitable and he certainly is.

We begin with the duck sausage sanga. This is genuinely a snack not to be missed, and another time at the bar is in our not too distant future. I’ve heard it is a take on a Bunnings hotdog, but it is far prettier and much tastier, leaving no feeling of guilt.

Skull Island prawns, native curry, blistered tomato

Next, the scorched salmon is meltingly good, and we are getting on a roll. By this stage we are on to our next wine. We have a terrific sommelier who has already poured us a Reserve Gosset Champagne which is a rare offering, and a first for us at a restaurant. It sets us on a path with this very expensive wines by the glass list. The Chardonnay by Salem & Co (Oregon) is exceptional with elegance and complexity from low/no irrigation. The Fiano from Campania is also a beautiful expression, despite the price tag.

Skull Island Prawns hit the table, introducing some subtle heat and deep flavour, with generous prawn meat. Having negotiated hard on potential side options, we erred on the side of indulgence with the spanner crab fried rice and it was unmissable in hindsight. This is a beautifully executed rice dish.

Spanner crab fried rice, white kampot pepper, sweet corn; Hiramasa kingfish, buttermilk dashi, desert lime, lettuce

The side took the limelight, but the actual main was still delicious. The Hiramasa Kingfish may have been the lesser of the various savoury dishes, but it went to show the overall abundance of quality here. The buttermilk dashi lifted it, but perhaps it was on the pan for half a minute too long.

Tapioca pudding, butterscotch, banana, wattle honeycomb; scorched pavlova, coconut, passionfruit, cultured cream

Dessert arrived in the form of a tapioca pudding, and a pavlova, which we shared. Both have excellent attention to sweetness. The tapioca felt richer and deeper in flavour with the butterscotch and wattle honeycomb. The pavlova was beautifully presented, with the usual visual appeal of careful blowtorching.

It is starting to feel less unusual getting out and about, and we couldn’t be happier about that. We were ready for a great meal and it presented itself in an odd spot on Little Collins. Our experience at Aru was outstanding.

Aru Restaurant – www.aru.net.au
Tuesday to Saturday – 12pm to late
Phone +61399398113
Email info@aru.net.au
268 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

by

Patsy’s – Melbourne, City – Saturday 8 January 2022 – Dinner

Would I have done this ten years ago? Most probably not. There are two main reasons: quality; and perception. Back then the quality was nowhere near as good, and the perception was bad.

So as Catherine, my toddler Sydney, and I, walk into Patsy’s, why is dining at a vegetarian restaurant no longer a faux pas. Why are we comfortable (actually excited), and why do we have reasonable expectations?

Personally, my main reason is because some of the best dishes I’ve had in recent months are vegetarian, and over the years I’ve had many experiences where those dishes have been extremely good. Catherine is excited because she really likes the sister restaurant in Flinders, Donna Maria, which does quality Italian (but is not vegetarian).

Patsy’s is on the big round-about close to Queen Vic Market on Franklin Street. It is filled with vintage furniture, simple quaint decoration, and a white and green courtyard backdrop. Instantly I feel comfortable.

It’s not a big place, and sells itself as a wine bar too, with that friendly but professional enoteca type service. There’s no place for stuffiness, and that includes the customers.

On the menu there are a range of options, with the modern sharing style format. We decide to share the snack “Pinzimonio di Verdure”, which consists of various preserved vegetables with a hazelnut and olive bagna cauda, which is a traditional dipping sauce made of oil, butter, anchovies and garlic. It is a nice, fresh beginning.

A lot more decadent, the “Zlikrofi” is two Slovenian potato and chickpea dumplings, sitting in a sweet wine and rich shallot sauce. By the end I had ‘vinegar cheeks’ but was loving it; the firmness of the dumpling perfect for my taste.

We are certainly not big eaters, and mains were substantial as we had the Boudin de betterave along with two sides. The Burgundian beetroot sausage is an absolute full flavoured winner. With Cafe de Paris emulsion, and wrapped in vine leaves, it is just delicious. Some would say you better’ave it!

Kipfler potato mash, with its gorgeous smokiness, is a terrific addition. As is a collection of different chargrilled beans with ajo blanco, which is a Spanish soup (in this case more a sauce) made with bread, almonds, garlic, water and olive oil. This is a beautiful array of vegetarian cuisine.

While we are completely content, we are going to order dessert no matter what. At this stage we’ve really enjoyed the wine too. The native grape of Santorini is rare to find by the glass so we both indulged in a glass of Assyrtika (by Gaia Thalassitis), and by now I am onto the less complex, but deliciously juicy Xinomavro red which is also Grecian.

Dessert is curiously presented, but pretty, with the Fragole con Zabaione perfect after a substantial meal. Marinated strawberries, and strawberry ice cream, are served under the Italian combination of egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine.

Even at an early dinner, there is a great vibe here, and staff are atuned to it. We have a growing banter with the waitstaff and enjoy learning more about this culturally diverse restaurant in its early days. Vegetarian is no longer a restriction, and offerings like Patsy’s continue to make a case for its beauty. I even got to have a sausage!

Patsy’s
213 Franklin Street, Melbourne
Phone – 03 9328 7667
Bookings – OpenTable
Instagram

by

Nomad Restaurant – Melbourne, City – Dinner – Tuesday 30 November 2021

As if travelling back in time ten years, Flinders Lane is yet again one of the coolest restaurant strips in the world. Multiple high profile openings, and the buzz to deafen the most serious hype.

Tonight I didn’t even realise until we booked our parking, that we were going to the old Ezard dining room. This basement oasis of turn of this century dining excellence is once again a hot ticket. It is Tuesday night and this illustrious, completely restyled venue, is very busy. We’ve waited 16 minutes after our 8pm booking, with no drink, so this Nomad place better be worth it. Having been recently pushed out of early restaurant bookings, we held our nerve, and our judgement.

I noticed the kitchen is now mainly at the back of the long rectangular room, with a larder at the front. It’s dark and minimalist, and seems a bit tight to walk along the pathways but staff are quick to step aside. Tonight we are thankful to have one of the experienced Sydney sister venue staff as our wairperson. While she leaves Melbourne to go back to Sydney soon, we certainly noticed all staff are well trained on the menu, waiting etiquette and have a friendly persona. The speed, and depth of explanation about the gluten free options on the menu, were very impressive.

We began with some rock oysters and the wood roasted plant escabeche. The oysters were delicious and the flavour profile in the escabeche was diverse, even if the nature of a marinated dish means a soft texture.

The combination of baked ricotta, Ortiz anchovies, and wood roasted peppers, worked so well I was imagining tapas in San Sebastian. Smoked mussels, piment d’espelette, and a pure garlic puree called toum were superb, only topped by the perfect accompanying hash brown. It may not be an exaggeration to say that pure garlic might be the toum-stone for your date, but here we felt it wore off reasonably quickly.

For our main dish, Murray cod is presented skin side up to keep the crispy texture, topped with saffron butter, and sided by spring vegetables and vine leaves. Cod is an outstanding fish, with its meatiness and depth of flavour, not to mention its versatility. On that front, my Gamay by Sentio in the King Valley was a decent red match, while Catherine’s Mulline Geelong Chardonnay was a natural winner. The Roman beans as a side were more of a hit with Catherine, but I did like trying a side that was a bit different, even if I got a few chewier ones.

Earlier I’d tried the versatile Sutton Grange Fiano and was not disappointed. Catherine had the “gin drink” to start as her cocktail, and it was terrific, but we almost went mad with staff trying to remember the song that talks about “the whisky drink”. It is Tub Thumping by Chubawumba!

This is the dessert split for gluten free diners. The actual presentation of this signature is much prettier normally.

The olive oil ice cream sandwich is already signature, and we got a separated gluten free version where I got most of the gluten part, and half of the creamy ice cream. Down the road at a restaurant where Coda now resides is where I tried my first olive oil ice cream 13 years ago, and maybe that is the best way to summarise the impact Flinders Lane dining has had on me.

In one triangle on Flinders Lane we had been to three venues in barely over a month. This has to be one of the great times to dine out between Swanston and Russell. Inventive, risky, but surefooted, and focussed, Nomad is making its mark.

Nomad
187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
https://nomad.melbourne/
+02 9280 3395
eat@nomad.melbourne

by

Oakridge Estate – Yarra Valley – Saturday 13 November 2021 – Lunch

Put aside the logistical challenges with dining an hour from home, and from the time you come up the drive, there is nothing quite like lunch at a winery. The open spaces filled with leafy vines, the sense of calm, and the same air about the floorstaff. The feeling of privilege in being away from home.

Oakridge Estate epitomises this feeling. The expansive rectangular building with floor to ceiling windows running the length of the dining room, the space between the tables, and the restraint to focus on the view, are important elements in a superb dining experience. The food is exemplary, and the winery recently received Halliday’s Chardonnay of the year, so wine is covered with aplomb. Today, those elements share the limelight with service.

Accompanied by our little boy for an 11.45am lunch, we had a waitperson who was simply a star. Her demeanour, especially with Sydney, made our meal better in a way that is difficult to describe unless you have felt that pressure before. Dining with a toddler is neither an art or a science. It basically doesn’t work and there is no simple equation that offers a solution. Our waitperson navigated this imperfect situation, and went some ways to solving it.

The other element of service that I appreciated is the absence of any stuffiness, but the awareness of fine dining expectations, and when those expectations should be flexible. One aspect of good service that is often overlooked is the rule to not serve a course without all diners being at the table. Awareness by the diners can help, but I have often seen people get up at an inopportune time and the waitperson have to make a 180 degree turn back to the warmth of the pass. In our situation, Sydney needed to go to the toilet when entrees were close to being served. Another waitperson got to the table and realised, but assessing the situation decided to check with me before putting down the dishes. I made sure they were comfortable to break the rule on this occasion.

Fortunately the food and wine was equal to the standard of service. We began the lunch menu with a relaxed share course of salumi, pickles, and charred asparagus, with a healthy serving of sourdough, which set our appetite on its way. My quail and smoked bacon cannelloni then put an accent on presentation, with an interesting contrast of radicchio and nasturium to the softness of the cannelloni, and its subtle filling, that grew on me to my last bite. Catherine’s gluten free option of Jerusalem artichokes with a nut puree, and smoked nuts, was on the other hand huge on flavour, and did have me a little jealous, despite the beauty of my dish.

For mains I chose the kangaroo loin, topped with a thin slither of kohlrabi, drizzled in a sauce, and accompanied by saltbush and cherries. It was perfectly cooked, and technically very well executed, but didn’t have quite the depth of flavour I’ve enjoyed in some kangaroo dishes. Again, Catherine’s rainbow trout stole the show, with another intense flavour offering consisting of a miso and smoked trout soy, with onion weed and sesame. Perfectly cooked trout has been on the menu several times when we have dined out lately and it has been, on each occasion, a big winner.

Catherine had the lead but I paired it back somewhat with dessert. My meyer lemon tart with burnt fennel, whey and honey, was pure delight. Perfect technique, and just the right amount of sweetness, were evident in this delicious dessert. The brie icecream, beautifully presented on a disc of chopped strawberries, with pinot vincotto and lemon thyme, was a terrific dessert too though.

Knowing (having asked) that we could take home the residual of a bottle of wine here, we chose to invest in the 2018 864 Block Chardonnay (that won the Halliday award) and we were pleased we did through lunch, and even more as we shared a final glass back home. It has that wonderful balance of elegance and intensity, that I find can be a feature of great chardonnay. I also was recommended a glass of the Syrah for my kangaroo, which was perfectly matched, and also a tremendous soft expression of shiraz.

Having thought back to this lunch and the contrast with Levantine Hill, I’ve realised that service today, post our lockdowns and loss of great international staff, is even more key now. The competitive advantage of talent on the floor is far more pronounced. In Melbourne and surrounds it used to be taken for granted. Now you need to be weary. Oakridge delivered on all fronts and I can’t wait to visit again.

Oakridge Wines Cellar Door and Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by

Levantine Hill – Yarra Valley – Sunday 14 November 2021 – Lunch

There is no doubt in my mind that you can have a very enjoyable lunch, think you could return again in the future, but not recommend to others going in the first place. If you are confused that is my intention.

The situation is not complicated, but there are a series of levers that are pulling my thoughts on Levantine Hill in different directions. My conclusion, which I rarely begin with, is that this was a disappointing experience. Most of the elements that lead to this conclusion are quite distinct to each other.

Expense is something that I do not talk about in my writing, because I find it often is polarising, and rarely impacts my level of enjoyment of a meal. Here, the value is quite simply appalling. Yet I was so determined to try Levantine Hill that even after Catherine called the restaurant to confirm how the menu works, I insisted on going. Why was I so determined? I know Teage Ezard is no longer connected, but I was hoping his lengthy tenure would still be a creative influence.

There are different options, and a caution that this is better for groups from the outset. However, it was Catherine and me, along with our toddler. For $90 per person you get shared snacks, and the choice of two dishes. Given our penchant for dessert, this meant one main, with some additional sides, and dessert. Conservatively this meant our main was a $100 dish. It was not.

Before I get to the food, which was good to pleasant, with some particular highlights, the service from one of our waitpersons was a concern when contrasted with the prior day at Oakridge Estate. Unfortunately she was simply flat about being at work. Not rude, maybe a little abrupt, but simply not concerned with how our meal was. With a menu description of “Persian spice poached chicken, mushroom oil, barberries, broccolini, tahini labne” I wasn’t sure how the main would be presented so I asked “is there a lot of broccolini, or do you think we should order the salad as a side”. She said the broccolini was chopped up and there was a decent amount, but not a lot. What she didn’t say is that the poached chicken basically comes out as a salad. She allowed us to buy a side salad for a salad!

In a sense that is a pretty mild critique, but she also hit my chair countless times as she walked past the table, and eventually we did our best to interact with the other more attentive staff. One in particular was terrific and seemed to notice the level of our service was not acceptable at a high achieving restaurant. The main floor manager was also terrific and showed a lot more enthusiasm for our little boy, which is always a nice touch.

The poached chicken dish was pleasant but did lack the flavour intensity you would hope for. It was honestly quite akin to a cafe chicken salad. We had been told the fries were beer battered and intense, but not for Catherine who is less gluten tolerant, but I wanted them anyway. Again, in trying to be accommodating our waitperson brought more normal fries, but obviously hadn’t heard I wanted to try the others. It was innocent, but unattentive. She hadn’t mentioned a gluten-free option and we still paid the amount for the gangster fries that I never tried.

The snacks to begin were generous with delicious hummus, and a pomegranate drizzled labne. Normal and gluten-free bread for the table, olives, and some other offerings including cucumber with taromasalata, and a “chickpea crisp” which was a real highlight, showing the flavour intensity the kitchen had the ability to achieve. Slight touches again were missed, with no extra bread offered, even though we’d noticed most tables receiving it without even asking.

Perhaps we took too long with our snacks because, as the staff whisked our remaining dips away, we received our mains. Immediately. At exactly the same time. I’ve spoken about the chicken. Naturally we asked for a break before dessert, worried that our mains would be cleared and dessert would appear on the table simultaneously. We were offered a break, but reminded we needed to leave by 2pm. The question on our mind was if we had of selected the four courses how would we have eaten everything in a bit over two hours. It dawned on us that the staff were under pressure to get us to move on, and that is the only explanation why we would not receive a break at all between snacks and our main. It was not comfortable dining.

The hazelnut semifreddo, with rose water pastry, strawberries, honey roasted nuts, and white chocolate, was a fitting dish for a reputable dining destination. It was a sweet way to end proceedings, and again highlighted the flair of the kitchen. We’d had a break and could enjoy the dish, and relax a touch before we ventured back into the windy and rainy Sunday weather outside.

Through lunch I had really enjoyed the Levantine Hill Estate Pinot Noir, and in a serious bonus, was presented with a bottle for free, simply for paying with an Amex card! Catherine had a couple of glasses of the Katherine’s Paddock Chardonnay, which is their flagship, and it is an elegant, French leaning Chardonnay. The restaurant’s polished concrete floors, half barrel looking group tables, sleek design, and views out to helicopters landing for lunch, is quite stunning.

I can imagine others raving about their experience, which is why I might still return even if I can’t recommend this restaurant on my one experience. What I think might have tripped up the restaurant is the change to a Middle Eastern slant, and the format of the menu. I honestly do not think it fits at the moment. The comforting, sharing nature of this cuisine, cannot work with rushed dining, and the prices are extravagant for what you get. It is the first time in a very long time that I felt ripped off, and that was before the 15% on weekends and public holidays.

Levantine Hill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Society – Melbourne, City – Sunday 7 November 2021 – Lunch
by

Society – Melbourne, City – Sunday 7 November 2021 – Lunch

A bold venture; drama on the floor, and in the kitchen; the lashing of a pandemic. There have been some big storms in Melbourne recently, but the perfect storm feels like Society. Imagine spending literally millions on the bones of a three star restaurant, and no longer having the star chef, or star maitre’d?

There is a postscript here about what fine dining means (and more specifically how sommeliers should interact with their guests), but I don’t want to take anything away from a tremendous lunch. The imagination behind Society, and the ability to pull it off, during a pandemic, is mind boggling. You feel like it is a big day out.

We dressed for the occasion, incredibly excited for our 2pm lunch sitting. At a new precinct, 80 Collins, Society sits as the flagship, a beautiful brooding dining room, with three grand, but modern, chandeliers taking centre stage, stage right, and stage left, with lengthy shadow curtains creating the backdrop. There is grandeur and refinement.

I do not know if the menu has changed since the sudden departure of Martin Benn, who back in July (before three pandemic driven cancellations) was the reason for our booking, having loved our time at Sepia in Sydney. Either way, it reminds me of Gimlet, which is just down the road, with a broad sheet of great dishes, allowing you to choose your own adventure. We had our usual negotiation, but I was pleased to find Catherine was also interested in the entree “Society Seafood”, especially given the lobster ravioli had run out (which gladly we were told before we set our hearts on it).

It’s not dainty, but for a big eater, I’m glad it is not called a “platter”. For Catherine and I the portions on this plate are perfect. Starting with the delicate crab tart, mixed with yuba (dried tofu skin), and some spice, which had me reminiscing about curried egg sandwiches, each bite was memorable. Next the soft scallops, on the most divine cornbread like vessel, topped with caviar, were rich and delicate, as only scallops can be. The smoked trout took me back to one of my favourite dishes at Farmer’s Daughters only months ago, and the scarlet prawn with tiny cubes of ginger, was an equally delicious finish to the plate.

After such an extraordinary seafood extravaganza we needed some equally incredible mains, and we got what we asked for! First we need to mention the 2014 Montrachet we were drinking was about as elegant (and expensive) wine as we’ve tried, perfect with the entree, and even better with Catherine’s Murray Cod. I tried some and was swept away by the intense beauty of this fish. Richer, but no less beautiful, was my duck breast with the amount of jus that you dream of, engulfing the plate, and a generous disc of black pudding with juniper and blackberry further showcasing the technique of the kitchen. The nebbiolo I tried with the duck was a match, but the chardonnay with the Cod far outshone it.

To say we were excited by dessert by this stage is an understatement. The options, all four of them, all were so difficult to make that we found ourselves talking to nearby tables about them. My choice, “Metropolis”, is stunning and to perfect script with the restaurant. Behind the dark chocolate crack of the literal facade copy of the building, you have utterly delicious cherry and biscuit, and the playfulness doesn’t get old to the last bite. Catherine was equally stunned with the delicate feel of her tart, but the strength of the technique, and more importantly, the flavour spectrum, to create something that is unique in her blueberry and white chocolate tart.

While there had been times where service was not as precise as Chris Lucas’ script from day one; the effort, and mostly the experience of the staff was there to be seen. You have to give praise to the fact that a very expensive restaurant opened for five weeks, then copped a three month lockdown, and lost a head chef that had been in the world’s 50 best restaurants with Sepia. If we didn’t know we couldn’t have told.

In particular, the help of staff at the end of our meal when we had lost a $600 voucher we’d purchased a month prior, was terrific. They could have quite easily have made us pay, but they could see we had made the purchase and honoured it.

I do have to say that it wasn’t quite the same feel as my social media had filled my imagination with though. It is certainly beautiful, and a big day out feel, but there were quite a few diners (gents especially) that didn’t get the memo and dressed like they were off to a nice lunch at Young & Jackson’s. Each to their own, and all power to those less discerning dressers, because what they got to enjoy on the plate would have made them feel amazing anyway.

Society is very close to what it was intended to be and I hope they strive to get there. We’ll be back once we save our deposit again!

Postscript: is fine dining supposed to be comfortable?

Fine dining is supposed to be the height of hospitality where exceptional food, service, and setting, come together in perfect harmony. In my personal opinion, whilst there are a lot of intimidating factors (especially the cost of exceptional dining), if you put aside expense, to many, fine dining should be about comfort. Not comfort in the sense of tracksuit pants, rustic food (though there is nothing wrong with rustic food), and sloppy manners, but comfort within the bounds of fine dining society. Do you see what I did there?

Well, I have dined in some very intimidating places and have been schooled fairly well. I love restaurants, and I am experienced, but certainly not expert. The best restaurants I’ve been to have a manner of putting you at ease to allow you to enjoy the experience, even though you know you could be walking out poor! The reason for my lengthy introduction to this topic is one interaction with the sommelier on Sunday at lunch.

I’ve put this at the bottom of the review because it shouldn’t take away from the meal itself, but it, like other negative experiences, does stand out. I feel I need a little explanation to begin. Catherine doesn’t drink a huge amount, and favours white wine, especially chardonnay. I love chardonnay, but normally need at least one glass of red to enjoy with any heavier meat dishes. Many years ago while in Biarritz we had our first (and only) premier cru Montrachet, and it still vividly lives in my memory.

Today, I wanted to recreate some of that experience, so I perused the menu and realised that there are many areas of Montrachet, and I wouldn’t know one from the other. I noticed that for up to around $250 I could get a special bottle for our 12 years of knowing each other anniversary (yes, we celebrate that!) It is the most I’ve ever spent on a bottle of wine with Catherine, except for Dom Perignon on other special occasions. I asked for the sommelier and said that we would like a bottle of premier cru Montrachet, for up to $250. I thought the request was more than reasonable.

The sommelier said they have something off-list that sounded like it would be perfect for us, and that she would go and try to find it. In the meantime Catherine said something like “I bet she comes back with something more expensive” and I said something, as I normally do because I am optimistic like “no, she heard what we asked for”. When the sommelier came back she said she found the bottle and it is a 2014, giving a great description, which we were excited about, before saying “it’s $290”. I thought I misheard so I did say “did you say two-ninety” and she replied “is that alright? I know you said $250.”

This is a situation that a tax professional of over 20 years, who has got through school and uni and post-grad, and 20 years of work, still cannot handle. I wanted to say “what the” but what came out was “sure, it sounds great”. Think of the scratchy voiced kid in the Simpsons. I think she realised we were unhappy with the underhandedness of the gesture and came back with an offer of two glasses of Margaret River blanc de blancs by Vasse Felix, but only I could properly take her up on the offer because Catherine wanted to just have a couple of glasses. Given they knew this was an anniversary I’m a bit skeptical, and it may have been on the house anyway.

The whole situation was uncomfortable because Catherine and I would not even normally look at bottles that far over $100 in the first place and we had been upsold on the most expensive bottle we’ve ever bought at a restaurant. To come back to the initial question, what the sommelier did, whether intentional or not, is not my definition of hospitality, and not the service you should expect in fine dining.

Twenty-one years ago I ate at Rockpool in Circular Quay and could barely afford the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, but no one in that fine establishment made me feel uncomfortable about that. That is service. Oh, and Neil Perry was dining on the table next-door (for some reason in his own restaurant) which I realised as I flew home the next day to Perth, given he featured as the new executive chef for Qantas!

by

Hazel – Melbourne, City – Tuesday 2 November 2021 – Dinner

There are not too many people who would rather style over substance when it comes to food. Sure, there is a place for the fancy, but genuine flavour is prime. While some of my favourite dishes I’ve had are beautiful to look at, the reason I remember them is the taste, which is the sense that dominates when it comes to dining, even though visuals are also important.

Here, at Hazel, the style is strong, but the substance is palpable. Is it crazy to say my favourite dish was the barbecued potatoes with shoyu (Japanese style soy) and saltbush. To say these potatoes are cooked perfectly is a tremendous understatement. Like most of us, having had potatoes in the many forms, many times, this one had me thinking of the perfect consistency of Attica’s “potato cooked in the earth it was grown”. It was that good that to call it a side is offensive. I could happily have these on the bar on their own prior to my other favourite dish of the evening.

Before I get to my dessert, with the potatoes, Catherine and I also tried the chopped salad, and scotch fillet with mushroom butter. The chopped salad, you may find humorous, was epic. It is hard to describe why, and how, it was so great, and I’ve tried a few times to blank looks. In summary it is a combination of the most gorgeous fresh vegetables chopped in a small and rustic fashion. If I could get this in my repertoire I could win friends with salad.

The scotch fillet was very nicely cooked, and the mushrooms really shone. Somehow the steak took a back seat to our “sides” but was still excellent. Earlier we had a pig’s head croquette each, which were rich and delicious, topped with some nettles that had seemingly been pounded in a mortar and pestle. The charred octopus could have been a little more charred for my taste, but the broad beans were superb, and featured in the chopped salad too.

Back to dessert. The honey tart is quite simply stunning. Paired with cultured (sour) cream to balance the sweetness of the honey, this is a meticulously created dessert, from a technical perspective primarily, but because of the perfect technique, the result is a dish that I want to eat again now.

This ode to farm-to-table dining in the city is not in a rustic space. The dining room is sleek and stylish, with pale tones, and a bar acting as the centrepiece of the main room, with other spaces upstairs and next to the main room. There is a minimalist feel, with artistic touches, such as the sketch on the menu, which captures your attention immediately on being seated. The location in Richard Allen & Sons on Flinders Lane near many polished restaurants such as Kisume and Supernormal, is a smart choice from management.

We recognised one of our waitstaff who worked at places such as Bistro Gitan, and had a great manner about her. Generally service was good, and there is no stuffiness, even though the whole venture is very professional. When we entered early after Melbourne Cup day at Flemington, there was one table with a little baby enjoying herself (but very well behaved), and when we left a couple of hours later the whole restaurant was full on a Tuesday.

Catherine had discovered Hazel because the head chef, Brianna Smith, worked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in upstate New York. We haven’t been to that three Michelin star masterpiece, but we’ve been to the city sister restaurant in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and Hazel captures some of that vibe. Though in the end, the only vibe we needed is what was captured on our plates during a delicious meal, showcasing the best local producers and their seasonal produce. The low waste cooking, and sustainable sourcing, adds even more weight to the script.

Hazel
164 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
https://hazelrestaurant.com.au/
+61 3 9070 4938
info@hazelrestaurant.com.au

by

What it means

I like to be a regular. In principle. In reality it has never been possible because I also like variety. That is until recently.

Variety has been sorely missed during this pandemic. Queue the lines about the longest lockdown, which for the record, was not anywhere near the harshest lockdown globally, but dragged on like the 2019 grand final. If you think I’m embellishing you were not in Melbourne. No one lives here for the weather. Going out is a way of life; it is life itself.

I wrote a bit about Pillar Of Salt when the lockdown had just begun. At the time I knew a lot of the staff by face, but not by name, and I must admit we were all okay with that. The person who had the most impact on me, with a simple “things have changed” type disclosure, told me over the weekend that they were leaving. That was simultaneous with another resignation from someone who I, and my wife, had really built a friendship with.

It’s hard to admit in a sense, but I’m really quite sad about it. Their sense of “this place reminds me of a very difficult lockdown” is fair, but in my mind “you were part of the reason my family got through lockdown”. Again, I’m not embellishing. Sometimes we went weeks with only having conversations between ourselves and the staff at Pillar. I’m genuinely sad thinking about that ending, but I know that in other post-lockdown times it is not the same when you get busy.

I want to tell the staff at Pillar Of Salt, and I want other hospitality staff to know, that the relationship with customers is important. It means a lot, and I hope everyone takes some time to remind the cafe and restaurant staff of the places they frequent that they are important to them. I’m an emotional person and I can tear up a bit when I talk emotively, but I hope I was sincere when I told people like Franco and Lauren what they meant to Catherine, Sydney and I, over the past 18 months.

At the start of the lockdown, Sydney was 10 months old. Between Catherine and I we would have averaged four to five trips to PoS a week since then. In that time he learned to walk, talk, wave at the staff, speak to the staff, have countless baby-cinos, and hear how his Mummy and Daddy interact with people. It’s 20 months later now. That’s an important legacy.