Bistro

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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

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Frederic – Cremorne – Saturday 10 February 2024 – Dinner

It’s down the street. Back in the day I was here at least once a week for coffee and a croissant. The pandemic had its impact, but the strength of the team behind Frederic ensured the quality would be retained.

There is no good reason why I haven’t dedicated the time to review Frederic. Having eaten here multiple times, with Catherine, several others, and even by myself, I have always been impressed. Tonight we are here for a Saturday evening, and can have a lengthy experience.

We start out the front with a champagne. On weeknights there is a great special from 4-6pm. The street overlooks a car park along the railway tracks near Richmond station, and the back of the Precinct pub, but it is still cute, and tonight is a beautiful evening. When there’s big events there can be a great atmosphere on the pavement here.

Once seated we start strategising on the menu. As usual Catherine needs to pay extra attention to the gluten-free options. More and more it is becoming a positive reason for choosing one restaurant over another, but with good restaurants normally catering well to coeliacs and gluten-intolerant people, it is rarely a reason to not try a venue.

We skip the snacks, but choose an entree, main, and dessert. After some confusion about the vitello tonnato, which I really enjoyed, Catherine chose the burrata, which popped with freshness and brightness. Although not a textural clash, the delicious Chapoutier Marsanne 2019 is probably a better choice with the burrata, heirloom tomatoes, and peach. I was glad I tried it though. Catherine’s Petit Chablis by La Manufacture in Burgundy, was just as Petit Chablis should be, and its freshness matched her burrata nicely.

French bistro screams mains to me, and I’m happy enough to start here much of the time. The porterhouse cut by Vic Southern Ranges is grass fed, and beautifully medium rare, with shoestring fries, mustard, and chimichurri. While I’d probably prefer some béarnaise, there’s nothing else I would change about this dish, and it isn’t far above a decent quality pub steak price wise. The Maison Cassange et Vitailles Grenache Shiraz Cinsaut from Languedoc is a terrific red that matches the steak well.

Catherine’s baked rockling fillet is delightfully presented, scattered mussels generously adorn the splash of green around the yellow vadouvan curry sauce. I get the pleasure of a couple of tries and it is right up to my steak, and not without merit to suggest sharing the two on another occasion.

The menu caters to Catherine’s intolerance perfectly, and I must admit, I had not stopped to think that a soufflé’s base ingredients do not include any gluten. Today’s passionfruit version is perfectly executed, with the classic fluffiness that makes you feel like you could eat two!

Frederic is a comfortable place to relax over several courses. The quality of the food, and its plating, is the primary reason I keep coming back. It is hard to say it is suburban, but it is part of our suburb, and while the normal menus prices are not every day reasonable, there are plenty of specials during the week to capture regulars. Over the years it has certainly captured us plenty of times.

Frederic
https://frederic.com.au
9-11 Cremorne Street, Cremorne
M-F lunch + dinner; Saturday dinner
hello@frederic.com.au
(03) 9089 7224