Burnley

by

Burnley Brewing – Richmond – Sunday 3 December 2017 – Dinner

Pale Ale

There can never be enough breweries. This is one statement that all my beer loving friends would wholeheartedly agree with.

Craft brewing has been exploding for years and like an extended fireworks display I don’t think we’ve seen the best of it yet. In recent weeks I’ve been to Mountain Goat in Richmond, and both Temple Brewing and Foreigner Brewing out Brunswick way. A few days ago I had a Stomping Ground pale ale at Canteen Pizza in Cottesloe on the other side of the country from where it is made in small batches in Collingwood!

The latest brewery to land in Richmond (well, the Burnley part at least) is Burnley Brewing on Bridge Road down the Yarra end. After a reasonably extensive renovation of the old Romulus and Remus site, BB took over but kept the R&R kitchen, along with its focus on Italian.

Pea and haloumi fritters and arancini

I can see BB being very popular. While it lacks a large outdoor space like the Bridge Hotel two doors down, it makes up for it with large windows fronting the street, and a big airy space with high ceilings, as you would expect from a brewery. The renovated room is clean and restrained, with good mixed spaces, and a long bar for the many who will have a drinking preference.

Eggplant parmigiano and salad

Tonight we are checking it out with Catherine’s sister Stephanie, and their Mum, Sandra. While it is an early dinner, there are plenty of punters both having a drink, and getting a bite to eat. We decide to share some starters and a pizza between three of us, with Sandra opting for the eggplant parmigiano, which she loved.

Capricciosa, ham, olives, artichoke, anchovies, mushrooms and fior di latte

The pizza hasn’t changed here, and it was always good quality, without being amazing. Our capricciosa is a good size, with plenty of topping, and is cooked right. The arancini is great, with a good dose of gorgonzola adding to the saltiness. On the flipside, the pea and haloumi fritters are a little bit weird with not a great amount of flavour.

Mini donuts

With a little bit of room left, we shared the donuts with chocolate coated vanilla ice cream, which is simple but effective for a shared dessert. More importantly, at this stage I’d tried a couple of the beers, and they are good, with the IPA a little ahead of the pale ale in my opinion. The only disappointment was the double IPA running out, but it should be back early next year.

With enthusiastic and energetic service, a comfortable space, and some freshly brewed beers, backed up by a kitchen that has always done a nice job, Burnley Brewing should enjoy plenty of success.

Burnley Brewing Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

by

Jethro Canteen – Richmond – Friday 7 October 2016 – Lunch

Chilli dog

Chilli dog

There are tens of apartment blocks going up in Richmond at any one time; all the time. That is not necessarily a good thing. On the flipside, the almost comparable number of cafes with good looks, sharp service, and great food, is a far more attractive element.

Given a moment to think, one could very quickly reel off half a dozen new cafes that have begun life in Richmond in the past year. Jethro Canteen, on Burnley Street, at the back East end of this great suburb, is the latest to be born.

There are some nice differences in the fitout that set it apart from many others in recent times, but it is still the clean minimalist look associated with this era in design. I particularly like the flourishes of green, and the exposed brick, in this wide rectangular double fronted old shop. Naturally with the length, the windows allow a lot of light through to fill the cafe with brightness.

As you would expect, on this first Friday of operation the cafe is full at lunch. We wait for a larger table of blokes to leave and our turn comes not long after arriving. If the wait time is too long, there is always Friends Of Mine a few minutes around the corner, or even better, Penny House just down the street.
img_6154
Instantly there appears to be a go-to dish in the form of the Jethro chilli dog. In fact, all three of the gentleman on our table instantly order it. I have a lower heat tolerance than Graeme and Ralph, so I use less of the jalapenos provided, but there is hot mustard on top of the brioche bun, and flecks of chilli in the frankfurter sausage, that gives the right amount of zing. It’s good, and I would go back for it again, but I would equally go for the fried chicken in charcoal brioche!

The coffee is good too. And I’ve been back twice to make sure! Each time there have been a surprising amount of staff, which is a great thing if it keeps up, because the crowds are already hitting up the cafe all times of day.

All I can say is keep the great new cafes coming, but please halt the number of new apartment blocks!

Jethro Canteen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato