Charcuterie and heirloom tomatoes

Fitzroy continues to be one of the most exciting areas in the country. The impossible-to-keep-up-with openings have softened a touch, but the mainstays of recent years are going from strength to strength. If you add the places in Collingwood, many across the road along Smith Street, you have a vibrancy that is difficult to equal.

2010 Domaine de Roqueforte Petit Salle Clairette from Provence, France and 2015 Alice & Olivier de Moor Chitry Chardonnay from Burgundy, France

Early this evening we start on Johnston Street at Bar Liberty. This wine obsessed bar and restaurant has the versatility we have come to love in modern times. The wine list introduces you to wines that are not common, whether due to the variety, the maker, or the region. Throw in a delicious, but slightly over-peppered cacio e pepe bucatini pasta as a snack to graze on and we are very comfortable indeed.

Bucatini cacio e pepe

I was back at Bar Liberty in early February trying some new wines, and tried out Drinkwell, the new aptly named outdoor bar behind, which is a bit more casual. Tonight however there was more wine drinking to be done over at Napier Quarter.

On a beautiful warm early summer evening, Napier Quarter’s tiny outdoor tables are worth the compromise. A more traditional, but still creative, wine list allowed us to go back to our favoured varieties. We had whiled away the early evening and were approaching sundown, so it was time to order more substantially.

We chose the heirloom tomatoes, the Cuca Spanish anchovies and the charcuterie board. The latter was good value considering its reasonable price, displaying three meats that were a combination of local and overseas cured. The heirloom tomatoes showed off several varieties, textured by chorizo pangrattato. The quality of tomatoes around Australia just continues to grow, and these, drizzled with plenty of quality olive oil, are no exception. I would have been as happy with them on their own.

Cuca Spanish anchovy

The anchovies were the biggest hit though. Simply served on bread with plenty of parsley, a chopped boiled egg, and a mayonnaise style sauce, this is a classic wine bar offering. It’s the kind of dish that you are eating and thinking “we need to make this at home” but we never seem to getting around to it! If only Napier Quarter was around the corner.