Are you one of those people, like me, who has the propensity to elevate experiences that are close by? I like to think that with the knowledge of this attribute I can rebalance my thoughts on restaurants and cafes, even when they are literally down the road. Sometimes the plaudits are justified, and supported through the weight of evidence. Sometimes the need for decent locals gets in the way, and that is a time where I decide to be sensible, and refrain from advancing a draft review.

I’m constantly considering what makes one place special, and the next dreary, even when the elements seem similar. One aspect that is naturally intangible is charm. For a local, charm is normally a call to friendliness, and consistency. There is not a restaurant, cafe, or bar, that will entirely profit from its locals, but there are very few that do not need a baseline local following to survive. Marketing is important, but experience is everything else.

After a soft opening, the official opening night at Lilac Wine was a night full of locals, with an unofficial suburban red carpet coming in at adult time. With our three year old in tow, we were nearing the end of the family time, which was incredibly busy in itself. A couple of weeks later I returned for lunch on the bar. A few weeks after that it was time for a friend, Lisa’s, leaving dinner, where we had a very adult evening. Not long after that it was an old work friends dinner on a school night.

Even at the same restaurant, no two experiences are completely the same, but the versatility of this new wine bar, sister to Hazel and Dessous, and from restaurant owning royalty, seems to be gathering an incredible amount of steam. During my last visit it was full on a Wednesday night heading into the Easter weekend. The five of us, all previously work colleagues, enjoyed handing over control to the kitchen, with the $75 chef’s menu. The reason we chose this option, which is not normally one of my preferences? There is basically no dish I tried on the previous three visits that I didn’t like.

From the vegetables with whipped eggplant, to the incredibly addictive woodfired sourdough, to the treatment of lamb (whether rump or belly), and the sweet stuff, the entire menu is balanced, considerate, and big on flavour in some dishes, subtle and elegant in others, but all relatively stripped back as good wine driven food should be. The wines by the glass are numerous, and start at entry level prices ($13 for some glasses is a positive feature, though obviously there is better drinking in the high teens and twenties by the glass). The other night the roussane granache blanc was superb drinking, and a real find. The marsanne has been a feature since day one and at the entry level price still has substance to it, with the Chablis on the other end of the spectrum a celebration in a glass.

The menu follows what is now the classic modern sharing concept of snacks, mid-sized dishes, and then a few larger plates to round it out, with sides almost unmissable, and dessert a great option for those inclined. Depending on the agenda, there are several options to sustain any appetite. I’ve been here for bread and charcuterie (don’t miss the wagyu braesola if available); for a light meal with Catherine trying a few snacks, a larger dish and sides to share; to try half the menu in a small group; and to work through the chef’s menu. On a future occasion I hope to just enjoy a glass of wine and the duck fat potatoes, plus perhaps the black garlic coated chicken mousse eclair, which is a tremendous, albeit expensive, bite or two.

There are some challenging dishes that you should not shy away from. Beef heart comes finely sliced, with a strong but poised taste, balanced with white sauce. Zucchini and walnut bolognaise is not sitting atop pasta, but delights a playful response, the intrigue giving way to the enticing flavours of the dish. Dessert wise the rum baba is likely picking up a following, though I still dream of the day the Hazel honey tart finds its way to Lilac. The port flan is a crowd pleaser too.

From the first visit to the last, I’ve noticed similar, well trained staff, who are excited about the restaurant, the neighbourhood, and the wines. Service is not perfectly restaurant attentive, and is more relaxed and charming, like an Italian enoteca. On any occasion you’ll get a few different staff to the table, working hard, and attending to multiple tables and requests. At the same time it is not difficult to attract attention, and I’ve found the enthusiasm and knowledge of the floor outweighs some of the inconsistency.

Right now there is a substantial enough cool vibe happening here that I’m not one hundred percent comfortable to just rock up, outside of the quieter lunch time period. The helpful aspect is that there is no tyranny of distance for me, and getting here early to secure a table, or a drink or two, is not an issue. The long rectangular bar is both a feature and a convenience for walk-ins, and on decent days the outdoor area is cute, appealing for another reason, which is the fact that the restaurant is decidedly smoky from the fire based cooking methods. Waiting for a table shouldn’t be a great issue, with the Cherry Tree about three hundred metres down the road, to potentially open proceedings, or provide a post-dining cleansing ale.

Inside the theme is very much derived from Hazel, from the kitsch crockery, to the antique display furniture, to the stripped back setting that is both comfortable, and unintimidating, especially if the whole white linen and finery is not your thing. In fact, almost as an ode to the ethos, the graffiti present on the front of the Cremorne next-to-the-tracks warehouse has never been removed (and may have built up since opening).

At first I thought perhaps we were lucky to have a nice wine bar properly in our suburb, and not just on the edge of Richmond. In subsequent visits I’ve started to recommend others plan a visit, and now I’m chuffed to say this place could well become a suburban icon. Lilac Wine has a way to go, but it already has had a fantastic couple of months, and the buzz appears to be growing.

Lilac Wine
31 Stephenson Street Cremorne
https://lilacwinebar.com.au/
hello@lilacwinebar.com.au
Dinner Wed-Sun
Lunch Fri-Sun