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OMO, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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OMO, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | Tucked away down Merriman Lane, you’ll find all-day Japanese cafe, OMO. Inspired by the kissaten of Japan, it’s a cosy place that’s darker, quieter, and more refined than your typical cafe. I popped the other day for What’s on Melbourne to grab some shots.

At the counter, you’ll find house-baked treats like canelés, cookies, and cakes. There’s also a rotating selection of onigiri. To drink there’s a wide selection of filter and espresso coffees made with Ona beans, plus specialty lattes. A crowd favourite is the birru latte, a blend of non-alcoholic beer, cream, and espresso. The silky peanut butter cream latte is another winner.

On the main menu, it’s Japanese-inspired brunch dishes during the day, moving to more lunch and dinner-type dishes as the day progresses. Brunch options include things like ogura kinako butter toast, and eggs Benedict with miso char siu, sake apple purée, onsen egg, red onion tsukemono, miso powder & yuzu hollandaise.

For lunch and dinner, it’s an enticing selection of Japanese and Japanese-influenced dishes. Creamy udon carbonara with bacon, onsen egg, nori, herb crumb, spring onion and parmigiano reggiano is wonderful. So to, the katsu teishoku sets. Your choice of chicken or 48-hour aged hire (pork loin), paired with Japanese rice, miso soup, and seasonal sides.

The drinks menu also changes as the day goes on, with the addition beer, wine, and cocktails.

OMO

18 Merriman Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0401 812 730
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Fri: 7:30am to 9:30pm
Sat: 8:00am to 9:30pm
Fri: 8:00am to 9:00pm

Harry’s New York Bar, Opéra

Paul
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0
Harry’s New York Bar, Opéra

PARIS | The term ‘iconic’ is bandied around far too often. In the case of Harry’s Bar, however, it’s apt. Originally opened as a bistro on 7th avenue in Manhattan, New York City, retired American jockey Tod Sloan purchased the venue in 1911, and moved it piece by piece to Paris. He rechristen it as a bar, named it ‘The New York Bar’, and hired Scottish bartender Harry MacElhone to run it.

Word of Paris’ only New York style bar spread, boosted by Sloan’s reputation (he was a hall-of-famer), and MacElhone’s excellent drinks. It was a popular venue for American soldiers during World War I, along with American expatriates and celebrities from around the world. Sloan’s lavish lifestyle led to him being forced to sell the bar. MacElhone purchased it from him, renamed it ‘Harry’s New York Bar’, and it’s remained in the family ever since.

The dark, mahogany bar evokes memories of a time long passed, with historic college sports paraphernalia and old newspaper clippings dotted about. It’s a casual place, where you’ll encounter people from around the world conversing and singing together. There’s a piano bar in the basement, where George Gershwin composed ‘An American in Paris’.

As for the drinks, Harry’s has a cocktail list that’s fitting of its reputation. There’s over 400 cocktails and 350 whiskeys on the menu. Most bars features a classics list and a house creations list, but there are few where both overlap to this extent. Cocktails that were invented (as best anyone knows) at Harry’s include the Bloody Mary, French 75, Sidecar and Monkey Gland.

Harry’s New York Bar

5 Rue Daunou
75002 Paris
France

Telephone: 014 261 7114
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sun: 5:00pm to 1:00am
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 2:00am

Kafeneion, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
Kafeneion, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | When Con Christopoulos and Stavros Konis called it curtains at Supper Club after 25 years, Melburnians waited with bated breath for what was to come next. The answer came last year, when their Greek pop-up from around the corner, Kafeneion, took over the space and became a permanent fixture on the city’s dining scene. In short time, it’s managed to become as beloved as its predecessor.

Named after the Greek “kafenio”, a traditional coffeehouse, Kafeneion doesn’t look much different from Supper Club, which is a good thing. It has a worn in charm that makes the restaurant feel like it’s always been here. It also feels much the same, with a boisterous vibe and friendly service that makes you feel at home.

Food wise, Kafeneion is all about traditional, home-style Greek dishes, from familiar favourites to those not commonly seen in Australia. It’s a tight menu of around 25 options, with dips and starters, larger plates, sides, and desserts.

Light and zesty ouzo-cured kingfish is a great way to start; as are the creamy, crispy pan-fried sweetbreads with lemon and wild Greek oregano; and the herbaceous, rich pan-fried keftedes (meatballs).

For larger plates, you might opt for the gemista (baked capsicum stuffed with herbed rice), or the slow-cooked lamb with potatoes and wild Greek oregano. To the side, it’s hard to go past some feta or Greek village salad, but be sure to not skip the chip. Hand-cut and fried in olive oil, they have a wonderful flavour and texture that’s different than your typical chip.

For dessert, I’m a big fan of both the moist portokalopita (orange filo cake), and halva with sesame and honey ice-cream.

If you visit after 10pm, the menu switches to a reduced late night offering, with a few dishes that aren’t on the regular menu. Mageirítsa, a traditional offal soup is one of these late night dishes, and is a must order.

To drink, it’s Greek and Aussie wines, beer, and spirits. You can also enjoy quality cocktails, and Greek coffee on offer all night. There’s a quality ouzo and tsipouro selection, with many of the options available by the bottle.

Kafeneion

1F, 161 Spring Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: (03) 9654 6300
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Mon: 5:00pm to 1:00am
Tue – Sat: 5:00pm to 3:00am

Le Servan, Roquette

Paul
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0
Le Servan, Roquette

PARIS | The mid 2010s were an exciting time for Paris’ food scene, with several openings helping redefine what French food could be. One such restaurant was Le Servan, opened in 2014 by Manila-born, French-Filipina sisters, Tatiana and Katia Levha. Tatiana is the executive chef, Katia the sommelier and general manager. When Serai’s Ross Magnaye (who did a stint in the kitchen at Le Servan back in the day) recommended that I pay the restaurant a visit, you bet that I took note.

Prior to opening Le Servan, Tatiana spent time living in Bangkok and Hong Kong, and had worked at multiple three Michelin starred restaurants. Her menu reflects all of this. French ingredients and technique, laced with strands of Asia – in particular, the Philippines. The result is a restaurant that, 11 years after opening, remains exciting and relevant.

Seasonal, organic, produce is directly sourced from sustainable local producers, and is allowed to shine through each dish. Boudin noir (blood sausage) wontons with sweet chili sauce are the perfect choice to start your meal. The contrast between the soft and crunchy elements, and the interplay of sweet, savoury, salty, a spicy elements tease what’s to come.

Linguine-like strands of raw cuttlefish, topped with tempura perilla leaves, served atop a bed of gelée, Datterino tomatoes, and chilli sauce, is another outstanding dish. Also wonderful, artichoke and sweet onion ravioli doused with nutty burnt Savagnin butter, and topped with a sprinkling of fermented black walnuts.

To finish, roast lamb with seaweed-glazed leeks and black garlic, capped off a brilliant meal. To drink, Katia has put together an excellent selection of interesting bottles from some of France’s most exciting minimal intervention winemakers. Many are available by the glass, and I was particularly impressed by the pairings that I was recommended, with insightful explanation and reasoning that went above and beyond.

Full from a day of eating, meant that I skipped things like veal sweetbread, beef tartare, marinated sardines, fried soft-baked chilli eggs, and dessert. If that’s not a reason to return to Le Servan the next time I’m in Paris, I don’t know what is.

Le Servan

32 Rue Saint-Maur
75011 Paris
France

Telephone: 015 528 5182
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 2:00pm, 7:30pm to 10:30pm

musu&co, Carlton

Paul
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0
musu&co, Carlton

MELBOURNE | I often praise the joys of “brown” food, and lament food that’s designed for social media, all style and no substance. These are, of course, big generalisations. There’s a lot of shitty brown food, and loads of delicious social media-ready stuff. I recently visited Asian-inspired cake shop, musu&co, for What’s on Melbourne, and am happy to report it’s more than just style over substance.

Opened by Tara Jiang as a made-to-order cake business, musu&co moved to its bricks and mortar digs in Carlton a few years ago. Starting with a boba lava cake, the menu soon expanded to feature an assortment of cakes, tarts, and drinks. Signature cakes can be ordered as individual serves, or in a variety of sizes through to large cakes for events.

The boba lava cake is still musu&co’s signature item, as popular now as it was when Tara launched her business. A second creation from the early days, soft chiffon cake filled with Earl Grey milk tea lava and brown sugar boba, is another customer favourite.

I tried a couple signature items, and a few seasonal things, and was impressed by the balanced flavours and textures, and retrained sweetness. The mango pandan chiffon cake is a highlight, and the jasmine tea cake with fresh green grapes is also a winner. For something different, that’s both sweet and salty, check out the salted egg yolk lava cake topped with meat floss.

I also highly recommend the layered jelly emoji cake, available in either matcha yuzu or raspberry pistachio. The latter, which I got, features raspberry Bavaria, pistachio sea salt mousse, cream cheese mousse with sour cream, raspberry jelly, pistachio pine nut crunch, and pistachio sponge.

Beyond cake, there’s a small selection of lattes and soda. Think rose with sparkling sakura water and butterfly pea, Thai milk tea, and strawberry matcha milk. Like the cakes, the feature well balanced flavours, and aren’t too sweet. Just remember to stir well before taking a sip.

musu&co

1/73 Cardigan Street
Carlton
Victoria 3053
Australia

Telephone: n/a
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Wed – Mon: 12:00pm to 6:00pm

Bistrot Des Tournelles, Le Marais

Paul
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0
Bistrot Des Tournelles, Le Marais

PARIS | Step inside Bistrot des Tournelles, and you might assume that it’s a classic French bistro that’s been around for over 100 years. It’s a fair assumption, given the way that Bistrot des Tournelles  looks and feels. In fact, it only opened in 2022. It’s quickly become a classic, filled with locals and visitors each night, and receiving several accolades along the way.

Housed in the space formerly home to the popular Gaspard de la Nuit, owner Édouart Vermynck, wanted to pay homage to the site’s history, and make his venue one that would appeal to locals who missed their old haunt, as well as new diners. The warm interior features retro fittings like antique mirrors, art deco chandeliers, and vintage photos. Chairs are made by long-time cafe chair artisan, and have their own history.

Staff are friendly and attentive, with tables squeezed together adding to Bistrot des Tournelles’ convivial charm. Due to the tight quarters, it’s loud and a bit chaotic, but in a controlled way. Smart noise dampening means that you’re never struggling to have a conversation with your dining companions.

Head chef Geoffroy Lalangella has put together a menu of well-executed bistrot classics with an emphasis on technique, and the quality and providence of ingredients. Creamy oeufs mayonnaise are and outstanding way to start. There’s also starters like sauteed oyster mushrooms with garlic and parsley, and a Croque-Monsieur.

For larger dishes, it’s things like eggplant and provolone ravioli with datterini tomatoes, steak with pepper sauce, and Provencal beef stew. Lauren and I opted for the andouillette (seasoned pork chitterling sausage) and Cordon Bleu with comté & Prince de Paris ham. The former is bold, and rich delight, while the latter has all of its indulgent components singing in perfect harmony.

All mains come with the option of fries, mashed potatoes or green beans. Hot tip, do not miss the fries. Matchstick thin and perfectly textured, they’re a surprise highlight, given as much care as everything else on the menu. For dessert, you can’t go past the sublime crème brulée.

To drink, its a tight selection of exclusively minimal intervention wines from some of France’s best winemakers, plus a few other things.

Bistrot Des Tournelles

6 Rue des Tournelles
75004 Paris
France

Telephone: 015 740 9996
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 7:00pm to 11:00pm

Roza Restaurant, Coburg

Paul
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0
Roza Restaurant, Coburg

MELBOURNE | Roza Restaurant is one of those places that I put on my list years ago, having driven past countless times. I’d forgotten about it until recently, when talking to a Pakistani-Saudi work colleague about mandi, and he mentioned that Roza was one of his top places in Melbourne for it. Memory sparked, and armed with the additional info, I finally paid Roza a visit, and was rewarded with a fantastic meal.

Roza is a small family-run spot, popular with those in the know for its affordable, quality halal Middle Eastern Gulf and North African food. Originating as a pop-up almost 20 years ago, Roza have been at their current Sydney Road digs for just over a decade. It’s a welcoming space, with homely furnishings and arabic music playing on the speakers. To the right, it’s low, majlis-style plush seating, and to right, Western-style seats and tables.

The menu’s a compact one, featuring classic dishes like mandi, zigni, and kabsa. While you’re waiting for your order, you can help yourself to Yemeni adana tea at the counter. You’ll also be a wonderfully flavoured, complimentary bowl of aromatic, spiced lamb broth soup.

Mandi is Roza’s signature item. A fluffy bed of saffron rice, cardamon rice, or both, cooked with onion, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and coriander. It’s topped with your choice of tender, slow roasted lamb or chicken, and served with chilli sauce, yoghurt sauce, and salad. It’s absolutely divine, and a must order.

Other dishes that I enjoyed were the lamb kabab, served sizzling on a claypot with pita and ful medames. The ful medames are particularly noteworthy – cumin spiced stewed fava beans topped with a handful of grated cheese that are bursting with flavour.

Drinks wise, it’s all non-alcoholic. There’s the aforementioned complimentary tea along with other tea and coffee, Arabic sodas, ayran, and malt beverages.

Roza Restaurant

131 Sydney Road
Coburg
Victoria 3058
Australia

Telephone: (03) 7014 4264
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Sun – Mon, Wed – Thu: 2:00pm to 12:30am
Fri – Sat: 2:00pm to 1:00am

Gilou, Belleville

Paul
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0
Gilou, Belleville

PARIS | When Nicholas Woolard (head chef at The Standard, in Perth), saw that I was in Paris and told me about this brother Chris’ new neighbourhood bistro, Gilou, you bet that I added it to my list. Gilou had only opened a few weeks prior and wasn’t on my radar. When I visited, I enjoyed a meal, service, and local’s vibe that you only usually find at a venue that’s been open for much longer.

Located down a quiet street in a former butcher shop, Gilou is all about unfussy, seasonal, produce driven and ingredient-focused cooking. It’s compact menu of contemporary French bistro food at heart, with nods to Chris’ English roots and his experience cooking in the UK, Italy, and France.

To start, it’s things like potato rosti with beef tartare and mustard, chicken terrine with pickles and apricot chutney, and leek and cheddar croquettes. For larger dishes, you’ll find options like saffron cavatelli with , and cuttlefish fideua with mussels and aioli. It’s all very tasty stuff, with the quality of the produce shining through.

Dessert is a must. A close toss up between milk ice cream with candied cherries, and elderflower sorbet with fresh strawberries. I opted for the latter, summer in a plate.

To drink, co-owner Dan Humphris has put together a compact selection of minimal intervention wines from some of France’s most exciting winemakers. There’s also craft beer from Les Bières de Belleville, who brew just around the corner, and several non-alc options.

Gilou

9 Rue du Tunnel
75019 Paris
France

Telephone: 0140 407 236
E-mail: [email protected]
Website

Open
Wed – Sat 12:00pm to 2:00pm, 7:00pm to 10:00pm

SOT Dining, Melbourne CBD

Paul
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0
SOT Dining, Melbourne CBD

MELBOURNE | SOT Dining opened in April last year, aiming to bring something different to Melbourne’s Korean food scene. It didn’t hit my radar until recently, when I popped in for What’s on Melbourne. What I found impressed me, a place where co-owner and ex-Nobu chef Dowoon Lee is putting a refined touch on casual Korean dining.

The menu is centred around the restaurant’s namesake, sot. Short for gamasot, a sot is a traditional pot that’s commonly used in Korean cuisine. Food is both cooked and served from the sot. They can be made from a variety of materials, with the ones used at SOT being made from steel.

There are six sot on the menu, filled with buttered rice, and your choice of things like steak, saengson (grilled market fish), and haemul (sauteed seafood). The most popular way to enjoy your sot at SOT is as part of a bansang set meal. It gets you a sot of your choice, along with steamed rice, soup, and banchan.

Instead of a sot as your main, you can also choose from a variety of dishes. A few of the options are sogalbi (24 hour slow-cooked marinated beef rib), mulhoe (spicy ceviche in cold gochujang broth), and bibimguksu with yukjeon (spicy cold noodles served with thinly sliced pan-fried beef, and egg). You can also order anything on the menu, a la carte.

If you’re visiting with two or more people, there’s also the option of one of three chef’s tasting menus. Ranging from $45 to $59 per person, they’re a great way to experience the diversity of what SOT has to offer.

Drinks include Korean-inspired cocktails, soju, makgeolli, Korean beer, a compact selection of global wines, sodas and tea.

SOT Dining

98 Bourke Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia

Telephone: 0401 704 919
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Sun: 11:30am to 9:30pm

Le Mary Celeste, La Marais

Paul
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0
Le Mary Celeste, La Marais

PARIS | One of things that I miss most about living in London is the ability to pop down to Paris on the train for the weekend. I’m forever grateful that I had the opportunity to visit multiple times a year back in the day. Based in Melbourne, Paris isn’t quite as convenient or affordable to get to, so you bet I was excited to return for the first time since 2011.

Something that was just kicking off when I was last in Paris, was the new wave of openings by individuals proud to be French, with a love of French flavours and produce, and a desire to not be bound by some of the stuffiness and rules of French food and drink. Chefs and bartenders who had lived and worked in casual venues abroad and were inspired by the hospitality scene in those places.

Le Mary Celeste is one such venue. It opened in 2013, and remains one of the best places in Paris to visit if you want a sense of what’s exciting about French food and drink today. It’s a small venue, cantered around a long u-shaped bar, with tables inside out. Drinks and snacks are prepared at the bar, while more substantial dishes are prepared in the kitchen.

Creative cocktails are Le Mary Celeste’s calling card (their sister taqueria/bar, the award-winning Candelaria, is around the corner), and there’s also a sizeable wine list featuring drops from some of France’s most exciting young winemakers. Their take on a Paper Plane, featuring pomegranate aperitif, jasmine, and orange, is a great choice.

Food is not afterthought. Head chef Amandine Sepulcre-Huang and the team have put together a small but mighty menu that champions small French producers and flavours, with flourishes of Amadine’s Sino-Réunion and Moroccan heritage.

Aged Comte with clover honey is joined by things like terrine with pickles; and veal tartare with aioli, wild garlic pesto, hazelnuts, confit lemon, and arugula. The famed devilled eggs, cured in soy and sesame and topped with pickled eggs and toasted wild rice, are a must try. So too, the fluffy and textural gnocchi with aged Comte and manzanilla.

Le Mary Celeste

1 Rue Commines
75003 Paris
France

Telephone: 0142 747 945
E-mail: n/a
Website

Open
Mon – Tue: 12:30pm to 1:00am
Wed: 4:00pm to 1:00am
Thu – Fri: 12:30pm to 2:00pm
Sat: 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 1:00pm

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