MELBOURNE | Inside the cosy little laneway spot that was formerly home to Bar Saracen, you’ll find a venue that’s different in both appearance and concept. Circl, by former Ten Minutes by Tractor sommelier, Xavier Vigier, is a wine bar that’s making high-end wine accessible, and pairing it with excellent, European-leaning food. I was invited in the other day, to take a look.
The space is more open than before, still cosy, but with a more streamlined, minimalist look, and a long, open kitchen next to the bar, which is in the same place that the old bar was. Upstairs, you’ll find further seating, with full view of Circl’s long wine room, which features around 4,500 bottles.
There are a lot of great wine bars in Melbourne with a solid list of options available by the glass. If you want the really good stuff, however, you’ll generally have to pay some big coin for a full bottle. At Circl, you’ll find a global list of 150 wines available by the glass. Xavier wants guests to be able to try wines that they otherwise might not be able to afford, and prices them as keenly as possible. There’s entry-level drops for under $20 a glass, some of the most rare wines in the world for closer to $100 a glass, and everything in between.
Staff are expertly trained, and passionately explain the wines in an accessible and informative manner. There are, of course, cocktails, beer, and other drinks on the menu, but you really should try the wines. Having said that, drinks list aside, Circl is well worth a visit for the food. Malmö-born Executive Chef Elias Salomonsson (Scott Pickett Group, Vue Group), has developed a contemporary European-leaning menu, with influences from his native Sweden, using local and native Australian ingredients.
Snacks are a big part of the menu. Things like a delicate smoked eel tart with compressed cucumber, and horseradish; creamy mushroom parfait with dill, and rye bread; and a mind-bending corner Inlet calamari with nduja, morcilla, and celeriac.
For mains, Macedon Ranges duck with Davidson plum harissa, honey, and leek has become on of Circl’s signature dishes. The flavours work perfectly together, combining with the fennel-laced, crispy skin, and juicy meat for one of the best duck dishes in town.
To finish your meal, you have to try Elias’ take on one of his favourite childhood treats, Toblerone. It features a dark chocolate crèmeux base, white chocolate and honey crèmeux, sprayed with white chocolate, topped with honey & almond nougat, honeycomb, and vanilla ice cream.
Circl
22 Punch Lane
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9125 1777
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Sat, Tue – Wed: 5:30pm to 12:00am
Thu – Fri: 12:00pm to 3:00pm, 5:30pm to 12:00am