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MELBOURNE | Curly Whiskers is a French bistro and creperie in Brighton that aims to bring to Melbourne a slice of Paris. Owners Rosalin & Oliver Virnik fell in love with Paris and French cuisine while on their honeymoon, and dreamed about opening their own French food venue for over a decade before the stars finally aligned and they were able to open Curly Whiskers. We were invited in to sample some of their breakfast and lunch dishes and, being lovers of all things French ourselves, were keen to check things out.
Rosalin and Oliver are a lovely couple and have a real passion for what they are doing. Rosalin takes care of the cooking while Oliver runs front of house and makes coffees, and their dynamic works well. The space is small, open and airy – a single room with chic and simple monochrome décor, and influences from France dotted around the room – art, cook book, and Christina Re teaware. It’s akin to being in a home, with the open kitchen in full view of the dining area, and Rosalin constantly interacting with customers, and serving many of the dishes she cooks to customers herself.
When it comes to French restaurants in Australia, many focus on doing the classics well, to great effect, but at Curly Whiskers things are taken one step further, with a truly French ethos. One of the things we love about France is the dedication to quality ingredients, and the obsession about using exactly the right ingredients for the right dishes. Fresh produce markets can be found throughout the streets of Paris, and there’s a real connect between producers and those cooking and eating the food.
At Curly Whiskers, the best quality local, seasonal, mostly organic ingredients are used, from suppliers like Schulz Organic Farms, Barambah Organics, Woodbridge Smokehouse, Kialla Pure Foods, Yarra Valley Caviar, Carboor Harvest, The Fermentary, Gary’s Quality Meats, Hagens Organic Butchers. When Rosalin and Oliver were telling us about the relationship they have with each of their suppliers, it was evident just how important this is to them. They know all their suppliers by name, have visited most of them first hand, and have had most of them in to try the food. All customers are told about the produce used in their food, and are encouraged to ask questions and learn more.
Indeed, as well as being a restaurant, Curly Whiskers also operates as a food school. It’s called a food school rather than a cooking school because, as you can probably gather, there’s a focus on a lot more than just the cooking. ‘Students’ are taught about the origin of the ingredients, the production methods and their handling, the intrinsic nutritional benefits of the ingredients, and how to assess quality. As well as Roaslin, there are often guests that come in to run a session or two, be it a food producer or another chef.
While the focus is on traditional French dishes, the food at Curly Whiskers doesn’t slavishly adhere to tradition all the time. The omelets, for example, use a sourdough base which gives them a denser, more aerated texture than a traditional crepe. We love a traditional crepe, but Rosalin’s take works very well, and made us wonder why more people don’t try something similar. Served simply with an egg and l’artisan Gruyere, it’s a delicious treat. We recommend adding mushrooms and the outstanding Woodbridge Tasmanian cold smoked trout.
Another savoury dish well worth ordering, and one of our favourite things that we tried, is the Reuben. It’s a galette filled with Gary McBean’s traditionally cured pastrami and l’artisan Gruyere, with a side of sauerkraut from the Fermentary. Traditional flavours, no, but outstanding – with well balanced flavours and beautifully crisped edges. For those looking for a lighter option, the smoked trout niçoise salad also hits the spot, with Woodbridge Tasmanian cold smoked trout taking place of the more traditional anchovies.
Other savoury dishes include things like other crepes, galettes and omlettes, baguettes, and duck fat potatoes. For dinner, it’s traditional bistro fare like cheese and charcuterie, crepes and galettes, steak frites and confit duck. It all depends on the season and what produce is good on the day.
If you have a sweet tooth, then it’s hard to look past the chocolate crepe. It features Zokoko handcrafted chocolate, topped with a drizzle of house made orange sauce, and roasted Carboor Harvest hazelnuts. A rich and satisfying piece of deliciousness. There’s a crepe suzette too of course for those wanting the traditional treat and theatrics of the flambee. And yes, you’ll be happy to know that Rosalin encourages you to lick your plate and enjoy every last drop of the citrus sauce. There are a few other crepes available too, and the classic tarte tatin.
For drinks, it’s white or black espresso based drinks made using St Ali‘s Orthodox Blend, keffir, hot and iced chocolate, teas from Cup Above and Ovvio Organic, and a range of organic sodas and juices. For those looking for a boozy option, there’s local French-style wines, and local craft beer and cider from the likes of Bridge Road Brewing, Holgate Brewing, and Daylesford Cider.
In a city like Melbourne, where so many are focused on what’s new and on trend, and what will ‘out-Instagram’ the competition, it’s refreshing to find a place like Curly Whiskers that’s the culmination of a long standing passion for a particular cuisine, with a focus on friendly service, great food, quality ingredients, and the people and stories behind the food.
Curly Whiskers
124 Martin Street
Brighton
Victoria 3186
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9596 3324
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Tue – Wed: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Thu – Fri: 11:00am to 9:00pm
Sat: 9:00am to 9:00pm
Sun: 9:00am to 4:00pm