Melbourne has one of the liveliest restaurant scenes I’ve ever had the pleasure to explore. At the irresistible Books for Cooks (233 Gertrude Street), the knowledgeable Amanda White told us that some of the most exciting places are those where chefs are creating Asian fusion dishes. We heeded her advice and found Asian influences on many menus. But we also enjoyed restaurants where the cooking was more traditional and equally merits attention. It is worth noting that many of the city’s most popular spots do not take reservations for groups smaller than six. To avoid tedious waits, we visited many places later at lunchtime. We also frequently opted to eat at the bar.
If one restaurant exemplifies Melbourne’s Asian fusion movement, this is it. In a large, bright, open space, the restaurant has both table and counter seating (and can get noisy). The menu offers a tour of Thailand with exciting side trips elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Among the best dishes we tried were the spicy corn and coriander fritters embellished with house-made chili jam, and a just-fiery-enough rendang curry of spice-crusted braised brisket enlivened with chili oil.
125 Flinders Lane. Tel. (61) 3-8663-2000.
This bulwark of classic Cantonese cuisine is one of Melbourne’s most beloved restaurants. Its chef, Anthony Lui, has been at the stoves for 33 years. I almost passed on this place, but given the importance of Asia’s influence in the city’s restaurant life, I relented. I’m glad I did. The dim sum were exemplary; a pork and shrimp wonton soup proved deeply flavorful; and diced pork with fried tofu, peppers and pine nuts in a spicy Szechuan sauce was delicious. The service could not have been more gracious.
17 Market Lane. Tel. (61) 3-9662-3655.
Set just below street level, ezard embodies chic elegance, with subdued lighting, tables set with white linen, and impeccable service. The kitchen, under chefs Teage Ezard and Jarrod Di Blasi, brings together East and West. Among the dishes we liked best were kingfish sashimi with wasabi, pickled cucumber, sticky soy and crisp rice noodles; dumplings filled with steamed spanner crab accompanied by local salmon roe and a Thai coconut broth (an Ezard classic); and twice-cooked pork belly with tamarind glaze, black pudding, blood plum and Chinese five-spice salt and pepper. In lesser hands, dishes like these could be chaotic mashups; here, they are masterful.
187 Flinders Lane. Tel. (61) 3-9639-6811.
There comes a time on every trip when I crave something comforting and familiar. On this occasion, I found it at this lovely Italian restaurant. Downstairs is a lively grill, while upstairs is like being in Italy, thanks to chandeliers and frescoed walls. The smartly dressed waitstaff performed with polite precision, and the menu featured classic Italian dishes employing carefully sourced local ingredients. I wished that the risotto with nettles and Crystal Bay prawns would go on forever. But then I would have missed the suckling pig with Tasmanian pepper, eggplant purée, onion marmalade and apple cider.
80 Bourke Street. Tel. (61) 3-9662-1811.
The upscale warehouse look might lead you to think that the food here isn’t all that serious. Certainly, the crowd — a cross section of ages — is convivial to the point of being boisterous. But the casual fare is well-conceived and well-presented. I began with an excellent salad of grilled sardines with tomatoes and black olives, followed by a bone-in pork chop with salsa verde, white beans and garlic. Both were straightforward but delicious.
45 Flinders Lane. Tel. (61) 3-9650-1445.
I’d gotten mixed messages about this well-known restaurant, but hearing that Four Seasons had tapped the chef, Mark Best, for its Sydney property, I decided to go. The décor of the spare room with white tiles and white plastic chairs around white tables left me underwhelmed. The food was plain, but quite good. A starter of tuna tartare came on a green rice cracker, which provided a complementary crunch; and a juicy Scotch fillet with triple-cooked crisp fries was accompanied by a delicious side of heirloom tomatoes. All in all, it was a pleasant bistro meal, but with so much excitement on the Melbourne food scene, this would not be my first choice.
45 Collins Street. Tel. (61) 3-9654-8545.
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