Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

ThosewhosuerfoodenvymayneedtosteelthemselvesatIgnibecause

notwotablesatthisbrilliantlittlewoodfiredgeminaGeelongCBD

backstreetareservedalike.Sure,youmightbeenjoyingadishofcrisp

Jerusalemartichoketoppedwithsliversofscallopshinyunderafull-bodied

chickenglaze,orribbonsoffire-driedbeetrootcoiledintoadiscand

toppedwithrhubarb,macadamiaandsaltyorangetroutroe,butisthat

quail,glisteningandstripedbythekitchen’scentralgrillthatthey’re

eatingatthenexttable?Happilytherearenosecondprizes.ChefAaron

Turner’sskillforblendingo-the-wallcombinationswithwhollysatisfying

flavourisclosetoimpeccable,andthefanfareofsnacksstartingevery

meal–tinysegmentsoffigwrappedinlardo;wattleseedtartswith

parmesanandbrowncheese;crispedwomboksmearedwithcodroe

• isworththepriceofadmissionalone.Service–assmooth,low-key
  andhospitableasthespareinterior–isahighlight,asisthefinelyhoned
  winelistchampioningsmallproducersfromnearandfar.Thoroughly
  deservingofaplaceonanydininghitlistandmadeforreturnvisits.

RyanPl,Geelong,Vic

(03) 52222266

restaurantigni.com

+ LunchFri-Sunnoon-2pm;

dinnerThu-Sat6pm-9pm

+Bookingsessential

+Licensed

+Dégustation$150

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefAaronTurner

16 Igni V AUSTRALIAN

Oysters,warmedinthewoodfiredoven,comeswimminginsakebutter.

Jerusalemartichokes,friedinalacybatter,arrivewithsomethingcalled

eggbutter.Aroastedprawnshippingcrumblycapersdripswithfermented

shrimpbutter.Curedbonitolandswithwhippedporkfat.Restraintmaynot

bethewordthatcomestomindhere(morelikeoof),butEster’sabilityto

takeoneortwomainingredientsanddistilthemintoaplatethatpays

closeattentiontotexture,temperatureandjustafewsupportingflavours

isnigh-onunrivalled.(Thatsaid,addasimplesalad–agardenofwhite

cucumber,herbsandleavesthat’swildlybrightandacidic–totakethe

edgeo.)Signatures,ofwhichthereareplenty,showoMatLindsay’s

approachbest:theboudinnoironsteamedbreadisstillthebestsausage

sangainthecountry,andthecharrypotatobreadwithkefircream,trout

roeanddashijelly–hot,coldandveryaddictive–beatsoutallimitators.

Theroom,boneslaidbare,buzzeshappily,thewinelistskewsstrongly

naturalandserviceissharpyetlaid-back.Together,itmakesaplace

that’sexcellinginitsownskin,alocalrestaurantwithinternational

credentials.LuckySydney.

46-52MeagherSt,

Chippendale,NSW

(02) 80688279

ester-restaurant.com.au

+ DinnerMon-Fri

6pm-10.30pm;

Satnoon-10.30pm,

Sunnoon-4.30pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed

+ E$14-$24M$25-$45

D$9-$16;setmenu$92

+CardsAEMCVEFT

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ ChefsMatLindsay

&NathanBrindle

17 Ester V AUSTRALIAN

Sotheolddogdoeshavenewtricks.Looknofurtherthanthefried

barramundiskintossedinspicysalt,anaddictivelycrunchyadditionto

thefin-to-tailmovement.Orthesinglesupersizedxiaolongbao,filled

withpremiumseafoodsuchasmudcrabandscallopandswimming

inadelicatechickenbroth.FlowerDrummayhavereacheditsfifth

decadebutAnthonyLuiisn’tlettingthegrandoldCantodamefadeinto

obscurity,withoriginaldishesandgentletweaksoffavouriteshelping

makerenewalpartofthemantra.ForthoseventuringintoFlowerDrum’s

equallyaugustliftforthefirsttime,themanifoldpleasuresofthismost

old-schoolofrestaurantsremainfirmlyintact.Pekingduck–plated

tablesidebyacrackteamofwaiterswhohavetrodtheplushredcarpet

fordecades–remainsashiningexampleoftheart,whilewok-fried

abalonewithvelvetyswatchesofcrystalmungbeannoodlesorthe

texturalzingofajellyfishsaladslickedwithsesameoilareamasterclass

inCantonesesupremacy.FlowerDrumremainsatthepeakofAustralian

finedining.Longmayitreign.

17 MarketLa,

Melbourne,Vic

(03) 96623655

flowerdrum.melbourne

+ LunchMon-Sat

noon-3pm;dinner

Mon-Sat6pm-11pm,

Sun6pm-10.30pm

+Bookingsessential

+Licensed

+ E$10-$35M$18-$120

D$10-$20

+CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+Privateroom

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ChefAnthonyLui

18 FlowerDrum V CHINESE

GOURMET TRAVELLER 95

PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA
IGNI & EVE WILSON
MINAMISHIMA .

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