Australian Gourmet Traveller – September 2019

LygonStreetmightnotbethefirstplaceyou’dlookforaprecisefine-diner

marryingFrenchtechniquewithJapaneseflavourandingredients,but

Kazuki’sisunafraidofunlikelylocations,havingcalledDaylesfordhome

untilthemovetoLittleItalyinlate2018.Thecitydigsareglamorousin

asuitablyminimalistway,whiletheservicefrommeticulouslydressed

professionalsalsosignalsthatchefKazukiTsuyahasrampeditupwith

therelocation.Hisfood–balanced,handsomeandservedonbeautiful

handmadeceramics–alsonailsthebrief.DisheslikeaMoretonBaybug

dumplingtoppedwithfoamedsakebutter,dry-agedMacedonRanges

duckaccompaniedbyradicchio,blackberriesandshiitakemushrooms,

orraspberriesandwhitechocolateteamedwithanexquisiteice-cream

flavouredwithsoursakelees,canborderontheethereal.Thewineo‹er

leanstowardsfinelycraftedartisanlabelsandisaccompaniedbyapage

ofsimilarlyinclinedsake.Considerorderingtheextrasbeyondthe

set-pricemenus–neglectthesnacksatyourownperil(thinkfreshuni

onakipflerpotatochipwithculturedcream)–whilethenine-score

wagyu,atoncesweetandrich,grilledonthehibachioverredgum

andironbark,showcasestheclever,precisecookingatplayhere.

121 LygonSt,Carlton,Vic

(03) 93492223

kazukis.com.au

+ LunchFri-Sunnoon-3pm;

dinnerTue-Sat6pm-10pm

+Bookingsrecommended

+Licensed

+2-7courses$75-$150

+ CardsAEMCVEFT

+ChefKazukiTsuya

31 Kazuki’s V JAPANESE

EnterBert’sandstepintoaseasidefantasy.OneofChablisandBurgundy

andpost-lunchBrandyAlexanders,whereeverythingisclothedinlinenand

theceilingsaremadeofwicker.Thisisnotaplacetodothingsbyhalves.

The(yes,$125)openerofhand-pickedmudcrab,dressedtablesidewith

atomalleyemulsionandalemonymayonnaise,isstillessentialordering.

Butthere’sfuntobehadaroundtheedges;thetoastyfingersofbrioche

smearedwithchicken-fatbutterandoverloadedwithtroutroe,forone.

Ružedreginettepastawithredmulletandseasucculentsandapretty

mandarinandyoghurtsliceshowo‹JordanToft’seyeforinvention,

underlinedbyasuretouch.WiththegrillandtheJosperoven,helets

goodproducelie,elevatingitwithafewsparedetailsandfocusingon

precisionandtiming–properlyroastedflatheadcomeswithabrown-

butterandcapersaucecutwithlemon;ablushingduckcrownisglazed

withquince.Addfloorsta‹perfectlyateaseinthesettingandBert’sis

adestinationtosettleinto–foragoodtime,andalongtime.

2 KalinyaSt,

Newport,NSW

(02) 91147350

merivale.com/venues/berts

+ LunchWed-Satnoon-3pm,

Sunnoon-4pm;dinner

Wed-Thu5.30pm-9.30pm,

Fri-Sat5.30pm-10.30pm

+ Bookingsrecommended

+ Licensed,bar

+ E$17-$29M$34-$125

D$12-$26

+ CardsAEMCVEFT

+ Wheelchairfriendly

+ ChefsJordanToft

&SamKane

32 Bert’s V EUROPEAN

There’snodiningroominAustralialikeFlorentino’sMuralRoom.Almost

ninedecades’worthofpatinahelps,asdothechandeliersandthemurals

paintedin1935,butit’stheresistancetocoastingthat’smostimpressive.

FromthescrupulouslyironedlinenandthequalityoftheChampagne

inthetrolleythat’swheeledtoeachnewtable,tothecharmingand

seamlessserviceledbychefGuyGrossi’ssonCarlo,thelevelofcare,

generosityand,yes,loveforthisdininginstitutionbytheGrossifamily

equatetothesenseofoccasion.Themenulistsbig-ticketingredients

• duck,venison,prawns,chestnuts–incombinationsthatblendclassic
  ItalianandmodernAustraliancooking.Abuttermilkpannacottalands
  asafrozenwhitesphere.Textbookrisottocombinesrazorprawnsand
  sarawakpepper,whilescallopsandsweetbreadsareflavouredwith
  almondsandlemon.It’spricey,high-enddiningwithaheftywinelistto
  match,soperhapsavisittoFlorentinoisn’taneverydaya‹air,butwith
  theTuscan-styleGrillandthemuch-lovedCellarBarjustdownstairs,
  thereareotherwaystosoakupallthishistoryandhospitalityknow-how.

80 BourkeSt,

Melbourne,Vic

(03) 96621811

florentino.com.au

+ LunchMon-Fri

noon-2.30pm;dinner

Mon-Sat6pm-10.30pm

+Bookingsessential

+Licensed

+ 2 courses$65(lunch

only), 3 courses$150;

dégustation$180

+CardsAEDCMCVEFT

+Privateroom

+Wheelchairfriendly

+ ChefsGuyGrossi

&ChrisRodriguez

33 Florentino V ITALIAN

GOURMET TRAVELLER 89

PHOTOGRAPHY BEN DEARNLEY BERT’S, JESS KNEEBONE KAZUKI’S & NIKKI TO EST.

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