TheintimacythatScottandSimfosterat Joyis
emblematicofthesmallrestauranttrend.Theseminiature
venuesmightdeliverlesspompandgrandeurthana 100-seater,
butthatdoesn’tmeantheyarelackinginatmosphere.
A limitedfootagecanfosteranairofcosiness,conviviality,
orexclusivity,dependingonhowthespaceis pitched.This
is equallytrueofpocket-sizedbars:Melbourne’s12-seat
cocktailbarAboveBoardoffersconsideredminimalismin
spiteofitscompactdimensions,whileSydney’smezcaltemple
CantinaOK!is a moreraucous,standingroom-onlyaffair.
(Iftinydrinkingdensareyourthing,BarAmericanoin
Melbourne,BarPeripheralinAdelaideandBrisbane’srecently
openedHonourAveCellarsshouldalsobeonyourradar.)
Infact,thereseemstobesomekindofinverseequation
at play:thesmallerthevenue,thebiggerthedrivetocreate
a holistichospitalityexperience.
“Whenyoucanseefromoneendoftherestaurantto
theother,youcancontrolthings,”saysAstridMcCormack,
whoco-ownsBrunswickHeads’14-seatmainstayFleet.
“I lovetheintimacy.I lovethecontinuitythatcomeswith
havinga tinyrestaurant.Everythingcanbeconsideredin
a waythatsometimesdoesn’ttranslateina biggervenue.”
InFleet’searlydays,McCormackandherpartner,chef
JoshLewis,rantheshowthemselves.Afterhavinga child,
thecouplerealisedtheywouldneedtoexpandtheirteam;
nowtheyemploya handfulofstaffbothfrontandbackof
house.Aswithanyvenue,it’sabouthittingtherightbalance.
“Thatfinelinebetweenwagecostsandhavingenoughcovers
intherestaurantis complicated,”saysMcCormack.
Therealityofrunninga smallrestaurantis thatit
requirescertainsacrifices(“Youhavetohavea good
constitutionbecausethere’snosuchthingasa sickday,”
saysMcCormack)anda willingnesstodoanyjobthat
needsdoing– nomatterhowunglamorous.It seemsas
if a particularkindofhigh-charisma,low-fusspersonality
is drawntothetrade:McCormackis soguilelesslyopen
it’simpossiblenottofeelinstantlydrawntoher,Chapple
is a practisingBuddhist,andScottseemstobetheliving
embodimentofherrestaurant’smoniker.
Thesmallrestaurantgameis challengingwork,butScott
wouldn’thaveit anyotherway:“Itwasneveraboutbeingrich
orcreatinga restaurantempire– it’sanexpressionofour
creativityandpassionfortheindustry.Smalljustworks.”●
Seating capacity may vary due to Covid-19 restrictions.A limitedfootage can
fosteran airofcosiness,
conviviality, orexclusivity,
dependingonhow the
space is pitched.Above:Templo’sdiningroom.Opposite,fromtop:thechef’s
tableatJoyseats10;a selectionofsnacksatGreasyZoe’s.
PREVIOUSPAGESLeft:GreasyZoe’s10-seatdining room.
Right: Fleet’s 14-seater in Brunswick Heads.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 63