Australian Gourmet Traveller - (12)December 2019 (1)

L

et’sstartwithElektra’spotato

andtaramasnack.A contender

fora placeonanybestbar-

snacklisticle,thistwo-bite

numberseesRoyalBluepotatoescooked

inbutter,pressedandthensectioned

intobatonsthataredeep-fried,sprinkled

withsalt-and-vinegarpowderandtopped

withtaramasalata,ouzo-washedtrout

roeandfreshdill.It’sridiculouslygood,

hittingalltherightsalty,fishy,deep-

friedpleasurespots.It’salsoa snapshot

ofElektra’sDNA.

Thepotatosnackis basedona dish

fromthedégustation-onlymenuat

Elektra’spredecessorThePressClub,

GeorgeCalombaris’smodernGreek

flagshipthatclosedinJuneafter 12 years,

oneoftheless-fraughtreasonstohave

keptCalombarisinthespotlightrecently.

AtThePressClub,thecarbpartof

thedishwassavouryloukoumades,rather

thanthefancyhashbrownbeingdished

upbyexecutivechefReubenDavis.The

Elektraversionnotonlypointstoa shift

indirectionfromGreektoa widerpan-

Europeanapproachbutalsototwo

othersignificantdifferences:Calombaris

cedingdirectionofthemenutoDavis

anda transformationfromslightly

over-thoughtfine-dinertoa more

relaxedandaffordableeaterywithan

urbanerestaurant-barvibe.

Theshiftstartswiththeroom.

ThePressClubwasoneofMelbourne’s

mosteccentricandglamorousdining

roomsandElektrahasretaineditsbest

features.Mostofthecurvedleather

booths,mirroredsurfacesandtrippy

brasslightfittingsremainbutthespace

hasbeenopenedup,losingthedividers

betweentheboothsandaddingsome

hightablesanda bardownoneend.

ThechangeshavegivenElektratheair

ofa retroAmericanhotellobbybar

andit’sa betterroomforit.

Theroom’slooserfeelgelswiththe

menu’sattitude.Davis’slistis a compact

singlepagethatworkswellwhetheryou’re

hereforcocktailsandsnacksorsignedon

fora lengthier,morecomprehensivestay.

SofttacosfromLaTortilleríain

Kensingtonarefilledwithdicedand

pickledshiitake,macadamiacream

anda mixofherbsthatincludesthe

delightfulcitrusycontributionof

sorrel.It’sroundedoutbya shaving

ofManchegothataddssatisfyingsalty

weighttotheherbalandacidnotes.

A stew-likecombinationofmussels,

harissa,freshbroadbeansandchorizo

is servedona squareofgrilledhouse-

madesourdoughandheldinplaceby

a wrappingoflardo.

The“hotoyster”,a Pacificfrom

Tasmaniathat’sbeenpoachedinbacon

stockandtoppedwithbaconbutter,

overstepsthemarkintermsoffattiness

butallis forgivenwiththearrivalofan

ovation-worthydishofMilkingYard

chickenlivers.Theliversaresuperb,with

a foiegras-likedepthofflavour.They’re

Elektra’span-Europeanapproachisashiftinthe

rightdirection,writesMICHAELHARDEN.

Electric feel

Clockwise from

far left: hot oyster

with bacon

butter and grape

mignonette;

sous chef Harry

Corder (left) and

executive chef

Reuben Davis;

treacle tart with

liquorice sorbet and

Friends of Punch

Noble Sémillon-

Sauvignon Blanc.

Melbourne review

GOURMET TRAVELLER 45

PHOTOGRPAHY REBECCA NEWMAN.