Australian Gourmet Traveller - (07)July 2020 (1)

EAT:BistrotPlume

“Plumeis a lovelyneighbourhoodcaféandFrenchbistro

thatdoesamazing,simple,countryclassics– thingslike

chickenliverparfaitandgreatChateaubriandwithbone

marrow.NathanandKateVeacharethecleverowners

andtheyalsorunyearly tours through France.”

bistrotplume.com.au

DRINK:UnionStreetWine

“AstellarwinebarrunbyAndyLeighandLewisPhiddian,

twoyoungandpassionatewineguysthatlovethearea

andwhattheydo.It’sjusttheplacetosnaga seatatthe

bar,andenjoya smallplateofcharredoctopuswitha

crackingglassofwine.Nextdooris theirwinestore,The

Cellar,fora greatselectionof bottles to enjoy at home.”

unionstreetwine.com.au

STOPINAT:MillMarkets

“Daysoffformearefewandfarbetween,butif I have

anafternoontomyself,I’llstopinatvintageandantiques

mecca,MillMarkets,todosomedigging.I’vescoredsome

super-rareKISSrecordsthereovertheyears– it’sfilled

withmanyawesomefindsjustwaiting to be discovered.”

millmarkets.com.au/geelong

STAY:TheDevlinApartments

“TheDevlinApartmentsincentralGeelongareslickand

spaciousNewYork-styleloftapartments,perfectforshort

stays.It feelsmorelocaltostayinyourownapartment

ratherthana hotel.It’sa comfortablebasetogooutand

explore,butyouknowthere’sspacetosettlein,a decent

stereoanda coldtininthefridge for when you get home.”

devlinapartments.com.au

HIDDENGEM:TheHotChickenProject

“OurcrewdownatTheHotChickenProjectalwaysgive

a goodtime.Theylovebeer,music,naturalwine,andof

course, bucketloadsofhotchicken.WhenI eatthereI like

mytendersevilhot,witha sideofchickenskins,pickles,

andslaw.Peoplealsolovethefishsandwich, if that’s

your thing.” thehotchickenproject.com➤

AARON TURNER’S GEELONG, VIC

75 kilometresfromMelbourne’sCBD

Owner and chef of IGNI and The Hot Chicken Project, Geelong

“ThefirsttimeI cametoGeelongwasprobably20-oddyearsago,”

saysAaronTurner.“I wasplayingina punkhardcorebandandliving

inMelbourneat thetime.Weusedtotraveldowntoplayat theBarwon

ClubHotel.Therewasn’tmuchgoingonbackthen,thecitywasmostly

industrial,buttherewasa goodlivemusicscene.I lovethatGeelong

hasretainedthatworking-classvibe.I particularlylovetheareainthe

wintertime.It’sa nicefeelingbeingbythesea– andtheferrythatconnects

GeelongandMelbournehasseenevenmorepeopleabletovisitthearea.

I stillthinkthebestwaytodoit is tohirea car.Whateveryou’veinitially

plannedfor,plantostaya fewdayslonger,andexplore the greater area

down to the coast and the Otway region as well.”

Clockwisefrom

left:AaronTurner;

UnionStreet

Wine;a sweet

treatfromIgni.

OPPOSITE

Cunningham

Pier in Geelong.

106 GOURMET TRAVELLER