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.Thewineoer
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.
Ruedreginettepastawithredmulletandseasucculentsandapretty
mandarinandyoghurtsliceshowoJordanToft’seyeforinvention,
underlinedbyasuretouch.WiththegrillandtheJosperoven,helets
goodproducelie,elevatingitwithafewsparedetailsandfocusingon
precisionandtiming–properlyroastedflatheadcomeswithabrown-
butterandcapersaucecutwithlemon;ablushingduckcrownisglazed
withquince.AddfloorstaperfectlyateaseinthesettingandBert’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’taneverydayaair,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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