Australian Gourmet Traveller - (10)October 2019 (1)

T

heattentiontodetailat Navi

becomesapparentthemoment

you’reseated.Thoseceramic

napkinringsholdingartfully

disarrayedoatmeal-colourednapkins?

JulianHillsmadethose.Navi’schefand

owner,whohasa degreeinceramics,

alsomadealltheplatesandbowls,five

toeightcoursesworthforeveryonein

a 25-seatrestaurantthatoftendoestwo

sittingsa night.Theman’sbeenbusy.

Hillsbringsthisintense,personalfocus

toeveryaspectofhisYarravillerestaurant,

hisfirstsoloprojectaftera successful

six-yearstintat ParingaEstateonthe

MorningtonPeninsula.Hewasinvolved

withdesigningeveryfacetofthedimlylit,

moodyroom,withitspolishedconcrete

floor,charcoalwallsandcork-tiledceiling.

Everyweek,hedrivestotheMornington

Peninsulatopickupingredientsfrom

theproducershedevelopedrelationships

with while working there.

Notsurprisingly,thisdetail-focused

approachalsoturnsupontheplate– the

snacksthatgettheballrollingbeinga case

inpoint.Therearepitch-perfectmacarons,

pearlescentgreyandfunky-sweetfrom

dehydratedblackgarlicandsquidink,

sandwichingtroutroeandcrèmefraîche

madein-house.Thentheremightbe

sugar-andsalt-curedwallaby,slightlynutty

fromspendingseveraldaysinsakelees,

teamedwitha dehydratedeggyolkdusted

innorisalt,anemulsionmadefrom

localcapersandtoppedwithpickled

broadbeansandfermentednasturtium

flowers.Takentogether– theceramics,

theweeklyingredientpilgrimage,the

multi-stageprocess,evenfordishesthat

aregoneintwo(sometimesbrilliant)bites

• it’spossiblethatNavicouldcomeacross
  as obsessiveanda bitweird.Whatcomes
  acrossinsteadis thatHillsis enjoying
  himself,doingashepleaseswithan
  enthusiasm that’s apparent in the food.

Witnesstheduckfish,a pretty,

tinygemofa dish.Thefishis salted,

thenslightlysmoked,thenjoinedby

sun-driedcapers,crèmefraîchemixed

withhorseradish,gratedbottargaand

a fabulouslytartgreen-tomatosorbet,

andfinishedwithseablightandblack

nasturtiumleaves.It’sa greatbalancing

actofnumerousingredientscomingat

youinwell-orchestratedpopsandcrunch,

creaminess and whiffs of smoke.➤

Clockwisefromleft:smokedapple,

quince,wattleseedice-cream;chef

andownerJulianHills;and his

handmade ceramics.

AtNavi,JulianHills’creativefocusisevidentfrom

produce to plate, writesMICHAEL HARDEN.

A handmade tale

GOURMET TRAVELLER 47

Melbourne review

PHOTOGRAPHY ED SLOANE (NAVI).