REVIEW
Who says natural wine (bars) don't age well? As Wines of While crosses the five-year mark, some HR wins see this pioneer in career-best form. Venue manager Philip Koch has introduced a little more restaurant craft to things, tightening service without losing the bar's freewheeling spirit. In the kitchen, one of the city's best co-head chef duos thrills with hit after hit of high-definition European farmhouse cooking. Pissaladière is crunchy and salty in all the right places. Lamb's brain in lemon butter is a glorious ode to offal. Esqueixada, the Catalan salt cod and vegetable salad with blood oranges, is a joy. Whatever's grilled on the konro – Berkshire pork chops or whole rainbow trout, say – is reliably excellent, as are unfussy sweets like chocolate cake with fig and salted honey ice-cream. Add one of Australia's great low-intervention wine selections to the equation, and it's little wonder this tiny gem continues to pump.
ABOUT
Chefs Jack Botha & Branden Scott
Price guide $
Booking Recommended
Wheelchair access Yes
Open Lunch Fri-Sun; Dinner Wed-Sat
Price guide $
Booking Recommended
Wheelchair access Yes
Open Lunch Fri-Sun; Dinner Wed-Sat
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide's reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
