Unexpected flavour combinations grace the tables at this slick CBD restaurant with a distinct Euro character.
The gorgeous parquetry floor, the old windows, the bentwood chairs. Ah, it’s like being in Milan, without burning the fossil fuels to get there. And the wine list? It’s a knockout, ranging from little known gems such as Sailor Seeks Horse from Tassie, to Catalan’s extraordinary Ilercavonia. They boast over 50 wines by the glass, from a soaring Chassagne Montrachet ($69) to a delectable Below and Above merlot from Pemberton (a relative bargain at $18).
The Mushroom Guys ’shrooms enriched with macadamia cream is a dish that has guests pausing to sing its praises.
The menu is no carbon copy of WA’s best eats, either. Okay, there’s the ubiquitous raw fish dish that graces every competent diner in town, though here it pairs effortlessly with nasturtium celery and trout roe. But who else is scenting borlotti beans with smoked beef fat and bottarga? A scintillating combination. Where else in the city is there koji butter with the impressive house-made bread? Or The Mushroom Guys ’shrooms enriched with macadamia cream, a dish that has guests pausing to sing its praises?
Perfunctory service at first is made up for by encyclopedic wine knowledge, a gourmand’s wisdom with the food and a dry sense of humour about just how much revelry is coming from the table nearby. Feeling a post-dinner libation? Bobeche downstairs will satiate that itch.
