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349 Keilor Road, Essendon, 9379 9497
My score: 2.5/5
I’ll always have a soft spot for Keilor Road. I was sent here to review Franks seafood restaurant for the Good Food Guide 15 years ago, took along a bloke for our first date, made each other laugh over an improbably tall seafood platter and later shacked up with him and had a couple of kids. Franks is still there, Keilor Road is busier and Omni is helping keep the strip buzzing and fed.
The small bistro is cosy and festive with lively artwork. The menu is mostly Spanish with a sprinkling of Italian. Choices are staid and unseasonal but there’s evident pride in some dishes. The crusty ciabatta is made here and topped with nice house-cured salmon. A little claypot of golden potato cubes and fried chorizo is easy to love, especially as it’s smothered in aioli. Baccala spring rolls put an interesting spin on the staple smoked cod and potato puree. Cinnamon-dusted churros are properly hot, crisp and their chocolate dipping pot is appropriately oozy. Other dishes were less than exciting: farfalle pasta with pancetta, peas and ‘ripened cherry tomatoes’ was unexceptional and the paella had plenty of seafood but the rice was stodgy and lacked the crusty base that’s key to making this classic satisfying.
Prices are ambitious. Patatas bravas (fried potatoes; $15.50) and other tapas at similar levels are a stretch. A per-person charge for paella ($37.50) was strictly applied even though our party of five included three children and we ordered a truckload of food. We ordered paella for two and the kids’ sharing plates were whisked away, ensuring no grain of rice found a freeloading mouth. It was stickler stuff, not great hospitality. If locals were aware that they could taxi to better Mediterranean restaurants and spend the same coin (including cab fare), I’m not sure that Omni would be locally beloved.
See their website.
More Mediterranean:
Casa Ciuccio, 13-15 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, 8488 8150.
What a lovely restaurant this is: welcoming and full of character, with dancing fresh salads, flavourful grills and bountiful bocadillo (sandwiches) at the cantina next door.
MoVida Aqui, Level 1, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, 9663 3038.
I like this suity MoVida more than the Hosier Lane hideout. Nab a high table near the kitchen and see what looks and smells good.
Las Tapas, 100 Chapel Street, St Kilda, 9077 3969.
Market-inspired tapas boost the regular offerings at this friendly little Spanish snackery. It’s BYO on Tuesdays.
First published in The Age, June 14, 2015.
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