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146 Sydney Road, Brunswick, 9939 4042
My score: 3.5/5
Given the number of Melbourne cafes, and the incessant search for new angles, the only surprise is that it took this long for some hip hospo types to match charcuterie and specialty coffee. Cousins Jonathan Ioannou (a barista, ex-Merchant and Toby’s Estate) and Socrates Terrence Farrugia (a chef with a hotel background) have been chatting about doing their own thing for years. Recently, they got serious and turned drab Brunswick premises into a sunshiny cafe with a heated courtyard that showcases their twin passions for meat (especially pork) and coffee. It’s a weird marriage but I actually think there’s something in the charcuterie and coffee scenario: elegant drip coffees and rich porky preparations can do a pretty fancy dance, and Ioannou will be delighted to make pairing suggestions.
Free range pork is turned into sausages (chorizo and, perhaps, pork and pear), fabulous bacon (heavily smoked, spiced and thick-cut), and roasted crisp-skinned belly. It all tastes real and loving. Other charcuterie includes duck pate, terrines, and variety sausages like rabbit and cranberry. Right now, they’re only served in house but soon they’ll be retailed too, from a cabinet that’s already stocked with tinned snails and other goodies.
Breakfasts are a notch above basic, with rigorous restaurant technique on display. The Peas and Ham is a neat twist on bacon and eggs, with pork belly, silky green pea veloute (a soupy sauce) and poached eggs. The only downer was that my eggs were cold: I’m all for a clever breakfast but it’s a shame when short order basics are sacrificed at the altar of amazing. The house breakfast is a beauty with mushrooms cooked in duck fat, excellent potato hash and a smashing apple chutney. For lunch, monumental sandwiches include braised beef with gherkins and slaw on sturdy schwarzbrot bread. Apparently local carnivores have been coming out of the woodwork since the cafe opened in mid-autumn, tofu-tragic teeth bared, ready to rip into flesh. If their vegetarian buddies tag along Two Little Pigs comes to the karma party with bircher, baba ghanoush on bagels and bean braise. I reckon all stripes of eaters will leave happy with the food and the caffeination.
More new and tasty:
Kong, 599 Church Street, Richmond, 9427 1307
The folk who brought us Chin Chin have a new venue for button-pushing flavours and high-energy buzz. Kong’s take on Korean barbecue plays by its own rules. Try the crab bun with salted duck egg relish.
Supernormal, 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, 9650 8688
Andrew McConnell has revamped Golden Fields in a new city location (and left Bar Luxembourg in its place in St Kilda) but the new restaurant is exceeding expectations with dishes like the Tony Tan 13-spice lamb rib.
Pho Nom, Lower Ground Floor, Emporium, 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, 0422 899 613
Mod Viet food is having a bit of a moment (say hi, Kin in Prahran), and Jerry Mai’s pumping pho joint at the new Emporium shopping centre is a great addition: it’s cheap and vibrant and the souped up street food is made with ethically sourced produce.
First published in The Age, June 15, 2014.
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