The Brisket with Cafe de Paris butter.
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Level 1, 15 Collins Street, Melbourne, 9654 0829
My score: 4/5
Just 10 paces from one of Melbourne’s most trodden (and waited upon) stairways – the narrow steps leading to no-bookings Mexican phenomenon Mamasita – is a new staircase you need to know about. This three-cornered climb leads up to Uncle, the new city iteration of the bright and buzzing restaurant that brought modern Vietnamese to St Kilda three years ago. The CBD Uncle has taken over premises once inhabited by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. It’s doubtful the ladies would appreciate the smashing cocktails (I love the crisp, tart Uncle Tom’s Collins with ginger liqueur and smoked beetroot syrup) but surely they’d rock out for the lively food.
The city Uncle recalls its St Kilda sibling: there’s a plywood rickshaw cum waiter’s station, a mix of high and low tables, plus tiles, timber and hanging greenery. Where Carlisle Street opens up to an outdoor deck, Collins Street maintains a discrete feel with booths, screened nooks and window tables that peep over leafy plane trees. It’s a chic hide-out.
It would have been easy to transpose the menu from St Kilda but chef Dai Duong has made life harder for himself and more interesting for us by putting a city spin on Vietnamese flavours. He’s brought across some favourites – the elegant, sparkling pho; betel leaves piled with lime-cured fish and poppy pomegranate arils; pig’s ear banh mi – but most dishes are new and, I reckon, a step up.
The wok-fried edamame and skin-on peanuts are a killer drinking snack, and something of a signal that you should come with libations in mind. A chilli-salted handful makes you want a sip, a sip calls for further nibbles: it’s a glorious, snackable cycle. Duong has always been good with texture: silken tofu is piled with spicy relish, lively herbs, shaved green mango, snake beans and candied anchovies. It’s fresh and tasty with a lovely progression from slippery to crunch. Zucchini flowers are wok-tumbled with squishy rice cakes, black fungus and funky chilli bean paste. Again, the balancing act is adept.
There are some careful fusion dishes, including a burrata starter that’s an early contender for key Melbourne dish of 2017. The fresh cheese, spilling with sweet milky goodness, lords it over sliced beefsteak tomatoes, puffed rice, Thai basil and deeply savoury fish sauce. Guy Grossi talks about Italian Melbourne as Melbournese; add this cartwheeling caprese salad to the edible pantheon.
Pull-apart beef brisket is slow-braised with master stock flavours, then grilled to order and daubed with curry-spiced Café de Paris butter. It’s steak with a succulent stew skew and it’s a knock-out. Desserts are good too. Freshen up with a $4.50 snowcone (roast pineapple and pepper!) or round out both dinner and belly with a Szechuan-pepper-spiked carrot cake with coriander praline and cream cheese. Both are exuberant celebrations of Asian flavours, easy to eat and even easier to love, just like your urban Uncle.
See their website.
More City Lunch:
Tipo 00, 361 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, 9942 3946.
In a city that knows pasta, this might be the best. You’re advised to book rather than hit Tipo for a spontaneous quick bite, though I’ve much enjoyed a between-appointments pappardelle at the bar.
Salero Kito, Tivoli Arcade, 235-251 Bourke Street, Melbourne, 9639 7268.
This padang-style restaurant serves the food of West Sumatra and the bain marie always offers various versions of coconut-based curry and rice. It’s cheap and definitely not fancy but satisfying.
White Mojo, 115 Hardware Street, Mlebourne, 9078 8119.
Forget the weekend queues here – weekday lunch is the go. The soft-shell crab croissant burger with fried egg and chipotle mayo has to be eaten at least once in your life. Top off your meal with a black latte, made with peanut, almond and black sesame.
Kenzan, Collins Place, 45 Collins Street, Melbourne, 9654 8933.
Quiet, discreet and elegant, Kenzan is a wonderful place for classic Japanese food and talking business. Take a private room to nut out an important deal.
First published in The Age, 22nd January 2017.
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