The Eating is Fine Today

July 1998

Melbourne's fine eating scene has re-invented itself and is a fiercely energetic and competitive scene today.

Last year the closures of Stephanie's, Paul Bocuse and before that of our own Mietta's, was seen as signifying the end of fine dining in Melbourne. Certainly there was a period here where eating had to be casual and had to be cheap.

Now we have a critical mass once again of places set up with 'proper' kitchens, good staff levels, low noise levels, large tables, substantial wine lists and menus not dominated by 'clever' mixed cuisine dishes. In the last 18 months Circa, est est est and Pomme have opened, all with young British chefs in charge. They are attracting a lot of eaters eager for food flavours to match wines and prepared to pay prices over $30 for mains. This means the ingredients can be better and the attention to detail given by increased kitchen staffing.

At The Point, another Brit, Ian Curley, has been doing his best for a bit longer to raise the ante but keeps prices miraculously down below the $30 level due in some part to meat buying power (the owners also have butchery interests) and to the popularity of the downstairs cafe and function area.

And a rung down the price and service scale are Georges Brasserie and Langton's with Philippe Mouchel. At Georges, which started in February, chef Paul Wilson, fresh from Quaglino's in London is directing a now reduced kitchen staff in the huge kitchen set up by director of food, Martin Webb. Here they are offering what must be the best value lunch/pre theatre meal in town, at just $19.90 for three courses.

Last November the 'Emperor' of haute cuisine, Paul Bocuse, visited Melbourne just before the closure of his restaurant at Daimaru. Melbourne mourned but Bocuse's chef Phillipe Mouchel is now back at the stoves and visibly too - the display kitchen is right at the front door of Langton's. Philippe knew the time had come for change and his menu at Langton's is much simpler, more mixed and has significantly lower prices. Here top price is $25 for mains which can also buy you a daily special dish, with a dessert and beverage included.

This new batch of places are all offering a quality of food, service and comfort which reassert Melbourne's position in the culinary hierarchy of Australia. We've long had Flower Drum providing a standard of food and service unparalleled in the country and we've always had diversity and value at the lower end of the price scale. But now, once again ,we have a substantial 'top end', a number of places where you can really be spoilt in Melbourne.