Melbourne's coolest places to dine include Mabu Mabu Big Esso. Photo / Visit Victoria
Melbourne's coolest places to dine include Mabu Mabu Big Esso. Photo / Visit Victoria
Melbourne has long perfected the fine art of being cool, with a host of utterly impressive places to eat, drink and indulge your senses, writes Varsha Anjali
Hedonism isn’t as easy as people think. For many, it conjures scenes of excessive debauchery and outrageous orgies. But it’s not all Wolf of Wall Street. It’s an art - and it demands courage. A kaleidoscope of rich cuisine, culture and creativity, it’s no surprise why Australia’s most artistic city, Melbourne, is also its most hedonistic. It’s no surprise why in my pursuit of pleasure, I went there. And I got anxious.
This wasn’t the problem everyone thought it was. I’m always anxious. Besides, Melbourne isn’t too dissimilar to my home of Auckland - though it is infinitely cooler. Still, that familiar panic storm twisted in the stomach and overwhelmed me with the obvious question: could I genuinely break the shackles - in just a few days, too - in another hectic urban sprawl?
It turned out I could. Let me tell you about 120 satisfying hours.
I inhaled the Middle East. It smoked up my brain. Shadowed golden hues, melt-in-your-mouth lamb. Sticky. Spicy. Sultry. We entered underground, ordered the bold and daring shared soufra menu for two: the “heart and soul of Maha”. Four courses, four hours. The result: rapture and death.
The meza came first. I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find Boring. It wasn’t in the textures, it wasn’t in the culinary stories, it wasn’t in the colours, it wasn’t in the smells. There was the familiar hummus: creamy, drizzled with kombu and sesame seeds, all balancing on an island of isot pepper dressing. Yes, it was the best hummus I’ve ever had. The restaurant was merciless in its lack of compromise - from the Lebanese lamb sausage to the grilled ox heart tomatoes, there were no shortcuts to flavour, quality, or presentation. And that was just the beginning.
When a piece of lamb shoulder that had been roasting for 12 hours sat on my tongue I felt like I could see into the next life. It’s a banal, cheesy feeling to feel a sense of transcendence from a fine dining experience, but I did.
There's nothing boring about the fine dining experience at Maha Restaurant. Photo / Maha Restaurant
Mabu Mabu Big Esso
When renowned Torres Straight chef Nornie Bero first opened Big Esso - meaning “big thanks” - she wanted to share her passion and “celebrate native ingredients”. Saltbush, wattleseeds, finger lime, warrigal greens, pepperberries - these ingredients that had nourished First Nations communities for tens of thousands of years weren’t just trivially scattered on top. They made the meal. I could taste them.
We put Australia on our tongues. It was my first time, but my sister and her partner who live in Melbourne had done so 1001 times. First came juicy grilled prawns draped in bold red finger lime caviar, sitting on a bed of sea succulent verde. Devouring that alongside the pickled watermelon with warrigal greens chimichurri was a beautiful dance for my tastebuds. Complimenting both dishes was crispy saltbush. This fleshy, salty, herby plant goes with just about anything - and if there was any green I wish I could readily have when home-cooking, it’s this.
Mabu Mabu Big Esso in Melbourne. Photo / Visit Victoria
Apollo Inn
When I walked through the door, it all flooded back. My teenage fantasy of living in Europe, hitting dimly lit cocktail bars, dressed in colours and fabrics that made sense to the right people discussing matters of great importance with someone who wasn’t a complete and utter bore. Established in 1844 it’s one of the city’s first public houses - and it’s dramatically cool.
Wine came with white sturgeon caviar, salmon roe, crème fraîche, potato rosti and chives. Bliss.
The sultry Apollo Inn Bar in Melbourne. Photo / Supplied
Wurrdha Marra exhibition
Translating to “Many Mobs” in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language, the Wurrdha Marra exhibition was a dynamic highlight. A magnificent artwork dominated the first room, drawing me in—a portrayal of the expansive salt lake Ngayartu Kujarra, once named “Lake Dora” by settlers, rendered in vibrant hues of peach, pink, white, blue, rose, and gold acrylic paints.
The Wurrdha Marra exhibition is free and is at NGV’s Ian Potter Centre.
Wurrdha Marra exhibition at the Ian Potter Centre. Photo / Varsha Anjali
Saint George
From hotel to a bank, nightclub, Thai restaurant, to now a chic pub - Saint George bar has had multiple reincarnations. There are two clear-cut spaces: The Grill and The Tavern. I sat myself on the former and imperfectly mouthed down delectable, locally sourced oysters. The menu is impressive, but something else drew my curiosity even more. The interior architecture is magnificent. My waiter was keen to point out their bathrooms - they were the best he’s ever seen in his years of working in hospitality. Spacious, black and golden hues, a sense of luxury. I had to agree.
