Ballarat is transforming into one of Victoria’s most exciting destinations for foodies
Ballarat is shaking off its fusty image and transforming into one of Victoria’s most exciting destinations for a weekend away, and a delicious one, writes Dan Stock.
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“Old, gold and cold.”
For much of its modern life, all Ballarat offered the visitor was summed up — and not unfairly — in this epigram.
While Sovereign Hill remains one of the leading tourist attractions in the state, pristinely preserved Lydiard St remains an astonishingly beautiful snapshot into the civic riches of our Gold Rush past and, yes, it remains bone-chillingly, finger-burningly cold for nine months of the year, Ballarat is shaking off its fusty image and is transforming into one of Victoria’s most exciting destinations for a weekend away. And a delicious one.
THINGS YOU MUST DO IN BALLARAT
THE PUB WITH TWO NAMES ADDS TO BALLARAT’S DINING BOOM
UNDERBAR BRINGS MELBOURNE-STYLE FINE DINING TO BALLARAT
For a new generation of operators have carped the diem, with a raft of food and drink offerings that rival anything in the big smoke that’s little more than 90 mins away.
There’s artist David Bromley’s Pub with Two Names, a distillery, Kilderkin, a craft beer mecca (Hop Temple) and the funky Moon & Mountain that adds cool Chin Chin vibes and SE Asian fare to the longstanding Forge pizzeria to which locals and visitors alike flock. There’s a wine bar (Mitchell Harris), contemporary bistro (Mr Jones), Spanish tapas at Meigas, a basement bar for negronis (The Lost Ones) and excellent coffee at Fika.
But it was arguably the arrival of Derek Boath — a chef of 20 years’ experience including a stint at New York’s temple of gastronomy, Per Se — who shunned Melbourne to open his tiny degustation-only restaurant here 18 months ago that cemented the changing fortunes of Victoria’s third-largest city.
That Underbar is such a success, says Kate Davis, shows Ballarat is ready to embrace a vibrant, dynamic and diverse dining scene, where “big city” ideas are embraced rather than shunned.
“Someone like Derek coming here is great to drive the quality of food and drink offerings. There’s a real energy about Ballarat now. Once upon a time it was just conservative, but people are now just going for it, opening new things. That’s making a huge difference.”
Kate is the founder of Plate Up Ballarat, a month-long festival showcasing the city’s hospitality offering that held its inaugural program of events last year and is set to return in May with a month-long celebration of regional food and drink across more than 50 events.
“Trends are coming to Ballarat quicker, there’s a critical mass of things to do now. We really are putting a spotlight on the fact you can come to Ballarat at any time and have this amazing experience,” she says.
And that amazing experience now extends to where you rest your head after being so well fed.
Local couple Simon and Gorgi Coghlan along with Drew Harry opened The Provincial in November, transforming the historic building just opposite the train station in the heart of the CBD into a 23-room boutique hotel with accompanying ground floor restaurant, Lola.
With rooms styled by Gorgi in a mix of bespoke antique and custom pieces, the hotel is at once modern but comfortable, homely yet supremely chic.
“We wanted to create something that we’d want to go to,” Gorgi says. “(Ballarat) has been stuck in the Sovereign Hill gold rush past — it’s about leaping into the future but respecting our Victorian heritage.”
Having grown up in Ballarat before moving away to manage hotels around the country (most recently running the Geelong Hotel together with Drew) Simon has witnessed the changing tastes of Ballarat and the increased appetite for high-quality offerings.
“Ballarat’s evolved enormously. There used to be a handful of pubs, Italian places, that was it. People are definitely getting more adventurous. There’s been an explosion of good-quality casual places. What’s on offer now is fantastic,” he says.
Gorgi says the time is right for the city to shine.
“Now, for a Melburnian there’s a reason to come to Ballarat. Stay with us, eat at Lola, do Underbar, go to Mr Jones if you like, you can really jam pack a weekend now with things to do.”
SHOW PLATES
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl — but unlike Barry Manilow’s dancer at the Copacabana, Lola Martinez kept the Goldfields’ miners entertained with her risqué spider dance and it’s this Gold Rush identity who is the namesake and muse of the restaurant at The Provincial.
There you’ll find Simon and Drew delivering the breakfast-through-after-dark dessert menus of chef Shaun Thompson.
Having worked alongside the likes of Peter Gilmore (Quay, Sydney), Neil Perry (Rockpool) and Peter Kuruvita (Flying Fish, Fiji), Shaun translates his high-end experience into an approachable Euro-ish bistro menu of local heroes that teams hits from the grill — three cuts of Sher wagyu, for instance — with more refined fare. Pretty-as-a-picture snapper crudo is a hot-night delight, while a plate of Milhouse lamb deftly teamed with pea puree, whipped fetta and zucchini ribbons is delicious in its simplicity. Even the very wintry ox cheek with cauliflower and soubise walks out the door in summer, so irresistible is the call of Shaun’s cooking.
A forward-looking wine list filled with minimal intervention drops continues the flavour-first, local-loving philosophy, including a good line in Latta Wines from young gun winemaker Owen Latta. And if you like the cut of Latta’s gib — wines that are unique and delicious, two words that don’t always sit together when talking natural/low-intervention winemaking — then why not go taste the range and chat with the winemaker at Eastern Peake winery.
The Provincial Hotel, 121 Lydiard St North
Eastern Peake, 67 Pickfords Rd, Coghills Creek
RAISING THE BAR
There’s lots of good things to know about Underbar, the fine dining restaurant that defines the new energy that’s defining the city.
That it’s pronounced “oon-de-bar”, and that that means “wonderful, delectable” in Swedish, for one.
That it seats just 12 people, is open just two nights a week and that you’ll be seated along a long communal table (or at the kitchen counter, should you wish a ringside view). That the menu changes every week, and that it makes the most of hyper-local produce that might’ve come from chef/owner Derek Hoath’s neighbours.
That service is sharp, and that the wine matches across the multi-course, no-choice menu as clever as the snacks to start and the boozy jellies to end.
But the only thing you really need to know about the restaurant that’s currently ranked number 16 in state in the Victorian delicious.100 is that reservations open at 9am on the first of the month for the following month. For you’ll have to be quick to get a spot at the table and experience one of the state’s best restaurants.
Underbar, 3 Doveton St North
BRILL BISTRO
It was a bad news/good news story when Damien Jones announced last year he was closing his five-year old restaurant, Catfish, the restaurant that heralded the changing of Ballarat’s dining guard. While it was sad so see the end of arguably the best Thai restaurant in the state, happily Damien and wife Danielle didn’t go anywhere and reopened Euro bistro Mr Jones in its place.
It’s clear locals have embraced this change in direction from the salt-sweet-heat triumvirate of Thai to the refined/rustic bistro charms of chicken and bacon terrine and duck confit rolls, goats’ cheese dumplings and roast suckling pig. It’s the type of quietly stylish bistro serving food with bold flavours and creative combos you’d be rapt with if it was in your hood.
Mr Jones, 44 Main Road, Bakery Hill
SIP STILL
Ballarat has a long history of distilling, but you’ll find a modern, Australian interpretation of gin at the area’s first distillery since the 1930s, Kilderkin. Head to the distillery door to taste the range of gins that include a classic London dry (the Scoundrel), and the Larrikin that uses native Australian botanicals. The navy strength Buccaneer is astoundingly smooth for a drop that comes in at 57% abv, while the barrel aged version is a complex and eminently sippable.
And in a two-for-the-price-of-one win, the distillery shares its space with one of the pioneers of the Victorian craft brew scene — Red Duck Brewery — and the line up of beers is also available to taste and grab and go for home.
Kilderkin Distillery and Red Duck Beer
Both located at 11A Michaels Drive, Alfredton
ONES TO WATCH
They won Ballarat over with the hot and humid charms of South East Asian food served in fun and funky surrounds at the year-old Moon and Mountain, now Teddy Powlett and chef Liam Downes are set to do the same to fried chicken.
The duo is currently in the process of transforming 32 Armstrong St into Winner Winner, a fried chicken shop that will spice up the night with southern fried hot chicken, a fridge full of crafty cans, and a courtyard out back for lunch in the sun.
“We’re hoping to open by the end of March,” Teddy, who’s doing much of the reno himself, says.
A couple of doors up, it’s a similar hand’s on approach for Josh Chapman, who is building a bakery.
The second-generation baker will man the ovens at 1816 (at 16-18 Armstrong St), his new venture with the Forge pizza team next door.
Expect a good line in artisan pies, sourdough loaves, fresh sandwiches and more when the 50-seater opens “by Easter at the latest”.
WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU NEED
Breakfast? Kids love the cubby in the corner at Hydrant Food Hall (3 McKenzie St), their minders love the hefty take on eggs benedict that tops a potato waffle with a hefty slab of pork terrine and slathers the lot in hollandaise.
A great coffee? All roads lead to Fika (36A Doveton St), though the barista at Lola (who earnt his stripes at Fika) does excellent work with the St Ali blend there.
A nightcap? Head to the basement bar at The Lost Ones Gallery (rear 14 Camp St) for a well-made pre-dinner cocktail, while and impressive whisky selection takes care of nightcaps with class.
A glass of wine? Mitchell Harris wine bar (38 Doveton St Nth) is part cellar door for John Harris’s wines, part celebration of the region to drink in or take away.
Lunch in historic surrounds? The atrium dining room at Craig’s Royal Hotel (10 Lydiard St) is a light and bright space in which to enjoy Med-inspired plates.
A crafty pint? Hop Temple (24 Armstrong St) was the first to prove a pub didn’t need to be “a pub” and is now a favourite spot for craft beer lovers, with an ever-changing line up of brews by the bottle and on tap.
Bao that wows? Don’t forget to book your table at Moon & Mountain (220 Mair St), otherwise you’ll miss out on a spot at the perennially packed restaurant.
Dan Stock travelled with the assistance of Visit Ballarat
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