Short Bites: Williamstown pub back after Calombaris collapse
A landmark Willy pub lives on after the Calombaris collapse, as much loved Mexican comes to Melbourne. Dan Stock brings you the latest food news.
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It’s been a Willy landmark for more than a century but was a casualty of the collapse of George Calombaris’ restaurant group earlier this year.
But what was his Hellenic Hotel will live on under its original moniker of the Hobson’s Bay Hotel, complete with expanded, expansive rooftop deck with views of the city skyline across the water.
Marking his first foray out of bread and into beer, Rustica Sourdough’s Brenton Lang and partners have taken over the three-level venue and have put the pub back into the hotel – albeit a pub with an elevated food offering.
Heading the kitchen is Ben Piggot who, having spent years with Andrew McConnell and Frank van Haandel, will deliver a menu of “classic Australian pub grub” elevated with a rotisserie and wood-fired grill.
Hobson’s Bay Hotel at 28 Ferguson St, Williamstown, is scheduled to open this week. hobsonsbayhotel.com.au
MEJICO SETTING UP SOUTH OF THE BORDER
With its tableside guacamole service, hundreds of tequilas and mescals on offer and margaritas expertly shaken long into the night, Mejico has been keeping Sydneysiders happily lick, sip, sucking since 2013 and now is heading south of the border.
Ian Hicks has used COVID lockdown to transform his Collins Quarter venue in the CBD into a Day of the Dead-channelling riot of neon, Mexican iconography and jalapeño poppers and Yutacan spiced pork.
Taking over the back courtyard and glasshouse space of the existing Collins Quarter building with the entrance via a rear laneway, Mejico will serve such dishes as tuna tostadas and roasted pineapple salsa for lunch, chilli-spiced chicken with mole for dinner and empanadas and chicharrones late at night.
“It’s something we’ve wanted to do for ages. Mejico in Sydney has been extraordinarily successful. People aren’t very interested in nachos and tacos any more. But if they want a proper culinary experience, we find people are very interested in eating interesting hugely flavourful Mexican meals,” he says.
“Something I’ve learnt from the Sydney restaurant, is that people really like drinking tequila and mescal.”
To that end, a dedicated tequila and mescal bar with more than 260 varieties promises the city’s biggest selection poured until 3am on weekends (pending restrictions).
“The atmosphere is not too serious. The food is quite serious, but this will be outrageously fun.”
Mejico is at 1 Pink Alley, Melbourne and is open from 11.30am Mon-Sat, with breakfasts to come.
CHANCERY LANE DEFIES COVID GLOOM
It’ might sound like it should be serving fish pies and roast beef with Yorkshire pud on a Sunday, but Scott Pickett’s latest addition to his growing-even-during-a-pandemic restaurant empire will continue the French bistro vibes of its predecessor, but with the chef-restaurateur’s dark-and-moody “northside” touch.
Chancery Lane takes over what many will remember as Shannon Bennett’s Bistro Vue, which Pickett promises will be a “slightly naughty French bistro” where legal eagles might lunch on wagyu cheeseburgers washed down with Burgundy, dates might be impressed with champagne and caviar and freshly shucked oysters from the seafood bar, and anniversaries might be celebrated with beef Wellington for two.
In a coup for Pickett, heading the kitchen is Rob Kabboord (ex Merricote, Quay and latterly Lekker) who has the experience and cooking smarts to bring the vision to delicious life.
“We go way back, (Rob) opened Merricote two months before we opened Estelle (in Northcote). He’s a great cook, someone who understands food. Some of the young guys, you say we want to do classic French bistro with a twist, they don’t understand the roots of French cookery,” Pickett says.
Extensive renovations of the space have opened up the main dining room that will seat around 80 (subject to density restrictions), while outside has been extended and offer areas for standing and seated dining all behind a period wrought-iron fence.
Furnished with pieces from local artisans and European finds, Pickett says no one would usually open restaurant in the city in December, but “COVID has changed the world and broke the rules”.
“Everything happened (with the build) a lot faster, everyone wants to get back to work, (so we) wanted to do it before February. January will probably be a bit quiet, but good for us to ease into it.”
Chancery Lane – the name of the lane the restaurant looks onto – joins Longrain as Pickett’s two new CBD restaurants in 2020. His Collingwood restaurant – Lupo – has been used as a test/training kitchen and may reopen in the new year as a bar.
For now, Pickett says business is booming.
“The restaurants are chockers at the moment, everyone’s been dying to get out, which has been great. We’ll see what January is.
“(Opening a new restaurant) is a big gamble, it might not pay off, but we’ll see.”
Chancery Lane at 430 Lt Collins St, Melbourne, is scheduled to open on Dec 16. chancerylane.com.au
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