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The Recreation

Elevated bistro with a moody, masculine dining room.

Blueberry milk, frangipane, yoghurt and blueberry sorbet
1 / 9Blueberry milk, frangipane, yoghurt and blueberry sorbetSimon Schluter
Inside the Fitzroy North venue.
2 / 9Inside the Fitzroy North venue.Simon Schluter
Asparagus tart with curd cheese.
3 / 9Asparagus tart with curd cheese.Simon Schluter
Dry-aged duck breast.
4 / 9Dry-aged duck breast.Simon Schluter
Co-owner Joe Durrant in the front bar.
5 / 9Co-owner Joe Durrant in the front bar.Simon Schluter
Barbecued flathead.
6 / 9Barbecued flathead.Jason South
Cured garfish.
7 / 9Cured garfish.Jason South
Saffron tagliatelle with stracciatella.
8 / 9Saffron tagliatelle with stracciatella.Jason South
Outside The Recreation.
9 / 9Outside The Recreation.Wayne Taylor

14.5/20

European$$

On what some would consider a culinarily cursed strip, the Rec has long proven fortuitous for all who stumble upon it.

Not that anyone’s stumbling in here, despite the BYO wine policy and a cellar stacked with splash-out drops (some with price tags to rival that of a used car). Clientele are largely of the repeat variety and the floor team has an accompished air, gliding assuredly between tables.

Behind an open pass framed in fluted glass, the chefs might be the calmest in town, plating up house-aged duck with flawlessly rendered, dukkah crusted skin; short-rib Bourguignon with chewy lardons and pommes mousseline; and supple dark chocolate ganache with cherry sorbet, all without so much as a “yes chef”.

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At the end of the night, a trolley of rums and chocolate truffles is wheeled over, as good a reason as any to stick around.

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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/vic-good-food-guide/the-recreation-20240411-p5fj4f.html