It was early evening in the Docklands and we hadn't been in Melbourne for more than a couple of hours. The neighborhood wasn't looking too promising for us to satisfy growling stomachs - not because there aren't plenty of restaurants in the area, but because the glassy expanses of this newish district were simply not that welcoming. Everything felt a little pretentious for a couple of guys that like to keep things casual.
I normally don't like to be approached by a restaurant's employees while I'm looking at a menu in the window, because who wants that kind of pressure? In this case, though, the bartender/server probably saved us from further indecision and subsequent crankiness. He came out and told us it was happy hour and that we should try the tapas. All I heard was cheap beer.
The inside of the restaurant is a loving...almost creepy...shrine to all things and quotes Oscar Wilde. It's an unusual theme for a restaurant, but I appreciated the bookish quality and the plethora of quotes abounding on many surfaces.
And the food was great - we made do with a few tapas that energized us for a night of exploration. These included clams with chorizo, pork ribs and lamb cutlets. The lamb cutlets were served with what I think was some spaghetti squash, and the pork ribs included a slightly spicy slaw. Everything was prepared well and hit the spot. So, thank you bartender, for approaching us and bringing a little humanity to the glassy cool facade of the Docklands. read more