Latest news with #Riserva
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Our critic liked this local hangout in the leafy east so much, she visited it twice in one day
Where nearby restaurants are dress-up and splurgy, Central Park Cellars is come-as-you-are and stay-till-whenever. Previous SlideNext Slide It's not often I like a place so much that I visit twice in one day, but not every venue is Central Park Cellars. On this afternoon, I'm in the leafy east in need of tea and a chat with a friend. We planned a brisk stroll in nearby Central Park, but the weather's being unkind. With our backs to the wind, we're blown down Burke Road. A place with 'Cellars' in its name doesn't sound like cuppa territory but, 10 minutes later, we find ourselves ensconced in a charming window booth sipping cups of lemongrass-and-ginger tea. Down the back, a chef rolls pasta in a picturesque flour haze. Closer to us, shelves of high-quality independent wine are ready for drinking here or ferrying home. In the toilets, the wallpaper features line drawings of local dogs. At a sheltered table outside, a young family carves out 20 minutes: the parents sip prosecco and beer, the kids are brought to quiet stillness by hot chips. In the other window nook, a happy rambler receives crossword assistance from a glass of Musk Lane syrah. I'm eating out with friends later and now I know where. I want the pasta I saw being rolled, and I want some of that wine, too. So here I am, back again in the evening, in a den that gets fuller and louder as the minutes roll by: mates, dates, cross-table talk from parents who know one other from school drop-off, a book club that doesn't even pretend to open a tome. Waiters work gamely, teetering on the cresting wave of a busy weekend. 'A chef rolls pasta in a picturesque flour haze. I'm eating out with friends later and now I know where. I want the pasta I saw being rolled.' The building has been a licensed grocer since 1930. When the business came up for sale a few years ago, two couples decided to buy it, bringing skills from business, healthcare and marketing to their first foray into food. Mick and Paula Stephenson, Craig Buffham and Fiona Doyle have refined the wine offering (and promise they've tasted every wine they sell – well, they do say hospitality is tough), improved the menu and smartened up the interior, installing soundproofing, timber panelling and banquettes. There's music on Fridays and, where nearby restaurants Grazia and Riserva are dress-up and splurgy, the Cellars is come-as-you-are and stay-till-whenever. The menu was designed by Andrea Serreli, who left recently to take on the head chef gig at hatted Scopri in Carlton. His long-time protege, Mandeep Paudel, is now leading the kitchen under the guidance of the owners and with buy-in from regulars, who aren't shy of expressing opinions. There's pubby stuff, such as barramundi tacos, fried chicken, a shareable, 400-gram rib-eye and bloody good chips served with house-made chicken salt. I have more of this addictive salt on the rim of my Salted Hen cocktail, a margarita-adjacent walloper with mezcal and jalapeno syrup. An Italian thread to the menu explains the citrus-cured snapper, octopus with Sardinian walnut sauce, and lovingly made pasta and risotto, which are both available as $20 midweek specials. The food isn't faultless: the risotto's on the chalky side of al dente, although the pea and mascarpone combination is delicious. The beef-cheek ragu is a little thin, but the flavours are honest and the accompanying tagliatelle is supple and silky. Everything is offered in such warm spirit that it's easy to overlook the rough bits of the diamond. I'm a sucker for tiramisu and the one here is flawless, a delightful drawcard to get me back for visit number three.
The Age
2 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Our critic liked this local hangout in the leafy east so much, she visited it twice in one day
Where nearby restaurants are dress-up and splurgy, Central Park Cellars is come-as-you-are and stay-till-whenever. Previous SlideNext Slide It's not often I like a place so much that I visit twice in one day, but not every venue is Central Park Cellars. On this afternoon, I'm in the leafy east in need of tea and a chat with a friend. We planned a brisk stroll in nearby Central Park, but the weather's being unkind. With our backs to the wind, we're blown down Burke Road. A place with 'Cellars' in its name doesn't sound like cuppa territory but, 10 minutes later, we find ourselves ensconced in a charming window booth sipping cups of lemongrass-and-ginger tea. Down the back, a chef rolls pasta in a picturesque flour haze. Closer to us, shelves of high-quality independent wine are ready for drinking here or ferrying home. In the toilets, the wallpaper features line drawings of local dogs. At a sheltered table outside, a young family carves out 20 minutes: the parents sip prosecco and beer, the kids are brought to quiet stillness by hot chips. In the other window nook, a happy rambler receives crossword assistance from a glass of Musk Lane syrah. I'm eating out with friends later and now I know where. I want the pasta I saw being rolled, and I want some of that wine, too. So here I am, back again in the evening, in a den that gets fuller and louder as the minutes roll by: mates, dates, cross-table talk from parents who know one other from school drop-off, a book club that doesn't even pretend to open a tome. Waiters work gamely, teetering on the cresting wave of a busy weekend. 'A chef rolls pasta in a picturesque flour haze. I'm eating out with friends later and now I know where. I want the pasta I saw being rolled.' The building has been a licensed grocer since 1930. When the business came up for sale a few years ago, two couples decided to buy it, bringing skills from business, healthcare and marketing to their first foray into food. Mick and Paula Stephenson, Craig Buffham and Fiona Doyle have refined the wine offering (and promise they've tasted every wine they sell – well, they do say hospitality is tough), improved the menu and smartened up the interior, installing soundproofing, timber panelling and banquettes. There's music on Fridays and, where nearby restaurants Grazia and Riserva are dress-up and splurgy, the Cellars is come-as-you-are and stay-till-whenever. The menu was designed by Andrea Serreli, who left recently to take on the head chef gig at hatted Scopri in Carlton. His long-time protege, Mandeep Paudel, is now leading the kitchen under the guidance of the owners and with buy-in from regulars, who aren't shy of expressing opinions. There's pubby stuff, such as barramundi tacos, fried chicken, a shareable, 400-gram rib-eye and bloody good chips served with house-made chicken salt. I have more of this addictive salt on the rim of my Salted Hen cocktail, a margarita-adjacent walloper with mezcal and jalapeno syrup. An Italian thread to the menu explains the citrus-cured snapper, octopus with Sardinian walnut sauce, and lovingly made pasta and risotto, which are both available as $20 midweek specials. The food isn't faultless: the risotto's on the chalky side of al dente, although the pea and mascarpone combination is delicious. The beef-cheek ragu is a little thin, but the flavours are honest and the accompanying tagliatelle is supple and silky. Everything is offered in such warm spirit that it's easy to overlook the rough bits of the diamond. I'm a sucker for tiramisu and the one here is flawless, a delightful drawcard to get me back for visit number three.
The Age
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘It's the milk bar for 2025': Breadcetera fills a loaf gap in Malvern East
The new takeaway shop and grocer is serving house-made sausage rolls, chocolate tarts and chicken salad sangers on high-top bread. Previous SlideNext Slide An old hair salon opposite Malvern East's Central Park is now a smart sandwich shop and grocery store. 'It's the milk bar for 2025,' says co-owner Frank Ciorciari, standing in front of a shelf of premium tinned fish, hot honey and fancy mayo. To his right, a bowl of chestnuts gleams on a farmhouse table, and on his left, buckets of poppies, magnolias and sunflowers sit on the floor, waiting for their turn in a local lounge room. 'People are educated,' says Ciorciari. 'They love dining out, they know quality products. We think this is what they're looking for.' Good Food visited on Saturday, Breadcetera's opening day. Children in sport uniforms eyed the chocolate tart while parents waited for coffee. The house-made sausage rolls had already been snapped up. Ciorciari and his business partners own wine bar Riserva two doors down, as well as Lucia in South Melbourne and Baia Di Vino in Sandringham. 'We've been here for years and I live in the area too,' says Ciorciari, in between fielding reservation requests for his restaurants. 'We could see a gap for that quality bread offering.' Breadcetera has sourced its hero product from three bakeries. Blanc Bakery in Berwick and Our Place in Heathmont provide the loaves, bagels and focaccia. The sweet pastries are from Austro Bakery in North Melbourne. Buy a loaf to go, or have it turned into lunch, maybe ficelle (similar to a baguette but thinner) with ham, gruyere and sweet mustard pickle; poached chicken salad on white high-top; or a fior di latte and tomato bagel. Riserva is loved for its kids-eat-free offering between 5pm and 6pm daily, and the most popular menu item is the wagyu bolognese. 'We'll put that in the fridge here, maybe turn it into a lasagne, all that stuff in time,' says Ciorciari. Window bench and pavement seating is to come, but the store will stay mostly takeaway. 'We're thinking people will come for egg and bacon muffins on the way to sport, or if you've got five minutes to yourself and come in for a wander, or it's your girlfriend's birthday so you buy a bunch of flowers and maybe a gift. We're here for the community.' Open daily 8am-4pm 399 Wattletree Road, Malvern East, Other new grab-and-go lunch spots to try Crop Salad magician Frankie Cox has opened Crop, serving a rainbow of all-Victorian ingredients for lunch and dinner. Similar to Cox's Cremorne launching pad, you can order a preconfigured salad (make mine a winter miso with sweet potato, red cabbage and seaweed crunch) or build your own bowl, choosing greens, toppings, texture and dressings as the mood strikes. 291 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Foti and Friends Suzie Posnakidis noticed she was feeding her son, Foti, and his friends anyway, so she sold her protein bar business to turn her natural hospitality into a cafe and deli. Foti & Friends is a sweet new spot, open since March, and offering Greek dishes to eat in and take away. A weekly menu announces the roster: chicken with lemon potatoes on Tuesday, say, and stuffed peppers for Friday. The oven is always on, turning out spanakopita and sweet biscuits.
Sydney Morning Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It's the milk bar for 2025': Breadcetera fills a loaf gap in Malvern East
The new takeaway shop and grocer is serving house-made sausage rolls, chocolate tarts and chicken salad sangers on high-top bread. Previous SlideNext Slide An old hair salon opposite Malvern East's Central Park is now a smart sandwich shop and grocery store. 'It's the milk bar for 2025,' says co-owner Frank Ciorciari, standing in front of a shelf of premium tinned fish, hot honey and fancy mayo. To his right, a bowl of chestnuts gleams on a farmhouse table, and on his left, buckets of poppies, magnolias and sunflowers sit on the floor, waiting for their turn in a local lounge room. 'People are educated,' says Ciorciari. 'They love dining out, they know quality products. We think this is what they're looking for.' Good Food visited on Saturday, Breadcetera's opening day. Children in sport uniforms eyed the chocolate tart while parents waited for coffee. The house-made sausage rolls had already been snapped up. Ciorciari and his business partners own wine bar Riserva two doors down, as well as Lucia in South Melbourne and Baia Di Vino in Sandringham. 'We've been here for years and I live in the area too,' says Ciorciari, in between fielding reservation requests for his restaurants. 'We could see a gap for that quality bread offering.' Breadcetera has sourced its hero product from three bakeries. Blanc Bakery in Berwick and Our Place in Heathmont provide the loaves, bagels and focaccia. The sweet pastries are from Austro Bakery in North Melbourne. Buy a loaf to go, or have it turned into lunch, maybe ficelle (similar to a baguette but thinner) with ham, gruyere and sweet mustard pickle; poached chicken salad on white high-top; or a fior di latte and tomato bagel. Riserva is loved for its kids-eat-free offering between 5pm and 6pm daily, and the most popular menu item is the wagyu bolognese. 'We'll put that in the fridge here, maybe turn it into a lasagne, all that stuff in time,' says Ciorciari. Window bench and pavement seating is to come, but the store will stay mostly takeaway. 'We're thinking people will come for egg and bacon muffins on the way to sport, or if you've got five minutes to yourself and come in for a wander, or it's your girlfriend's birthday so you buy a bunch of flowers and maybe a gift. We're here for the community.' Open daily 8am-4pm 399 Wattletree Road, Malvern East, Other new grab-and-go lunch spots to try Crop Salad magician Frankie Cox has opened Crop, serving a rainbow of all-Victorian ingredients for lunch and dinner. Similar to Cox's Cremorne launching pad, you can order a preconfigured salad (make mine a winter miso with sweet potato, red cabbage and seaweed crunch) or build your own bowl, choosing greens, toppings, texture and dressings as the mood strikes. 291 Smith Street, Fitzroy, Foti and Friends Suzie Posnakidis noticed she was feeding her son, Foti, and his friends anyway, so she sold her protein bar business to turn her natural hospitality into a cafe and deli. Foti & Friends is a sweet new spot, open since March, and offering Greek dishes to eat in and take away. A weekly menu announces the roster: chicken with lemon potatoes on Tuesday, say, and stuffed peppers for Friday. The oven is always on, turning out spanakopita and sweet biscuits.
