Two great laneway restaurants in Melbourne

There was once a time when a red light glowing over a doorway hidden down a cobbled laneway in Melbourne signified a house of ill repute. Nowadays, it is more likely to be an invitation to the food-loving restaurant patron to enter the premises for gastronomic delights.

Melbourne’s city laneways are fast gaining a reputation worldwide as a destination for a rich and varied street-art culture, quirky boutiques and unique retail shops, fabulous cafes, stylish bars…and hidden-away restaurants.

Last weekend, we tried two of those restaurants, both of which we found by following the red-glow from their doorways.

Sarti

6 Russell Place Melbourne
Tel: 03 9639 7822
E: info@sartirestaurant.com.au
www.sartirestaurant.com.au

Behind the red door of Sarti in Russell Place is an interesting restaurant offering an Italian menu. The style of food is a mix of traditional and contemporary, and is made with fresh, seasonal produce. The staff are friendly and attentive.

We started with a chef’s selection of stuzzichini which are plates of small appetizers designed to be shared as entrees. One of the special stuzzichini of that day was stuffed zucchini flowers, which were delicious. The Trota di Mare (ocean trout tartare, with horseradish crackling and avocado – $8) was an interesting combination of flavours.

For the main course, I went with the Pan seared John Dory fillets, pea puree, mussels,
roasted pine nuts ($38). Again, cooked to perfection and a lovely fresh, spring dish.

Lucy Liu

23 Oliver Lane Melbourne
Tel: 03 9639 5777
E: info@Lucylius.com.au
www.lucylius.com.au

We had originally wanted to go to Chin Chin on Flinders Lane, but despite getting there at 5.00pm on a Sunday evening, there was a queue out the door, and a 45 min to 1 hour wait for a table. Queenie remembered that she had seen Lucy Liu around the corner, so we wandered down to Oliver Lane to try our luck. We were able to get a table straight away as long as we were out by 6.30pm.

Lucy Liu offers a pan-Asian menu in a space with a semi-industrial feel to it. The dishes are designed to be shared. Many of them incorporate some of our favourite Asian street-food flavours.

Between the four of us, we ordered a selection of smaller plates, and an Asian greens side to share, as well as one large plate – the Korean style crispy pork hock served with apple kimchi salad, pancakes and hoi sin ($38). That dish is a standout. If we’d known how large it was, we would have scaled back on some of the other dishes. The tender pork meat falls off the bone, and together with delightfully crispy skin pieces, we wrapped it in pancakes with the apple kimchi salad and hoi sin sauce.

Of the small bites plates, our favourites were the organic tofu with cucumber, mint, pickled ginger ($6), and the Kingfish sashimi with green chilli, hot mint and toasted coconut ($18).