British-born chef Robbie Noble is the first chef in the kitchen at Residence with a refined country-style menu.
Built on the premise of platforming young chefs, Parkville restaurant Residence is essentially an incubator, where every year a new rising-star chef will get the opportunity to execute their own dining concept before passing the baton on. The 60-seater, run by Nathen Doyle (Heartattack and Vine, Sunhands) and Cameron Earl (Carlton Wine Room), is in the Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus.
The first chef in residence is British-born Robbie Noble, whose CV spans Michelin-starred Northcote in England; three-hatted fine diner Vue de Monde; and Clamato, one of the coolest wine bars in Paris. Called Cherrywood, Noble’s venue is all about “refined country cooking” that’s nostalgic for his upbringing in West Yorkshire but unafraid of fancy flourishes.
You’re going to want to start with a cup of tea. Well, sort of. Listed on the menu as “Mum’s roast chicken”, it is in fact a broth that’s golden-hued and deeply flavoursome, poured tableside from a retro teapot. Despite a few cheffy additions, including tarragon oil and black garlic, the flavour still channels the original dish.
Love oysters? Love Welsh rarebit? Get the best of both worlds in one bite: Sydney rock oysters served baked, cheesy and Worcestershire-sauced. (If you prefer, you can have yours natural with verjuice granita). Continuing the sea theme, sardine fillets are soused in mezcal, with wafer-thin slices of cucumber layered between. More rustic is the smoked bone marrow with oxtail marmalade – add on pudgy sourdough rolls so you can swipe through all the sauciness.
For a more traditional sweet finish, there’s the leatherwood honey tartlet with folds of preserved persimmon. Or you can stay on the savoury train with one of the best-on-ground dishes: a wedge of beautifully burnished leek tarte tatin with a (similarly sized) wedge of 18-month-aged comte cheese.
Good to know: From 8am on weekdays and 11am on Saturdays, Residence also operates as a cafe, with Assembly coffee and tea, Iris pastries, a few sangers and salads, and a small retail area.
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