Featuring: Omnia Bistro, Frederic and Fred’s Bar, Pinchy’s…

WHAT do you do when the restaurant’s bricks-and-mortar aren’t ready but the chef, his team and the front-of-house staff are? Create a pop-up to start warming up, is what. The Capitol Grand, an exclusive apartment development on South Yarra’s Chapel Street that opened at the end of 2019 was still under construction when just up the street, on Toorak Road, Omnia Bistro opened its doors in mid-2019. Omnia was pegged as part of the development, but the team opened up a popup which was a professional setup from day one. The temporary space gave chef Steve Nairn and his team a chance to hone skills and cohesion before taking on the much larger space in the development.
Nairn has held several high-profile postings, including stints at Matilda, Vue de Monde and New York’s Eleven Madison Park and at Omnia, he’s created a produce-driven menu founded in European flavours and technique.
Snacks include ocean trout cigars; brik pastry wrapped around a mix of crème fraiche and cured ocean trout, sprinkled with fresh chives. There’s a steak tartare where Nairn uses beef tenderloin, dried capsicum and smoked egg yolk, and gives the dish some old-school love with a garnish of pomme gaufrettes. And, the whole flounder is a mainstay, simply grilled with brown butter and lemon and capers, the beauty is in its simplicity.
The new home, in the Capitol Grand is designed by Architects EAT in association with Curious by Design and there’s a large central bar which is focussed around the bespoke mural by Capitol Grand artists in residence, Bromley & Co.
The wine list with up to 150 labels bends towards lean, subtle and fresh styles and the cocktail list by award-winning bartender Orlando Marzo, 2018’s World Class Bartender of the Year, covers both classic and contemporary mixes with a good nod to non-alcoholic drinks for grownups. 625 Chapel Street, South Yarra; phone (03) 8080 8080.
Third-generation restaurateurs Nathalie, Edouard and Antoine Reymond (owners and operators of Bistro Gitan , L’Hotel Gitan and the children of much-lauded chef Jacques Reymond) opened the doors to Frederic and Fred’s Bar introducing an all-day European dining precinct to inner-city Cremorn, both of which have already charmed locals and destination diners with the hospitality for which the family are renowned. The two adjacent venues – relaxed bar concept Fred’s Bar and refined restaurant offering Frederic – serve separate menus, each a collaboration between the Reymonds and Head Chef Nick Deligiannis (formerly Petit Tracteur).

Frederic, offers a menu with a strong European influence with dishes from the Reymonds’ native France, along with neighbouring Spain and Italy. Try the cheeky morsel that is the sweet corn Madeleine with Blue Swimmer crab and espelette pepper or a Gippsland Veal Tartare with pine nut cream, pickled shallots served against the crunch of squid ink mushroom tapioca cracker. There’s much focus on steaks in various cuts and an ever-changing specials board embracing the seasons. The wine list features a selection of European and Australian drops along with a curated selection of bottled craft beers.
The room designed by Melbourne design firm SJB Interiors is framed with exposed concrete interior walls, softened with touches such as rattan chairs and antique mirrors, warm timber joinery and maroon and pale green leather upholstery. 9-11 Cremorne St, Cremorne; phone (03) 9089 7224.
Lobster, champagne and pink neon signs in the middle of Melbourne’s Bourke Street? Absolutely. Pinchy’s has had a few popups over the years, selling their luscious combination of lobsters and champagne at different events and festivals and now, they have their own permanent home overlooking Bourke Street in the heart of the city where there’s a large terrace area – with seating for 60 – and 75 more seats inside.
Bright pinks and greens and kitsch terrazzo give a playful buzz to the room and executive Chef Pierre Khodja (Camus, Canvas, Terminus) has a menu almost completely dedicated to seafood – with some vegetarian and vegan options in there, too.
There are the signature lobster rolls, packed with buttery lobster from Alaska and Maine in the USA but there’s also list of snacks including crab tacos, salt cod sangas, prawn head rolls with sea urchin aioli and mussels in a rich chowder-style sauce. There are plenty of bubbles on the drinks list, sparklings and Champagnes as well as craft beers, ciders, cocktails and non-alcoholic choices. Level 1, 200 Bourke Street, Melbourne; phone 0420 783 719.