Featuring: Gomi Boys Ramen, Haldi, Bar Bombay Yacht Club…
MELBOURNE is waking up from a long two years. The popups, deliveries, Zoom tastings and cooking classes that were created by the industry over lockdowns have shown the never-ending versatility and adaptability of the hospitality industry and now that doors are swinging open, there are some real gems feeding people across the city.
After building a following during the lockdowns of 2020 and executing a successful Pozible campaign in 2021, Gomi Boys Ramen opened their first bricks-and-mortar venue at 692 Sydney Road, Brunswick in late 2021.
Friends, chefs and business partners, Benjamin Reardon and Ryan Maher – the duo behind Gomi Boys – started their business during the first lockdowns of 2020 when the pair found themselves out of work. They created a range of heat-and-eat ramen kits which they made and delivered themselves. The kits proved so popular they nurtured a solid community who love their slurpy hand-made noodles, house-made ferments and preserves.
The new venue – in what was formerly Beat Box Kitchen – has 60 seats and the room, designed by Melbourne-based Studio Wonder, houses a long wooden bar overlooking the kitchen and a large communal table towards the back of the room.
Ramens include, Sardine Dashi Tsukemen- cold noodles, hot dashi and pickled Port Philip Bay sardines; Milawa Duck Shoyu Ramen- rich with roasted duck breast, duck leg rillette and charred green onion, as well as an Almond and Mushroom Paitan Ramen featuring golden nugget pumpkin, abalone and Lion’s Mane mushrooms, purple mizuna, spring onion and almond-enriched broth.
There are small dishes, too – Chicken Karaage with kewpie and lemon and Hiyayako – chilled silken tofu with fresh tomato, lemon and eggplant treacle – and vegan options are available for many of the dishes.
Gomi Boys Ramen, 692 Sydney Rd Brunswick VIC 3056. Phone (03) 9191 0008.
Chef Jessi Singh and team Daughter-in-Law have created an inclusive, welcoming space called Bar Bombay Yacht Club with a menu that takes broadly from across Asia, with flavours and inspiration from India, Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia.
“The city is reopening, and Bar Bombay Yacht Club is a celebration of that,” says Singh, “Everyone is welcome. There’s something here for everyone.”
Dishes of Butter Chicken Paté with Fenugreek Roti and Ma Po Tofu Vindaloo in Lettuce Cups feature in the starters. Look out for main courses of Tandoor-roasted Mumbai Masala Corn with curry popcorn and paneer and whole roasted Tandoori chicken, but it’s the seafood Singh is particularly excited about.
The chef started to sail during Melbourne’s lockdowns and is inspired by the coastal cuisines sailing affords. You’ll find whole chilli lobster with Sri Lankan sambal sauce; roasted flounder with curry leaves; spicy squid with chilli oil butter and, a selection of ceviche. While ceviche isn’t Asian, the choice to include it comes from Singh’s US connections and his love of Mexican and Baja cuisines.
The drinks list is also wide reaching. A large list includes wines from across Australia, New Zealand and Europe, particularly France with a fridge dedicated to Champagne and a drinks-and-caviar trolley will be rolling at the 80-seater venue.
Bar Bombay Yacht Club, 8 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC. Phone (03) 9654 6526.
Haldi Indian restaurant, formerly of Moonee Ponds, has relocated to Carlton North and opened its doors in late 2021.
Owned by business partners Dharminder (DJ) Singh and Raj Singh – who also own CBD Indian restaurant, Gaylord – the pair realised that most of their customers were travelling from Brunswick, Carlton North and Carlton for their authentic Indian dishes and were often asked, “Why don’t you open closer to us?”
It led them to make the location change to Nicholson Street and the community is embracing it.
Both Raj and DJ see lots of potential in the Carlton North area and have designed Haldi as a relaxed dining room with the focus on being a good local Indian restaurant.
“We are gaining great support from the immediate community,” says DJ, “we really want our customers to come in and relax, have an easy meal, takeaway, whatever they need. It’s very casual.”
The atmosphere may be casual but their approach to authenticity is anything but. Before opening, Raj and DJ had a wall temporarily removed to allow the installation of the large tandoor oven for the house-made naan and roti breads. “It wouldn’t fit through the door,” says DJ, “and the tandoor is a very important part of what we do.”
The 30-seater serves dishes inspired from across India. There are the perennial favourites – Butter Chicken and Beef Vindaloo – as well as dishes such as Dal Makhani – black lentils, cooked down with spice and cream – and Goat Nihari, a slow-cooked spicy goat curry cooked on the bone. Entrees of Crab Tikka – croquettes of fresh crab, cumin and ginger – and Tandoori King Prawns served with rice are also proving very popular.
The drinks list is built on local wines, with a smattering of Italian and French drops and apart from the Indian brew Kingfisher on the beer list, all other beers are local.
Haldi, 375 Nicholson St, Carlton North VIC 3054. Phone (03) 9349 2947.