懐古的な雰囲気とモダンな料理のマリアージュ - Collins Quarter(2018年8月号)

 スタイリッシュで近代的なビルが増えるメルボルン。趣のある街並の変化に、寂しさを感じるのは私だけではないはず。そこで今回は、1872年にDr.Robert Martinによってコンサルティングルーム兼住居として建設されたビクトリア様式のテラスを利用した、創作オーストラリア料理店Collins Quarterを紹介。朝から夜遅くまで使えると評判だ。間口が狭い上、入り口はカフェ/バーDoc Martin'sとなっているので一瞬戸惑うかもしれないが、奥にCollins Quarterがあるのでご安心を。どんな料理に出会えるのか胸躍らせ入店した。
 Collins Quarter
 迎えてくれたRebeccaさんが「是非試して欲しいの」と運んできたのはBaked potato‘risotto’, chestnut, truffle。どうして「是非」なのかと思いながら食べてみると、小さくさいの目切りにされたジャガイモがシャキシャキしていて、想像していた食感との違いにビッックリ。ジャガイモに合うように味付けは濃厚で、この季節にピッタリ。個人的に米のリゾットよりも、このジャガイモのリゾットの方が好みかも。「是非」と言いたくなるひと皿。
Baked potato ‘risotto’, chestnut, truffle
Baked potato ‘risotto’, chestnut, truffle $14

 続いては華やかな見た目のCrab & cuttlefish salad, smoked avocado, blood orange, bitter leaves。シーフードとマヨネーズのコンビネーションに、スモーキーなアボガドとオレンジを合わせたひと捻りある一品。コッテリとした味わいの中に、時折混じるオレンジの甘酸っぱさや葉ものの微かな苦みが良いアクセントになっている。
Crab & cuttlefish salad, smoked avocado, blood orange, bitter leaves
Crab & cuttlefish salad, smoked avocado, blood orange, bitter leaves $16

  月曜から金曜の11時半から3時までのランチメニューからYabby roll, chives, frisée, chips。ブリオッシュロールに、ヤビーのマヨネーズ和えがたっぷり挟んである。チップスも気前よく盛ってあり、なかなかのボリューム。このサンドには、ヤビーから抽出したオイルを使ったマヨネーズを使用しているとか。ヤビーのほのかな甘みが引き立った優しい味わいに、ランチの一番人気なのも納得。
Yabby roll, chives, frisée, chips
Yabby roll, chives, frisée, chips $20

 本日のスペシャルメニューはKangaroo fillet, artichoke, Wattle seed。レアに近いカンガルーのフィレは、思ったよりもクセがない上、柔らかくて食べやすく、付け合わせのアーティチョークとの食感の違いも楽しい。Wattle seedやMuntriesなどのオーストラリアの植物を合わせた創作性の高い料理になっている。この個性的なメニューには、スパイシーなワインが合うのでお試しを。
Kangaroo fillet, artichoke, wattleseed
Kangaroo fillet, artichoke, wattleseed $29

 人気のメインはBarramundi, cabbage, cucumber, finger lime butter sauce。バラマンディはあっさりとした味わいなので時々物足りなさを感じることもあるが、バターのコクとライムの爽やかさが絶妙なバランスのソースで、満足感のある仕上がりになっている。このソースは野菜との相性も良く、残さずしっかりいただいた。メインの付け合わせには、甘みが増した旬の野菜を使ったBrussels sprouts, smoked mustard creamがお勧め。
Barramundi, cabbage, cucumber, finger lime butter sauce and  Brussels sprouts, smoked mustard cream
Barramundi, cabbage, cucumber, finger lime butter sauce $29
Brussels sprouts, smoked mustard cream $10

 ロンドンの有名店で腕を磨いたシェフが、ヨーロピアンの中にオーストラリアならではのアクセントを効かせた料理が楽しめる店。日本人ソムリエがいるので、日本語でワインの相談ができるものうれしい。ごちそうさまでした。

A marriage of vintage atmosphere and modern cuisine

Melbourne today is filled with stylish, modern buildings, but I can’t be the only one who feels a pang of nostalgia over the resulting loss of so much classic architecture. Thankfully, there are still places like Collins Quarter, which repurposes a classic, Victorian-era terrace, and turns it into a establishment serving creative Australian cuisine. The terrace was once owned and used by one Dr. Robert Martin, as both his home and practice. Known for its long opening hours, Collins Quarter is also a bit confusing to access at first, as the entrance is narrow, and actually also leads directly into the associated Doc Martin’s café/bar out front, rather than the restaurant, but don’t worry, push on and you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for a little further back. Excited to see what was on offer, that’s just what we did.

First to arrive was the Baked potato ‘risotto’ with chestnut and truffle, as highly recommended by the lovely Rebecca, who came to greet us. Wondering why she was pushing this particular dish so hard, we dug in. The reason turned out to be simple – it’s a complete departure from what you’d expect. The small cube-shaped potato pieces were crisp and crunchy, not soft like the rice in a regular risotto, and the rich flavouring matched perfectly with both the potatoes and the season. Personally, I actually preferred this to a traditional risotto, and can see why Rebecca was so keen for us to try it.   
 Next up we ate the gorgeous Crab and cuttlefish salad, with smoked avocado, blood orange and bitter leaves. Going with the tried-and-tested combination of seafood and mayonnaise, Collins Quarter adds their own little twist via smoky avocado and blood orange. The sweet, yet acidic orange and faintly bitter leaves are key to breaking up the rich flavours too, creating a nice accent to the dish in the process.
 The following dish, the Yabby roll with chives, frisée and chips, is the most popular item on the lunch menu (available on weekdays from 11am to 3pm), and after trying it, we can see why. Served in a brioche bun, and combining plentiful yabby meat with mayonnaise made with oil extracted from the yabbies themselves, the dish captures the faint sweetness of the yabby meat perfectly, and combined with a generous serving of chips, is plenty filling to boot.
 The day’s special, Kangaroo fillet with artichoke and wattle seed, deftly served up the near-rare ‘roo by ensuring it was both tender and had none of the distinctive and sometimes off-putting smell it’s known for. The difference in textures between the kangaroo and artichoke also made for a fun meal, whilst the addition of wattle seed, muntries and other indigenous ingredients added a nice creative touch. This unique dish would go well with a spicy wine, so if you can, we recommend you indulge.
 Our other main was the popular Barramundi, cabbage, cucumber and finger lime butter sauce. Barra is a lightly flavoured fish, so without the right skills, it can come across a little underwhelming in the taste department, but here, the mix of the refreshing finger lime and rich butter creates a sublime balance that leaves you satisfied. The sauce also works well with the veggies, so we had no trouble clearing our plates as a result. If you’re looking for an extra accompaniment to the dish, we’d suggest the Brussels sprouts with smoked mustard cream.

Thanks to a chef who honed his skills in some of England’s finest restaurants (including The Fat Duck), Collins Quarter offers up a menu that combines European style with Australian accents. Their friendly sommelier is always happy to answer your wine-related questions, too, so hit them up if you have a chance. Gotchisousamadeshita.

Collins Quarter
86 Collins St, Melbourne
T: 03 9650 8500 
Mon-Thu 7:30am-11pm
Fri 7:30am-'till late, Sat 4pm-'till late
W: collinsquarter.com