Brett's Big Night, Bureau in the Wild, & Bench After Dark
On Michelin stars, writing, and coffee for dinner.
Brett’s Big Night
It’s been a big week at the Bureau of Eating & Drinking, and hopefully one that has set us on a path to better days. The week began with the incredible news that Australia’s own Brett Graham had finally been awarded a prestigious third Michelin Star for his London restaurant The Ledbury. I was absolutely overjoyed to read this, and while the guide’s relevance has swayed and strayed in recent years, it is an undeniable acknowledgment of excellence. Particularly, might I add, in London, where three starred venues are rarely coronated, and the bar seems to be much higher given the haughty local expectations.
I dined at The Ledbury in 2012 when I lived in London and think about that meal regularly to this day; a top 5 restaurant experience of my life. I’ve lived vicariously through my favourite blogger London Eater’s regular meals there, and felt the industry-wide dismay when Graham, beloved and admired as a “chef’s chef” in the game, was year after year denied his third star. Congratulations to the entire team at The Ledbury.
Bureau in the Wild
Graham’s moment also had special significance for me, as I was asked to write a piece about the story for Broadsheet Melbourne. To see my byline in the Broadsheet font was surreal, and felt like a nice validation for the work I’ve put into this newsletter over the last three months. I hope to continue contributing to Broadsheet regularly, and am committed to keeping the Substack updating regularly too.
I was also thrilled to have two pieces printed in The Westsider, my local newspaper. I wrote about one of my favourite places, West Footscray’s excellent pizza joint Harley & Rose (fun fact: my father Michael designed and installed all of the fabrics that they use to divide their dining spaces) and Yarraville newcomer Masak Masak. You can read both pieces at those links. I’d thoroughly recommend both places to anyone visiting this side of town; look for another piece by yours truly in the March edition. Yes, I kept a clipping of the articles to frame.
Bench After Dark
Last Saturday evening I was also lucky enough to be invited to Before Nightfall at Bench Coffee Co in the city. Bench has been one of my favourite cafe groups in Melbourne since their inception, starting with Slater Street Bench in South Yarra. I used to live nearby and was a daily visitor; that little cafe on Fawkner Park still holds so much significance to me. The group represents a commitment to quality and have an incredibly well defined design aesthetic, and unsurprisingly have gone on to become a heavy hitter in the Melbourne coffee scene, with multiple venues and a stand-alone Brunswick roastery.
Before Nightfall is a sort of evening coffee degustation, blurring the lines between bar, cafe and performance art. Candidly, I am old beyond my years, and am infinitely more comfortable watching Great British Menu on the couch and going to bed at 9.30pm than I am staying out raging at night, much less consuming caffeine after midday. However, I’m pleased to report that the lingering effects were not severe and I still managed a good night’s sleep.
The evening began with divine chilled green tea and some lovely, ornate custom welcome cards; fellow stationery enthusiasts will be instantly stimulated. The first course was a play on the iced latte. Instead of using espresso, the ground beans were steeped directly into the milk and chilled, the result a fragrant and complex flavour with the aromatic notes of a single malt whisky; or, of you will, the world’s classiest White Russian. Served alongside, a shimmering tempered chocolate with a sake-lees ganache filling, made by a chef at nearby Izakaya Den. It is 7.30pm on a Saturday and we are drinking iced lattes and eating chocolate; and I love it.
Next, a study in the effects of temperature on coffee. A fresh V60 pour over is made for us, partly kept warm, partly instantly chilled using a custom method that avoids the dilution of ice. The hot coffee is served classically in a Japanese ceramic mug, the cold served in a champagne flute; it’s amazing to observe how the simple act of changing a coffee’s temperature can affect its flavour profile.
To finish, a sort of mocktail made to reflect the tasting notes of the coffee on display. A chilled cold brew is shaken over ice with a complex herb oil and a cordial of fermented fruits, then finished with a syphoned coffee foam. It’s super refreshing, with the spiced, woody bitter notes of Angostura bitters. Served with a plush chestnut mochi cake, it’s a delightful end to a one-of-a-kind Melbourne experience.
Bench “Before Nightfall” continues through February.
Reservations can be made at https://benchcoffee.co/products/before-nightfall
Keep an eye out for out next edition, a very exciting long-form review of one of Victoria’s best new restaurants.