Shelley Horan
It doesn’t come as a surprise that Hannah Green’s latest project has such an impressive sense of calm confidence. Green is, after all, a lauded hospo veteran who, with her first standalone project, Etta, added skilled restaurateur to her front of house and sommelier renown. Still, with Daphne, just a few doors from Etta in the former Bar Romantica space, Green has opened strong, starting with a renovation by If Architecture that cleverly divides the sizeable space with booth seating, deep red curtains and a lengthy counter that fronts both bar and kitchen. It has a bustling, “casual neighbourhood local” vibe, echoed by a menu that puts an elevated but user-friendly spin on perennial crowd-pleasers from roast chicken to house wine.
On tap and coming in pinot grigio or sangiovese form, that house wine is a collaboration with Victorian winemaker Dom Valentine, served by the glass or carafe, and topping out at $50 for 750ml. The quality for the price is remarkable (something that’s also true of the bottle list) and sets the tone for the refined simplicity and generosity of the no-bad-choices menu from chef Diana Desensi (Montalto, Pt Leo Estate, Saint George).
The snack section includes wood-fired oysters Kilpatrick with powerful tomato, fermented chilli and smoke elements added to the traditional Worcestershire and bacon, while the excellent wood-grilled mortadella skewers are early contenders for cult status, their ribboned meat teamed with mustard fruit given a splash of white balsamic vinegar.
Desensi has a talent for simple twists on classics, like pairing grilled asparagus spears with a classic tonnato sauce made of albacore offcuts from Etta, a lovely combination that reads both rich and clean. It’s also there with Bloody Mary heirloom tomatoes, the rustically cut chunks of multi-coloured fruit tossed with Spanish olives, fermented chilli, kombu and house dried oregano, a combination that enthusiastically and satisfyingly dashes across the palate.
There’s also a burger on the menu and it’s a good one. The wagyu brisket patty is brushed with bone marrow and comes with a tangy pickle-forward “tuck shop sauce”, a bun from local bakery Wildlife, and excellent fries of textbook crispness and seasoning. The half roast chicken is also worthy of attention, brined, dunked in herbed butter and cooked in both combi and wood ovens before being served with pan juices and white balsamic sauce and blistered grapes. Yes please.
Don’t miss the olive oil cake, moist and citrusy and served with cream and berries. It’s homely enough to bring a tear to the eye and is a fine example of what Daphne does best: nurturing and comforting with maximum skill and minimal fuss.
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