Go for the food, stay for the wine {Green Park Review}

The last night of September I sat glued to Instagram as photos streamed in from the launch of Green Park. I know what you are thinking... 'Heck Nicole, you lead a rocking life!'
In my defense it was a Tuesday night. There's nothing on TV on a Tuesday night (I don't even watch TV :)  Besides, the Instagram viewing was far better than any soul-destroying reality show. It was very clear to be that I needed to voyage over to North Fitzroy ASAP.

I managed to rope one of my wine-appreciating buddies into a Sunday supper, not that Eat Quaff Laugh (EQL) needed much convincing, she had been tormenting me with Instagrams of her Green Park breakfasts and wanted to try the bar menu too.

With Howard Stamp (ex Movida , Le Bon Ton) in the kitchen, Jamie Munro-Lynch (ex Charlie Dumpling, Ananda, Circa, Cutler & Co) on the floor and James Madden (ex Kirks, Merricote, City Wine Shop) behind the wine list (not to mention hot bartenders and baristas in the line up), it is an all-star cast of Melbourne hospitality pros. Add in a gorgeous refit by Eades & Bergman and Green Park is already settling into a chilled neighbourhood vibe.

To the food!

It took no time at all to decide we must have the fried rabbit. Tender strips of bunny in a crunchy coat with a buzz of spicy heat, served with a tarragon mayo.

The charcuterie board came with Wagyu Bresaola, Felino Salami, spicy Morcon, a to-die-for house smoked pork belly; with a side of bread and good olive oil.

We figured we needed something green so went for grilled quail served on an endive and pinenut salad. The dressing really made this dish, made with chardonnay, it cut through the richness of the meat and I soaked up the remnants with bread. I would have licked the plate but, classy.

Before I move onto dessert I need to rave a little about the wine list. At a time when Melbourne Sommeliers are getting heat about a lack of local representation on the list, James Madden is going to win some fans with some seriously good local wines. Other than a Champagne and a sweet offering from Spain the list by the glass is an Aussie affair.

As we were pondering that most difficult of decisions- bottle or by the glass, the bartender suggested we could work our way through more of the selection if he gave us a half-pour each. 
This way I was able to try:
'13 Glaetzer Dixon 'Uberblanc' Riesling from Coal River, Tasmania. Sensational, just a hint of residual sugar to balance the crisp acid.
'14 Jauma Chenin Blanc from Adelaide Hills. A wild fermentation with a slightly cidery nose and so food friendly.
'13 Fairbank Rosé from Bendigo. A blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet, this wine is Provencal in style, the palest orange with pretty aromatics and gorgeous complexity.
'11 The Wander Pinot Noir from Yarra. Pretty yet earthy, stemmy yet supple, an exercise in elegance.

Possibly one of the best 'By the glass' lists I have seen this year.

But you want dessert.

This was worth the wait.

Frozen Chocolate and Hazelnut Aero Bar.

Rich ice cream in the middle, silky chocolate on the outside and surrounded by saucy, crispy, malty, nutty bits. Now there's a slogan: Saucy, Crispy..... no?

Salted caramel profiteroles topped with popcorn. In a splurge of interactive joy you get to squeeze in your own tube of caramel. I managed to suppress my squeals of delight. All class.

Green Park has all your bases covered. They are open 7am to 11pm 7 days a week and move from breakfast and lunch through to late night snacking with all the in-betweens (hello Park St Pastries for all your cakey needs), as well as a good value set menu on Friday and Saturday nights (bookings taken for these nights too). They are also incredibly kid-friendly, running regular kids tasting panels as they continue to tweak the menu. Apparently they have been slammed the last two weeks, doing over 500 covers for breakfast on both days last weekend, which has resulted in some less-than-favourable Urbanspoon scores. So perhaps avoid the weekend breakfast crowds for now and make use of a few of the other timeslots - they are open 112 hours a week...

Please note: This post is unsponsored. All opinions are my own and all food and drinks were paid for.