Angus & Bon

Channelling New York hospitality establishments espousing casual grandeur, stylish steak house and brunch hot spot, Angus & Bon has opened a fiery blaze on Greville Street, Prahran.

Angus & Bon is anchored with two restaurant stalwarts at the helm, Liam Ganley and Declan Carroll. Liam Ganley landed in Melbourne following the European economic downturn and with his building and design background and his fiancée Margaret Lawless’ hospitality background on hand; the team then proceeded to open Lemon Middle and Orange and then The Fifth Province and Freddie Wimpoles.

Executive Chef Declan Carroll is a passionate devotee of wood fired cooking and has been a Sous Chef at Rockpool for 4 years. Previous to this, his resume included conspicuous stints at Bistro Guillaume and the Press Club. Together, Declan and Liam have designed a menu that is low on pretension and big on freshness and flavour. The bar and restaurant, each with their own menus showcase the wood grill flavours, whether it is seared into an asparagus, fish or steak.

We loved tasting our way through the menu. To start, the wood grilled king prawns were a stunner. Beautifully fresh and cooked to perfection the prawns were wonderfully plump, juicy and adorned with an umami laden garlic and seaweed butter. It was a beautiful start to our meal.

For mains, the Bannockburn free range chicken was delicious. Again, treated with the utmost respect, the chicken was beautifully cooked. The accompanying onion purée added a delicate sweetness while the shimeji mushrooms and wood grilled baby leeks added a beautiful earthiness and depth to the dish.

For something heartier, do not go past the Jack Creek 100 day grain-fed short rib. The rib had benefited from being slow cooked on the bone and had a stunning melt in your mouth consistency. Together with chimichurri, beef sauce and beer pickled onions and chives, this was a truly gratifying dish.

The side dish of mac and cheese with speck also deserves a mention. Far from being just a side dish, denied due love and attention, the mac and cheese boasted al dente pasta coated in an unctuous coating of cheese.

Desserts continued the theme of deliciousness and showcased the kitchen’s versatility.  Think caramel parfait served with milk chocolate mousse and candied fruit and strawberry ice cream sandwich made from brandy snap tuilles, fresh strawberries and sorbet.

The Angus & Bon beverage list offers a stunning range of local Pinot Noirs and there is a an exciting collaboration with Wiremu Andrews, former Rockpool Sommelier and now owner of Smalls wine bar. The wine list is concise, curated but clever enough to pique the interest, offering a sublime selection at a nice price, with wines by the glass at $13 - $25 per stem which include some premium pours from the coravin.

Taking inspiration from New York throughout the menu and interiors, Angus & Bon continues their NY state of mind with Bottomless Brunches offered both on Saturday and Sunday from 12-2pm with Mimosas, Bellini’s, Bloody Marys and Aperol Spritz’s at $39 add on to mains.

Location: 168 Greville Street, Prahran
Phone: 03 9533 9593
Link: www.angusandbon.com.au