Virginia Plain

In search of a gourmet mid-​week feed, we partook in Virginia Plain’s Tuesday night chef’s special consisting of a four course degustation menu with matching *wines*. The food was great and the matching wines of sherry, German apple wine and an Italian red gave the meal a fresher take than the standard faire.
With regard to service it’s an entirely different and slightly haphazard story; From sparkling water being topped up with still water, to drinks being ordered but not served at all. Following these mistakes more minor quirks of service begin to become obvious … such as waiters who only address the men when presenting food.
Despite some minor short comings Virginia Plain is a great venue with well priced meals, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

OK… I suppose. Had a small dinner for 8 here on a Thursday night. $ 1,200 for 8 with only 4 drinking. The value left me scratching my head… not a stand out meal for the bucks but not crappy either.

Make a date to enjoy your meal… Virginia Plain delivers some darling dishes. I only wish that we could have tried more mezze style dining late in the evening. Nonetheless we ordered some lovely, perfectly balanced entrees and cocktails which were made to perfection. The smoked steak tartare delighted and the Wagyu bresaola served with figs and mozzarella was positively praiseworthy. Quinoa crusted ocean trout was elegant and dignified. A side of sautéed summer beans was cooked beautifully. Overall, food was contemplative without being self-​obsessed; dishes were fresh, well-​prepared and delicious.
Service was welcoming but I found there was a little confusion and miscommunication around our order, and that there could be a little more focus on listening to what people want, rather than what VP delivers. Otherwise, staff were attentive, informed, and made us feel right at home.
Thanks VP for a lovely relaxed evening out amongst handsome surroundings… you could have given me a pillow after my meal and I would have taken a nap right then and there.

Haven’t had the chance to visit for dinner (at least not yet!), but with their well-​priced lunch menu, delicious food and beautiful open space (lots of wood and natural light) this is a wonderful place for a relaxed collegial lunch or catch up with friends.
Everything on the menu is great, but I really enjoy the risotto in particular.
Friendly staff, good service. Very enjoyable.

There has been a fair amount of press about Virginia Plain which has been good, bad and indifferent over the last few months so after viewing «Killing Them Softly» at the Palace Cinema, I thought I would visit the restaurant without a booking last night.
Located next to Cumulus, finding the stairs that need to be ascended to get to reception was easy and my first thoughts as I entered this grand long room was that it is unlike anything that I had ever seen before. Thoughts of The Overlook Hotel from The Shining came to mind though. A very long bar which is reminiscent of what you would find at Cookie is the focal point and the dining room is compartmentalised into two areas seemingly. We were immediately greeted and shown to our table and asked if we wanted tap or sparking water. There was no dawdling, and I appreciated that since I was parched.
The wine list was presented to me and it was quite a good read. I digested the introduction and a familiar name appeared: Raúl Moreno Yagüe. I did not know this man was the sommelier at Virginia Plain and after learning this trivia, I instantly knew that this wine list was going to be special. Raúl was once the sommelier at Vue de Monde and is responsible for getting me drunk, er. I mean complementing Shannon Bennett’s masterpieces with beverages on at least 24 occasions. I was hoping to shake Raúl’s hand and say «g’day Spaniard» but he was not in sadly. I selected a Slovakian wine — the 2007 Klinec Medana Rebula froom the «Orange» list and I was very impressed. Raúl first introduced me to Slovakian and Lebanese wine for that matter at Vue, and I was happy that his influence has transcended the Bennett empire and continues to influence me.
After the euphoria of the first taste of the wine passed, we decided to order the seven course degustation for $ 89 p/​p. The chef, Andy Harmer is also ex-​Vue de Monde, so it was appropriate to see what he had on offer without presumption.
The first dish, a variant of poached eggs on toast, certainly reminded me of something that I had experienced at Vue de Monde in 2007 however Andy’s offering is much more playful and relaxed. This is a good thing. The chicken sauce really brought the flavours together and I thought it was a great dish to start off with.
Ocean trout cured in raspberry vinegar with puff sesame seeds and blood orange followed. At first glance, it looked like Tetsuya’s signature dish in Sydney however the fundamentals are completely different and exciting. When I lived in Brisbane, I really got into Philip Johnson’s various menus at E’cco Bistro and developed a passion for seafood complimented with citrus elements. I fancied them so much that I bought his cookbooks and have tried my hand with various fish and oranges over the recent past however what Andy has created was exceptional. The blood orange complimented the raspberry ocean trout so well that I want to now try my hand at replicating it at home.
A tomato tart followed which certainly matched the Slovakian wine. Both delicate and intense enough to cleanse my palate and prepare me for probably what was my favourite dish of the night, the cod which swam in a sea of darkness; a broth-​like soup that is very hard to describe but along with the cut asparagus complimented each other so well. You are deceived because you assume that the dark liquid will not pair well with the fish, but in the end it does — and oh so very well.
The final savory dish was pork jowl and neck. This might not be everyone’s taste however I thought the inclusion of this dish to be very appropriate. I have had so many degustation journeys spoiled by the last savory dish which usually is some odd cut of meat. I enjoyed the pork, especially the light and fatty jowl which matched perfectly with the Slovakian wine.
Unpasteurised cheese and a banoffee finished this epicurean journey and I was left in awe, wondering why I had not been in this place before this sitting. Music played (there is a large stash of vinyl records and a turntable behind the bar I noticed) and the music fit the mood of the place and complimented the evening and ambiance. For those of you who have read my review of Nobu, or even the Meatball & Wine Bar, you will know that my pet hate is obnoxious music being played whilst dining and what was on offer at Virginia Plain was classy and appropriate.
We were attended to by four members of staff throughout the night. I found all of them cheerful, pleasant and good humoured and they certainly complimented the food and beverage. Unlike other places that I have dined at recently, service looked to be enjoying themselves and took pleasure in delighting the customers, which we were throughout the 2.5 hour experience.
I noticed subtle influences from the old Vue de Monde on Little Collins Street in the design and of course the food and beverage. Given the cost of the seven course degustation, I honestly think this is the best value for money that I have experienced.

I like how this place does cocktails… the bar tender asked what I liked… I described and he brought out a scrumptious concoction which was infused with peach and citrus…

Alright, well OK. I have spent some brief time here, not enough
with the food. I may just have to open an expense account for the
sticky beef brisket buns. No I haven’t tried them, but they sound great!
The mac and cheese croquettes, perhaps of the mac and cheese revival,
were great tasty dude food. The staff here extend a decent hand at making cocktails
in any format, and there are some respectable beers on tap too. Perhaps, strongly,
i need to return here for a full meal. My experiences so far were very good.

My review of Virginia Plain may be skewed because I was taken here for my birthday only to discover that it was in fact a surprise party with my nearest and dearest. So I did not see a menu, pick a wine or lift anything other than a fork to my mouth. Wonderful night!
That said, I can review the group set menu and our helpful waiter’s suggestions.
First off, there are some fantastic and interesting wines here. 65 under $ 65 I was told. Don’t be put off by the cloudy unfiltered white wine — it was exceptional.
We had four dishes in total — the stand-​outs being a crispy skin cod and the pork. Oh, so much crackling. Mmmmm.
The crowd was an interesting mix of dates, friends, older couples and then the chatty, excitable lot celebrating my birthday. There was nothing stand out or impressive about the atmosphere, but it kind of created a vibe that felt like you could make pretty much anything work there. From intimiate to casual or even somewhere fancy to treat your parents. Nice.

I reckon if I started batting for the other team, that I’d go for a girl called Virginia. Especially if she were as hot as this particular one.
At first she’d piqué my interest because she was good looking. Dark, a little moody, artistic and a hint of frivolity… I’d want to get hot and heavy with her right away because *I* would look so good next to her. But then she’d say something clever (or in this instance, put something in front of me that demonstrates the brains in the kitchen) and I’d start wondering if perhaps she might be girlfriend material. You know, someone you could make a habit of seeing on a regular basis.
She’d put on some tunes and faster than I could say «I love this song!» my body would have decided it wanted to have her babies.
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The menu feel familiar but when presented at the table you know this isn’t just «ordinary» food. The flavours you will recognise, but the unusual combinations and textural contrasts you might not. It’s serious food, but not taken too seriously which means it’s perfect if you just want to pop in for a quick drink at the bar and a smaller bite to eat (perhaps the rabbit terrine?) or settle in for a long night and have the staff «Bring it on!», Virginia Plain’s 4 or 7 course degustation option.
Something as simple as a leaf and herb salad comes with the textural addition of wafer thin «croutons» dripping with fine olive oil. It’s fragrant and bitter, the perfect palate cleanser between richer dishes.
The wine list is epic. With a whole page of wines under $ 65 and a good selection by the glass it’s possible to dine here without needing to sell off body parts. Of course if you have the cash to blow then this would be a good spot to do it. There’s some unusual inclusions on the list, plenty of biodynamic and orange wines to try, and you’re sure to find something you’ve never tried before.
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It’s official. Virginia and I are now a «thing» and I can’t wait for her to meet my parents.

Most of the chefs here worked at Vue de Monde. They are on their second revision of the menu now and the food just keeps getting better. I am biased as they are a client. But as a long term restaurant reviewer and food blogger I can see the wood from the trees.
VP is also a terrific place to drop in for a drink from a boutique beer to a cocktail of a glass of wine. Try it.

Virginia Plain Service — with a side of attitude
Amid all the excitement — Agenda writing a post advising readers on how to ‘cope with the awesomeness’, for example — we headed to Virginia Plain on Friday night to find out what the deal is. We are still fairly (ish) new to Melbourne, but would we be right in thinking this is a fairly big venture for former Carlisle Street Wine Bar owner Marco Santucci to be taking on? Sharing street space with Chin Chin, Cumulus Inc. and Coda, this place is going to have to deliver. Really deliver.
So, first comes the disclaimers: we dined here once and appreciate that for a truly fair appraisal it would be wise to visit a number of times; of course every diner’s experience is difference and what we might find delicious, annoying or impressive, others might not; and we understand that everyone (wait staff included) have off nights. Please have all this in mind when you read the following — we are not out to discourage, merely share our opinion.
We walk in at 8:30pm and easily secure a spot sans booking, as the place is only half (if that) full, it is one of the biggest dining rooms I can think of, in the CBD at least, and although the muted tones and mood lighting promote a ‘cosy’ ambiance — it is big. The open kitchen sits at one end of the room, a glaring beacon of light, which lends the place the only real hustle and bustle. When we visited, the whole place was a little flat. However, we are presented with menus and have a list of dishes ‘that have been popular so far’ recited at us as we ponder our selection. A $ 35 bottle of wine is pretty much a no-​brainer, and the selection and range of prices on the drinks list at least take some of the sting out of the wandering-​into-​exy territory food.
It’s not all that easy to decide on what to order — having been well and truly indoctrinated into the current Melbourne trend for sharing plates, this menu suggests that there is the potential for group grazing, but then kind of negates it with its price point (mains are $ 26 – 65, unless you select from the one-​pot/​plate comfort menu called Heart + Home, where you’ll find a $ 19 venison and chocolate pie) and seemingly starter /​main /​dessert layout (The Thrill of it All /​The Main Thing /​Sweet Serenade). The set menu (4 courses for $ ⁴⁹⁄₇ courses $ 89) seems to scream value-​for-​money in retrospect.
Really not knowing where to head we ordered two starters to share — ham hock terrine sandwiching a wedge of foie gras with a generous amount of piccalilli and warm spring salad of peas, asparagus (green and white), baby cos hearts and herb dressing (also contained broad beans and was a refreshing taste of spring). The latter we were advised would also work as a side so we figured we would make it last for our main, a single serve of wagyu Wellington ($ 48).
Were we being tight to share? I don’t think so — we’d eaten some nibbles earlier at Kodiak Club so weren’t starving and wanted to leave room for dessert. Plus $ 96 for Wellington to share is just out of the question in my mind — however amazing and Wagyu-​ish it is. This said — it was a great dish — served with fondant potatoes (we also ordered Dauphinoise potatoes, which were ok, home-​cooked at best) and spring beans, the tender beef being wrapped in a deliciously savoury ‘cep duxel’ (excuse the menu’s typo) and crispy not flaky pastry. But really, just as good as Fitzrovia’s offering, without the hefty price tag.
So the problem? Things went astray post-​starters (tasty but no X-​factor). Plates were cleared, although we requested to keep the salad to finish off with our main, and we then waited 30 minutes until our waitress finally noticed we were sitting there looking a bit lost. She cleared the wooded board that the long-​finished terrine had sat on, then announced she would call our mains away. Call them away? Had we missed something?
When the Wellington finally turned up we were without cutlery, and after a few attempts to catch someone’s eye, we had to go and hunt down our waitress who, even when alerted to a $ 50 main going cold before our very eyes, seemed too taken with wine tasting, instead sending someone else to furnish us with a knife and fork. Not great. Oh, and did I mention this is after I asked if the veggies could be reheated (due to the significant ‘coolage’ that had occurred during our wait) and were met with a shrug of the shoulders and an explanation that dishes termed starters should be eaten as starters. From the same person who recommended we have the dish as a side. It was patronising and not the kind of place I expect to go to for attitude. If we want to be really petty, the comment: ‘Was the Wellington ok even though you only ordered a single portion?’ at the end of the meal was not appreciated either.
Part 1 — See part 2 on the blog