Reed House

130 Lonsdale St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://www.reedhousemelbourne.com/

With my work and study schedule being what they are, my birthday ended up a relatively lowkey affair this year. But honestly? A quiet evening at Reed House is not a bad way at all to mark another turn around the sun. Located in a historical bluestone building that was once home to the minister of the neighbouring church, the interior of Reed House is cosy if you’re generous, and cramped if you’re not. Me? I’m feeling very generous, especially after coming out of the cold into such warm hospitality, and a menu full of snacks. The food is a refreshingly elegant take on traditional British flavours, that takes advantage of the bounty of Australian produce. Dining here feels so comfortable and familiar, but the excellent service and left-field food turns it into something special.

Rating: 15.5/20 – rehabilitating british food.
Good to know: they do half serves of most of their mains! go forth and order with abandon!

Only in the UK could they claim cheese on toast as a standalone dish, and here it is: the Welsh Rarebit Crumpet ($11). To be fair, the cheese mixture comes spiked with mustard and Guinness, which provides a pleasantly bitter contrast to the melted cheese. And make sure to do as the staff suggest – drown (that’s the word they used) the whole thing in Worcestershire sauce. The tangy, slightly briny notes really bring out the nuances of the cheese and ale sauce soaking the crumpet. It’s a tasty and satisfying snack, but to my Bri’ish compatriots: you cannot melt cheese on bread and call it a dish, it’s just not how it’s done.

Instead, be like the Ramen Scotch Egg ($15), which sits firmly in the snack territory where it belongs. But of course, being Melbourne, this hearty comfort food is taken to the next level with the egg marinated in sweet soy (hence the ramen), cosied up in aromatic sausage meat spiked with Asian spices, and deep fried. It’s even served with a traditional mushroom ketchup, which provides a lovely hint of earthiness to the sweet and tangy flavours. (Fun fact: ketchup originated in Asia as a fish sauce, Europeans attempted to recreate it with ingredients such as walnuts and mushrooms, before the Americans came up with our beloved tomato-based condiment in the 19^th century).

I love a good Ox Tongue Skewer ($7ea), and whilst these were remarkably tender, I do prefer them a little more charred, as these tasted a little too much like offal for my liking. The sweet Piccalilli Pickle mustard sauce helped though.

Though not as exciting, I think the Raw and Pickled Veggies Platter ($18) is a great way to see what’s seasonal. Being winter, I was treated to a wonderful selection of garden-fresh endive and radish, as well as cucumbers and celery perfect for dunking into the bitey curry mayo. But the real highlight were the pickles, which were moreishly crunchy and sour – just the way I like them – without being brash. I could easily snack my way through a whole jar of the carrots.

The team stole my heart when they told me they could do halfsies on some of the mains, so I settled down to two different meats – how indulgent! The first is the Roast Chicken ($20.5, half serve), which won me over with its chunky bread sauce, the mellow bechamel-like flavour a comforting overlay to the juicy roast chicken and sweet caramelised leeks.

The Porterhouse Steak ($23.5, half serve) is the best I’ve had for a while. The beef struck the ideal balance between buttery and robust, and the Sauce Diane creamy and decadent without overwhelming the beef, the addition of mushrooms in the gravy highlighting the umami of the steak. The accompanying salad of bitter endive and soft herbs was exactly what was needed to cut through the rich flavours.

The Potatoes ($16) are a must-order. Not only do the paper-thin layers combine crispy edges with carby centres, it also comes with house-made chicken salt sprinkled on the malt vinegar mayo; that’s to say, dehydrated and crumbled chicken skins. Absolute ripper.

When it’s so cold, it’s hard to go past the Sticky Toffee Pudding ($17). Unlike the traditional version, this doesn’t fall into the trap of being too dense or sweet. Instead, this cake is light and fluffy, the sweetness coming from the drizzle of stretchy toffee sauce, which is then balanced out by lashings of spiced cream. The almond fritter brings the crunch, and the poached quince completes this winter treat.