Ruzia’s Wine

215 Balaclava Rd
Caulfield North, VIC 3161
https://www.ruzias.com.au/

Caulfield has clearly been dying for a place like Ruzia’s Wine. Gaze through the lace curtains on a Friday night, and the place feels like a home, with everyone packed elbow-to-elbow, freshly baked cake on the counter, and the sound of laughter and chatter bouncing off the walls. The traditional Polish menu is full of plates of pickled, brined, and fermented things, designed to jostle for space on the table and to be shared. The whole venture is designed as a tribute to Ruzia herself – the chef’s grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, and consummate feeder of families – and you can feel the love in every nook and cranny. I have literally just one complaint – the food comes out a touch too slowly, even when generously accounting for a deliberately laid-back pace. But given almost all the prep is being done from behind the small kitchen counter in the dining room, it’s not surprising. So plan accordingly. But otherwise, settle in for a cosy, delicious evening.

Rating: 13.5/20 – rouge-sha’s wine, get it right.
Shhh don’t tell: I nearly knocked over a picture of Ruzia on the mantlepiece with my big head.

The Ocean Trout Gravlax ($21) here comes in thick, luscious slices, not too salty so the buttery flavour of the fish is allowed to shine. The addition of sorrel and freshly grated horseradish may seem like a small change, but it went a long way in showcasing the quality and freshness of the ingredients.

As you’d expect, Zaidy’s Beef Pastrami ($24) was phenomenal. Instead of the salty and tough cured beef that occurs all too often, this was melt-in-the-mouth tender, with a thin sliver of decadent fat encrusted with cracked black pepper. Likewise, instead of being sharp and overly sour, the accompanying red cabbage kraut provided a delicate crunch, which along with fresh apple matchsticks, made for a surprisingly elegant take on a traditionally rustic dish.

Making the most of winter, the Heirloom Beetroots ($16) are deeply sweet with just a hint of earthiness, brought out by a surprisingly zesty sweet and sour vinaigrette. Paired with a crunch of roasted hazelnuts and creamy salted cheese, it’s such a delicious use of seasonal produce.

And to go with all the little plates, there has to be some Baker Bleu Bread ($8), which is pleasantly crusty and heavy on the ferment. The butter is also beautifully milky and lightly salted; shame there’s not enough for a spread as generous as I would like.

There’s only one hot dish on the menu, but it’ll fill you up. Grandma’s Chicken Meatballs ($28) are pure comfort food, reassuringly chunky and cooked in a simple, mellow tomato sauce. But what really set them apart for me was the side of kasha – a slow-cooked, grounding stew of buckwheat groats and mushrooms.

We were unfortunately too slow on the cheesecake (made by the chef’s father), but luckily there was still some Chocolate Hazelnut Cake ($9) left over. This was an exemplary slice, the crumb dense and fudgy, and the taste of quality cocoa very prominent. As good as it was though, my heart ultimately went to the Baked Whole Pink Lady Apple ($12), cooked until plump and spicy with cinnamon and sugar, and served with a heavy hand on the fresh cream. The flavours may be simple, but they’re so comforting and well done, it’s hard to imagine something more enjoyable.