It’s that time of year when everyone’s holiday snaps start clogging your Facebook feed and you start to feel like the only person who hasn’t booked a plane ticket to some far flung destination. Well, fear not, because a group of South Wharf restaurants are here to help to fill that void with a series of progressive dining experiences.
The waterfront South Wharf precinct is one of those underrated gems: gleefully close to the city, filled with wining and dining gold, and yet not so busy that you’ll have to battle it out for a table. Just about every palate, mood and craving is catered to here, thanks to a truly diverse array of venues.
Having joined forces, six of these bars and eateries now host a monthly progressive dinner. The Plus Ones were lucky enough to get a sneek peek of all the foodie goodness.
Each month’s five-course event is a little different from the last, with the menus and the order changed up to keep things fresh, though you can rest assured the top-notch food and social vibes are always a given. For our preview, we kicked things off at Plus 5 – a warm and inviting bar, where Aperol Spritzes, cheese and charcuterie platters proved the ideal accompaniment to some relaxed conversation.
Next, we were given a taste of Thailand, enjoying a parade of vibrant, authentic share plates, with the equally colourful BangPop as backdrop. Many a travel story was shared among our group, as we passed around plates of Son in Law tofu and Thai-spiced fried chicken. After that, a stop at the protein-focused Meat Market saw us perched along the open kitchen, digging into Atlantic salmon and local chardonnay while getting the low-down from the chefs.
Our final destination lay just a few steps away, in the warm, Spanish embrace of the Bohemian. Here, we capped off a flavour-packed evening with a glass of Grenache and a dessert of decadent chocolate donuts.
What a night! If you fancy taking your tastebuds on a global jaunt, without forking out the big bucks for flights, this is one dining experience you definitely need to check out.
– Libby
Libby Curran is a freelance writer, craft beer nut, and lover of all things food. She can usually be found eating and drinking her way around Melbourne, or writing about any deliciousness she’s recently encountered
South Wharf Progressive Dinner events are held monthly. See southwharfrestaurants.com.au for dates and to book your spot.
