New Middle Eastern themed menu launched recently at Melbourne’s Trunk Restaurant & Bar…
Trunk
275 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
The new Middle Eastern themed menu at Melbourne’s Trunk Restaurant and Bar is going down a treat with Melbourne food lovers, with founding owner, Nick Kutcher, predicting this ancient cuisine as about to have a renaissance.
“It’s clear Middle Eastern food is picking up momentum in 2017. International chef, Yotam Ottolenghi, visited Australia this year, and there was a lot of interest around his use of Middle Eastern flavours – it really pushed the cuisine into the spotlight. Places like Tulum are further putting the spotlight on Middle Eastern food.”
“Modern day Middle Eastern food is inspired by so many different countries – it’s incredibly diverse and many people might not realise this. Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, and Israel, all play a part in the kaleidoscope of flavours found in Middle Eastern food.”
“It’s been a fascinating cuisine to explore at Trunk Restaurant and Bar. The colourful Persian jewelled rice, served with pistachio crusted chicken is such a pretty dish; it’s definitely one of my favourite additions,” said Kutcher.
Other highlights from the Middle Eastern menu include tuna tartare with sashimi grade tuna, burghul, pomegranate, taramasalata, quail egg, and crisps; Bastilla with confit duck, dates, walnuts, cinnamon, radicchio and beetroot salad; and char grilled octopus with merguez, smoked paprika, potatoes, peppers and walnuts.
For dessert, try the highly Instragrammable Arabian Pavlova, a rosewater meringue piled high with pistachio semifreddo, halva, Turkish delight, and berries.
For a more casual offering, Trunk Diner – located adjacent to Trunk Restaurant – serves American-style breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks 7 days a week from a stand-alone kitchen and bar. Trunk Diner seats 60.
And it’s not all about the food; guests from the restaurant, bar and diner spill out into the CBD’s biggest outdoor beer garden – Trunk Beer Garden – with 14 tap beers, 30 speciality cocktails, and more than 100 different wines on offer.
Kick off the night with an indulgent Espresso Martini, with 5 creations, including the Ferrero Rocher (Frangelico, Wyborowa vodka, cold-drip coffee, choc-hazelnut wafer, chocolate floss) and the Salted Caramel, (house-infused caramel vodka, Kahlua, caramel, cold-drip coffee, chocolate pretzel rim). For a Middle Eastern twist, try the Rose Martini (Melbourne Gin Company gin, grapefruit, lemon, eau de rose, and pistachio crumb).
A private dining option is also available at Trunk’s Rintel Room – an intimate event space hosting up to 60 guests. The Restaurant and Bar, Diner, Beer Garden, or the entire venue can be reserved for events.
Restaurant and Bar: Open every day 12.00pm until late
Trunk Diner and Trunk Beer Garden: Open weekdays 7.30am until late; Weekends 8.00am until late
Trunk
Ph: 03 9663 7994
Instagram @trunktown
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Information & Images Courtesy of Trunk/Kate & Co – Hayley Edwards
Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times Gourmet News – Food/Wine/Events/Hospitality
Follow us on Instagram @tatgourmetmag
Read on to check out the back story of Trunk…