Jorg Restaurant –North Fitzroy

Fast forward a few weeks and I am here introducing a new venue to the vibrant Melbourne market. This venue has undergone a significant renovation and presents with style and class in what could be an over-sized dining area but in fact comes across as cosy yet spacious. There are two large communal tables at the back of the venue which can be integrated for a private function or used individually for two groups of diners. It is hard to describe the ambience and layout so you will just have to drop in and have a look for yourself. Since opening, the owners and staff have conducted many viewings from curious passersby and local residents, and the feedback has been very encouraging.

The name Jorg translates to ‘informal European dining’ and those involved in the business have the experience and talent to deliver just that. The owners and team include former Jacques Reymond head chef Mike Smith, ex-Church Street Enoteca Bryce Bernhardt and front of house manager David Christiano (think Floyd in Ivanhoe).

The menu starts with a selection of shared plates ranging from $8 - $16 with the charcuterie plate at $22. A small but enticing selection of mains is offered between $26 - $37 with sides between $8 - $9 each. A separate lunch menu is on offer where $18.50 will provide an appropriate lunch serve with a complimentary glass of wine or tap beer.

I dropped in last week over the lunch period and opted for the special in which I selected the pan roasted salmon, green beans and sicillian salsa. To accompany this Lori recommended the Chestnut Hill ‘Liberty’ Chardonnay 2006 which is a new release and was thoroughly enjoyed. The bonus for me was the complimentary bread, served on a platter with a tiny pot of olive oil, salt and pepper. For someone that does not eat a lot of bread this was out of character, however I found out that the bread is baked on site, and you could tell by its freshness!

Both the food menu and wine list had caught my eye and tempted me to re-visit for dinner so that is what I did four days later on the Saturday night. It was not hard to find a dining companion to join me for what ended up being a relaxed, non-rushed three and a half hour experience at Jorg.

We each started with a glass each of Josef Cromy ‘Pepik’ Sparkling Pinot / Chardonnay 2008 (Relbia, Tasmania) and two freshly shucked Pacific oysters whilst we further perused both the food and wine menus. From the shared plates we selected two dishes; the goats cheese pannacotta, pickled beets and watercress and the chargrilled baby squid, braised ox-cheek, gremolata. This was accompanied with a glass of Claymore ‘Joshua Tree’ Riesling 2009 (Clare Valley) and Rocca Ventosa Pinot Grigio 2009 (Tollo, Italy).

The combination of flavour and texture with each dish were delightful and left our taste buds alive and ready for more. My companion selected the saffron and tomato broth, shellfish, pork sausage and panfried barramundi for a main and I selected the wet braised lamb, lemon cous cous gratin, with almonds and olives. This was served in a small terracotta hot dish but by no means was I lacking in portion. To accompany our food we went with the recommendation from Lori and thoroughly enjoyed a bottle of Fratelli Primitivo 2008 (Yarra Valley).

It is worth mentioning the plates and boards used to present each dish. For a change smart oval shaped plates were used, each setting with a different colour in which the colours provided a warmth to the table. Shared plates were served on smart wooden boards and so too were some of the mains. It was refreshing to enjoy a meal without having to scale a high crockery lip or worry about spilling over the side of a shallow dish.

We certainly did not need to finish with anything else, however the brioche baked goats cheese, bourbon muscatels and waldorf salad was too good to turn down. Oh and the offering of a glass of Romate Pedro Ximénez Cardenal Cisneros (Jerez, Spain) completed what was a delightful evening.

Jorg is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Despite being new I would recommend booking because once the locals discover what is on their doorstep walk in bookings will be a challenge. I have not mentioned the function space that is tucked to the back of the venue. Set up to cater for around 100 guests, this area has its own bar and toilet facilities so is something to consider if you are soon to plan an event or function. I certainly have my eye on this space for a trade event in the future!