Kirk’s Wine Bar, Melbourne CBD

I seem to be falling into a bit of a pattern of reviewing wine bars. This is no bad thing, and I guess with a blog name like ‘Champagne and Chips’ it can be expected. But two in one week! Well, actually I’m completely OK with that too. 😉

Last week saw me having a birthday dinner for my love at City Wine Shop and this week I visited it’s little sister (brother) bar Kirk’s Wine Bar with Mel of Eat Quaff Laugh for a winey foodies girls night. Whereas City Wine Shop is a little removed from the CBD bustle, Kirk’s is hanging out right in the thick of it. Situated on the corner of Little Bourke Street and the tourist hub of Hardware Lane, when we visited it was full of Friday afternoon buzz.

We grabbed a table inside and perused the menu with a glass of sparkling. The list by the glass has a nice mix of local and international wines with some interesting varietals. I was also please to see a short mention of aperitif wines including a Manzanilla Sherry.

We started with Goats Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Flowers (14.50)

and one of the specials- Eggplant and Mushroom Fries.

Both dishes were excellent. The zucchini flowers were stuffed to the brim with creamy goats cheese, and the fries fresh and crisp.

We followed all the fried breadcrumbs with the light and clean House Cured Ocean Trout, Pickled Orange and Fennel ($17).

Beautiful and fresh with a lovely combination of flavours. It was served with a few crackers for scooping.

Just to undo any perceived health of the meal we had to order dessert:

Lemon tart

Lovely and tart (‘scuse the pun) with a big dollop of vanilla bean infused cream.

Chocolate Salty

This was a dense little chocolate fondant-like creation with oozy salted caramel in the middle. Served with a scoop of tangy yoghurt sorbet. So damn good!

To Drink?

NV South by Pirie Methode Traditionnelle Brut from Tamar Valley, Tasmania: Crisp apple and citrus on the nose with some brioche and honey notes, and nicely balanced acidity with just a hint of sweetness.

2012 Bastide du Claux Cotes du Luberon Barraban Blanc: A crazy-good blend of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Clairette, Viognier (with 5% Ugni Blanc, Rousanne and Marsanne). Quite complex with stone fruit, floral, cashew, long minerality some slightly funky creaminess and lots of gorgeous texture on the palate. This is one of those little wine list gems that is really affordable (about $47 I think) and stonkingly good. 

Service was friendly, efficient and delightful. Our waitress was lovely and attentive but also very considerate of our tendency to talk too much and forget to look at the menu. When we asked a specific question about a wine, she admitted she was quite new but came back to us with a very good answer from the sommelier.

Kirk’s Wine Bar is open seven days a week (until 11pm) and offers another fantastic wine bar right in the tourist-zone of Melbourne’s CBD. Gosh we are spoilt for choice.