I feel like I start so many posts this way but I really do not spend enough time in Melbourne. I mean I live here, I go to work here but I never really explore this beautiful city or take time to appreciate the things that draw tourists in droves every year. When I was asked to review Pilgrim Bar I had no idea where it was. Pilgrim Bar is right next door to Riverland – a place I spent many Melbourne holidays sipping cider and people-watching. It seems I have’t been down to Federation Wharf for a good 18 months through because this lovely little bar and eatery had completely escaped my notice.
The vibe is different at Pilgrim, whilst Riverland is very much a beer garden with pub food, Pilgrim’s offering is a little more refined with an astonishingly good drinks list to back up the kitchen. The dining space is right on the waterfront, offering uninterrupted views of passers by. There is a diverse menu offering sandwiches (such as the asparagus and pea omelette, watercress pesto pressed sandwich served with pickled zucchini) through to a range of cured meats, cheeses and a range of small plates designed for sharing. There are a number of vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options clearly marked as well.
The drinks list showcases the best Australia has to offer and it is an absolute delight to see such a focus on our diverse local offerings. The beer list hosts a range of Melbourne locals (think Abbortsford, Sample and Barrow Boys); cocktails feature locally made spirits, a category Australia is rocking at the moment; and the wine list has so many good offerings from our local regions -Yarra Valley and Heathcote, with a nod to our interstate neighbours.
We started with a couple of cocktails. My Love chose a Manhattan Rocks ($20) made with Starward Whisky, Maidenii sweet vermouth and Mister Bitters hickory smoked apricot bitters. Being a Queensland girl I had to try Unbridled Passion ($20) showcasing Tambourine Mountain Passionfruit liqueur with Archie Rose Vodka and Capi Blood Orange soda.
We began our feast with a selection of Charcuterie ($28)
Beautifully presented, the charcuterie is accompanied by a chewy crusty baguette that is served warm, and a selection of condiments:
Glistening tender morsels of mustard fruits add sweet spice to slivers of Sopressa Salumi
Gentle acidity of Pickled vegetables cuts through the richness of Finnochiona Fennel Salami
Intensely flavoured mohama is freshened by red grapes.
The classic combination of prosciutto and rockmelon complete the platter.
Never one to pass up cheese, we also a creamy Fior Di latte with hazelnut dukkah and olive oil served with toasted focaccia ($12)
To select wine to drink with our grazing plates with had a chat with Michael, the venue manager, about the wine list. As mentioned, Pilgrim has an entirely Australian focus and features a number of smaller producers. Unusual varieties like gruner veltliner, fiano and monastrell make an appearance too. Staff are quick to offer a taste if you are interested in trying something new and there is plenty of exciting options to choose from. Michael suggested the 2014 Save Our Souls Rose ($10) from the Yarra Valley for My Love. Made by the rockstar winemaker Bill Downie it had gorgeous aromatics of watermelon, raspberry jubes and savoury herbal notes with more of the same on the palate, balanced by quite a lot of grippy texture and a very dry finish.
I just had to try the 2013 Clarence House Pinot Blanc ($11) from Coal River Valley in Tasmania, largely because I don’t think I have had an Aussie Pinot Blanc before. This went surprisingly well with our salty platters – a really creamy texture and quite high acidity cut through the richness of the food with flavours of grapefruit, camomile and Buerre Bosc pear.
We allowed the kitchen to select our share plates with one caveat – I had to try the Smoked Duck ($14)
Cuttlefish, chorizo, confit onions and witlof ($14) was a surprise delight. The cuttlefish was beautifully cooked with just a hint of firmness before releasing its delicate flavour. Combined with salty little cubes of bacon, sweet onions and bitter witllof, this was an inventive and perfectly executed dish.
Lamb shoulder ($16) cooked for 12-14 hours until butter-knife tender and served on a savoury purée of eggplant and date was comfort-food done well.
The richness of the lamb was balanced by the freshness of lentil tabbouleh ($9) made with quinoa, coriander, parsley and a tangy sherry dressing.
With our mains My Love opted for 2014 Bellvale Pinot Noir from Gippsland ($11), showing aromas of rose petals and red cherry and some earthiness, with lots of dark berry fruits, earth, vanilla and spice on the palate. I have recently become a fan of some of the more elegant grenache coming out of the Barossa so chose the 2014 Cirillo Estate ‘The Vincent’ Grenache ($10). This was a beautiful match with our array of dishes showing a plush, spicy palate of dark cherry and liquorice.
As the night set in it was time for an espresso martini ($20) made with Belgrove Rye Coffee Liqueur, Archie Rose vodka and Little Drippa Cocktail Coffee – a really elegant version of this classic cocktail. The dusting of chocolate added mocha notes as we sipped.
Desserts are incredibly well priced for a city venue at just $12.
A grown-up version of a banana split comes with caramelised bananas, rich salted caramel ice cream, crunchy spicy praline and a drizzle of chocolate. One of the pieces of banana was perfectly caramelised, the other was just a little charred but overall the dish was nicely nostalgic and lifted by the excellent praline.
Chocolate & Olive oil mousse with sea salt and torta de anis was the pièce de résistance. The mousse was dark, bittersweet and paté-like in texture. Salt crystals danced on the tongue cutting through the richness of the mousse and when scooped onto honey-drizzled torta a hint of anise and sweetness rounded the dish out. Just exquisite.
We were very impressed by our night at Pilgrim Bar. The food was inventive, showcasing quality ingredients, and the drinks list is one of the best small lists I have seen in Melbourne. The menu is reasonably priced given it’s breathtaking location, and staff are attentive and friendly. I was impressed by how accommodating the staff were of families that wished to linger over coffee with young children in tow. Whilst this is certainly a venue to attract tourists, there is plenty to draw the locals too.
Disclosure: I dined as a guest at Pilgrim Bar. All opinions are my own and this review was also based on the service I saw given to other patrons.
All of those dishes look so impressive! Yet another place to add to the ongoing Melbourne to-do list on my phone.
I sometimes feel the same way, I’m just completely losing track of all the new dining/drinking options in Brisbane and really not making the most of it. I went to go to Sling the other day and found it had closed down 🙁 clearly hadn’t been to drink in West End in a long time!
The Pilgrim Bar looks great! I’ll be in Melbourne early next year so will add this to my list of places to try. I think I’ll definitely have to remember to save room for dessert if i do!