Osaka, via Torquay

WITH CAM O’KEEFE

No, this is not a new Jetstar route, but rather a new Japanese barbecue offering from the same stable of serial restauranteur Alex Pan.

His local hospitality empire includes the likes of Sober Ramen, Drunken Dumplings, Sumi and Man Bo, opposite Kardinia Park.

The Geelong Palate was a guest at Osaka BBQ’s opening last week and can I say we were mighty impressed on many levels. Besides a quality fit-out (boasting a Japanese izakaya-like charm once dark) there’s a food menu that specialises in yakiniku, which translates to “grilled meat”.

The concept invites guests to become involved in the cooking side of the meal, as they prepare their own bite sized pieces over flames from a charcoal-filled pit found built into their dining tables.

Think of it like a Japanese cook-your-own, balancing a mixture of theatrics and fun, with quality seafood (locally sourced squid and sashimi grade salmon/scallops) and a brilliant selection of wagyu treats, to create a memorable dining experience. The owner certainly has a knack for great small Asian-inspired venues: what’s next, Alex Pan, a quality sushi train restaurant?!

Another dinner just this week gone was at Nectar, the new(-ish) sister eatery to neighbouring Moorabool Street local Recess. Previously housing the much loved Bistro St Jean, it now serves food broadly described as Mediterranean, encompassing bits and pieces of Italy, France, Spain (you know where I’m going) mixed through their dishes. Mandy Wright is co-owner here, who spent much of her local cooking career rattling the pans at Riviera On Yarra (over a decade ago – time certainly does fly). Expect to find here a couple of Mandy’s old favourites when you see the menu, like a blue swimmer crab lasagne: apparently the talk of the town back in the day.

Gooleys x Aftersun (yes, apparently this is the venue’s name) has made quite the impact along Little Malop, delivering the lunchtime goods in the form of their Torquay-loved sandwiches, rolls and subs. Munch away while DJ tunes are blasted in their small, and high energy, eat-in environment, which also acts as a record store selling new and old vinyls. For well under $20, you’ll have a full belly and a well-deserved, funky escape from your office desk. It rocks, literally.

I finally made the short trek out to the Federal Mills to see what all the fuss is about the Paddock Bakery, and geez was it busy. I had heard positive things, but I couldn’t picture how a bakery that licenced to seat 400 patrons (known previously as The Federal Cafe) could be pumping that much. Well, I was wrong: there were queues, a sea of eager customers, and mountains of doughnuts (which appeared to be getting restocked from their back ovens every few moments). The slightly expensive prices (and smaller portion sizes) didn’t seem to deter any of the latte-sipping faces, as even in winter this place was packed.

In other news, less than a year after new owners gave a significant venue makeover, Queen of the West (now apparently know as just The Queen) is up for sale again. Unsure why the incoming operators didn’t just keep the Barking Dog model going, but it’s sad to see what was once a shining light along Pako reduced to now shutting at 9.30pm on Saturdays. Hopefully we see this Geelong West institution restored back to its royally best form in the future.

I’m also looking forward to seeing if new Moorabool Street venue, Das Bierhaus, lives up to its name: literally “The Beer House” in German. Appropriately available in 1 litre beer steins, there’s half a dozen imported Deutsch beers on tap (as well as schnapps tasting paddles) and beer food options like brezel, schnitzel and würstel to keep with the German theme. It can be found in one of my favourite Geelong CBD addresses (the heritage listed, 1855-built bluestone building at 310 Moorabool Street), which was once home to Geelong food institutions like The Source and Tousson, as well as multiple pub incarnations as George and the Dragon Hotel. Here’s hoping the place embraces Oktoberfest in a couple of months time! Although I won’t be waiting until then to pay them a visit.

And always a favourite point of contention among many local pub-goers, the cleanest beer taps – and freshest pours – are often open to interpretation. I couldn’t speak more highly of the quality of the Guinness. though. at the Inverleigh Hotel. Unfortunately only a few local establishments take the time to stock this Irish nectar on tap nowadays (it requires a different tap setup/gas to regular pub beer systems) making it all the more satisfying when you find a place offering exactly as it was intended to be. Worth the drive out of town (just slightly) for a cold one!