Empire of the future

ASK anyone in Geelong what some of the continually running staple or landmark dining venues have been in the city over the past 40+ years, and chances are The Empire Grill may crack a mention.

Other notable references might include Fishermen’s Pier or Sawyers Arms, but the EG certainly has had its loyal followers over the decades.

It was with some interest then, to learn the passing of the grill-tongs had happened only in the last couple of weeks to a new chef-owner, who now promises to breathe some fresh life into this local (albeit, a little dated) institution.

Chef Andrew Howarth – who has, more recently, worked at The Geelong Club, where he was offering a convincing fare of classic French dishes – has taken control of the restaurant, with the aim of bringing back the charm and focus the venue once stood for.

 

Rather than reinventing the wheel entirely though, the French-trained chef (Andrew owned a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris for many years) simply wants the Grill to be modernised enough to properly appeal to the next generation of diners, through a new menu, fit-out and wine list and beverage overhaul.

It’s really great to see an iconic Geelong venue receive a fresh shot-in-the-arm like this. I’m seriously excited to see what changes happen over the coming few months.

Also, of note, is the restaurant’s underutilised private dining room (which seats roughly 20 diners), where future intimate dinners are being planned to showcase themed wine and food events.

And as to the now-vacant Geelong Club kitchen, I have no idea what will fill this space.

Staying in the CBD, I’ve been watching the progress of one particular wine-related event rather closely the past couple of months, largely due to wishing it becomes a success for its innovative theme.

I’m told the tickets for Fantome’s Wine Festival in May are selling super well, with their advertising material promising over a hundred wines of international and rare status to be on tasting.

What I really like here is that a small local venue – reasonably new(ish) – is having a proper go at offering the Geelong public quite a unique wine event, even without the track record of it working in the past. Good on them.

 

Artisan cheese and other snacks will be available on the day to accompany the (many) wines on tasting, helping make the afternoon more of a civilised outing, rather than just a booze-fest.

The Ryrie Street venue will also be offering special retail pricing on the day, making the cost of a ticket (which is minimal, anyway, at $25) just that little bit more enticing. I, for one, think this event is definitely worth the modest ticket price. I’m in!

If you like big menus and big serves, Lazy Moe’s has recently opened on Yarra Street, where (for decades) once stood Palace of the Orient, a Chinese joint loved by many.

Its model is an interesting one – basically wanting to serve almost anything to everyone – it has triple stacked pancakes, three cheese parmigiana, tandoori chicken pasta and a cocktail list that is probably better suited to an 80s dive bar.

But hey, if the same cross-continental food menu has worked for the brand’s other 10 or so locations around the state, their Geelong outpost will probably yield the same success.

At least there are restaurants opening rather than shutting in our CBD!

Another new restaurant (well, let’s call it an eatery) opening soon in the city centre will be the next branch of the GYG juggernaut.

Its latest outpost will be found in the renovated Lloyd’s Corner building (corner Little Malop/Moorabool) on the ground floor, next door to where ice-cream king favourite, Messina, is also due to be setting up shop.

I actually don’t mind the Guzman y Gomez concept, compared with the vast majority of other (lesser) fast-food outlets in the market.

And given its central location, it’ll probably be quite a hit with those wandering through our CBD. At least it’s not another McDonald’s?

Finally, I caught up with Mike Jacques (TARRA, Onda, Searoad Ferries) last week for the upcoming episode of The Local Palate podcast. Stay tuned next week for a full debrief of our conversation.

Besides having a perspective on what’s happening on the Bellarine at present, he also gave a unique insight on our local hospitality industry in general.

Thankfully, most of his thoughts are all positive! Tune in.