Epocha

Set in Montefiore House, a grand Victorian terrace on the fringe of Melbourne’s city centre, Epocha delights with European inspired food for the soul. Boasting a range of "snacks", "small shares" and "large shares", the menu is (as you might have guessed) very much designed for sharing. The service is warm and welcoming, as is the ambience.

We began with a range of snacks – house pickled olives, chickpea fritters with espelette mayo, Liptauer cheese on rye crackers and of course a little loaf of Epocha's famous malty dark bread. These well conceived nibbles set the stage wonderfully. 

A generous plate of the finest jamón ibérico de Montanera followed. For the uninitiated, this ham is made from free-range pigs that eat only acorns giving the meat a tremendous depth of flavour which transported us immediately back to Spain. The freshness of vegetables at Epocha beggars belief, with the char grilled zucchini with basil, mint, crème fraiche and anchovy crumb being a standout.

The crescendo of the savoury courses was the moorish slow roasted shoulder of lamb with petit pois 'a la francaise'. The roasting juices from the intensely flavoured, succulent lamb coated the sweet peas – an intoxicating combination.

Not to be overlooked, Epocha’s award-winning wine list is carefully curated with a focus on European wines and also features some interesting biodynamic and lesser-known boutique producers.

To finish, we indulged in a rice pudding, hazelnut biscuit and raspberry compote and a chocolate marquis.

Boasting perfectly executed comfort food, warm surroundings and attentive service, Epocha is a modern restaurant that has not forgotten about good old fashioned service. Highly recommended.  

Location: 49 Rathdowne Street, Carlton
Phone: 03 9036 4949
Link: http://epocha.com.au
Cuisine: European, Mediterranean