Rascal

Located along Sydney Road, Rascal is a cheeky wine bar with a serious food offering. With Elliott Pinn at the helm, the kitchen runs like a well-oiled machine. The ex-head chef of Doot Doot Doot (Jackalope Hotel) has an impressive resume and has also worked at the hatted Sepia and Flying Fish, bringing impressive skill and creativity to the kitchen. The menu boasts exciting flavour pairings and unique creations – it truly is a breath of fresh air. With a drinks list presenting variety across every category, Rascal will have you returning time and time and again.

The venue was renovated by co-owners Harrison Peace, Simon Henderson and John Ryan (The Vale Bar and Eatery, Glamorama) - who also designed the space. With communal seating, small intimate nooks and an open plan bar, the 70 seat venue lends itself to all occasions, whether it be an intimate date night, dinner with friends, or an after-work unwind drink and snack.

Standout elements in the 150-year-old building include the hand-built wine rack under the stairs that houses Rascal’s premium wine collection, the solid hand-cut textured grey granite bar top, and the bespoke mural by Melbourne based artist Minna Leunig that uses her signature creatures adorning the back wall.

The mercurial food menu is a rotating, seasonal mix of complementing dishes that are designed to be shared.

To start we adored the dish of heirloom tomatoes, peach, geraldton wax mead and roasted almonds – simple, yet simply beautiful. It was a stunning dish that allowed the natural ingredients to truly shine. The roasted cauliflower was similarly delicious. We loved the caramelised cauliflower served with tamarind, pistachio and curry oil.  

For mains the lamb neck was a stand out. Wonderfully tender, the lamb was served as a DIY souvlaki alongside smoked pepper paste and fluffy wattleseed flat bread. It was a flavour explosion that left us wanting more.

Dessert time showcased the kitchen’s versatility. Our dining experience concluded on a sweet high with a dessert of caramelized pear cream, white miso, yuba and milk crumb. Utterly delicious!

On the drinks front expect an impressive selection of over 120+ wines, 50+ beers and 60+ spirits available. The wine list has been curated with old and new world wines represented, as are minimal intervention and funky expressions that will delight adventurous drinkers. Using his experience working at The Standard Highline in NYC, co-owner James Gullan has created the Rascal cocktail list shines a light on Euro-style low- ABV classics. Think highballs such as port and tonic, vermouth and soda, plus, modern riffs on classics.

Location: 341 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Phone: 03 9114 2817

Link: www.rascalbrunswick.com