Embla - Melbourne

We had a great time here celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary, we had some beautiful wines and 4 delicious light meals, a great place to start your special occasion. Thanks to all the stafg

If you can appreciate rhythm and skill in any endeavour .... a sportsman with all the time in the world, an orchestra on song .... and if you love the theatre of something done really well, try to get a seat at the kitchen bench of Embla in Melbourne. Should you have to wait a period across the road at the fine QT hotel or the lively James Squire bar, well ... things could be worse ! Embla chefs delivered us a night to remember in the Bleak City (we're from Sydney) via a wood fired, slightly smokey series of dishes that were creative in architecture and wonderfully innovative in delivery. It was just perfect a perfect night. Great food, confident skilled young chefs and waitpersons. How this was done for the price still bewilders. This place would be a hit anywhere. Do your self a favour, try Embla... and if you cop a 40 knot southerly driving freezing rain from the South Pole, you will soon forget this inside ....it is Melbourne after all.

That day that the Melbourne train network failed safe and all trains came to a halt. Myself and a work colleague went to Embla for dinner.We beat the evening rush which was a gift because this place is popular and they don't take bookings in the evening.We had a couple of glasses of wine, and the staff were helpful in stepping through the wine list with us. The advice was excellent and definitely added to the meal.We ordered 3 small plates to share, and went vegetarian because we were after something light. We started with Rye Bread and aniseed butter and it was a truly brilliant combination. The bread was light and fluffy with a lovely crust and the butter was rich but not too heavy. One of the great things this resturant does with vegetables is cook them simply and then serve them with a knock out sauce of dressing. After the bread we had cucumber (with a fab sauce) and brocolli (with a different fab sauce).

Perhaps we are from another planet but I have to disagree with other reviewers. After waiting two hours for a table we found the atmosphere dark, noisy and pretentious. Once we deciphered the menus in poor light we found the food ridiculous, over-priced and stingy in its portions. Half a char-grilled cabbage does not a meal make. It is meant to be share plates and we tried hard but left hungry and dissatisfied. No doubt it is hipster heaven.

We were looking to spend much of our time in Melbourne in wine bars, when we were not out in the vineyards of Yarra Valley. Embla kept coming up, in recs from bartenders, the Concierge, and then from other wine bars. Off to Embla we went.We arrived, and our server, at the bar, explained that Embla concentrated on organic and biodynamic wine producers, and handed us a wine list. Now, in some areas, “biodynamic” translates to wines with little flavor, and almost no character, but wines that have a special caché for folk, who would rather embrace concepts, than drink good wines. Well, the wines available at Embla were anything BUT low in character.We started with the Touraize Les Dix Bulles Pétillant Naturel NV, Jura and the Bobar Chardonnay Yarra Valley ‘16, and settled in.We followed up with the Jordy Kay Pinot Nouveau (interesting carbonic maceration techinque) ‘17, and the Unkel Raz Wile Shiraz ‘16 Yarra Valey.It was interesting to watch our server juggle everything – the dishwasher, our glasses, orders for other patrons, and new arrivals – she was doing it all.We had the chance to talk with her, between services, and she offered several other wine bars, and who to ask for.We ended with a Mukai Shuzo “red” Sake, just for kicks.Fun, rustic bar in the CBD. There was food being served, but we were there for the wines. The service was very efficient, and friendly, and we had a fun half-hour, plus left with a whole list of wine bars to try in Melbourne. We would return.