Little Andorra has the warm wood, terrazzo and whitewash interior of Melbourne’s classic Euro-leaning bars, with vinyl spinning and a killer wine list it makes perching at that bar irresistible, but don’t miss booking for Mertcan Dogusgen’s set-menu feast.
Bresnan has stayed on track, creating a home-away-from-home for many Melburnians with a comprehensive drinks list and a savvy menu by head chef Mertcan Dogusgen.
Dogusgen worked as a junior sous chef at Attica for a few years before joining Little Andorra in April 2021. His Turkish background sees the set menu bring forth his Izmirian heritage with dishes like kangaroo kebap, charred green almonds with smoked yoghurt and mint and seared beef with salsa verde and legumes.
The team aims to, “deliver outstanding wine and food in a simple, comfortable, understated environment.” They do that consistently while maintaining a standout wine list built on the more obscure and interesting.
“We seek out wines with integrity, organic, biodynamic vineyard practices with minimal intervention and low sulphur. But we don’t make a big deal of it; every glass and every bottle has to represent amazing quality and value for the price to the guest,” says Bresnan.
They also have a mantra of generally buying one case of anything, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. “So, there’s always something new and interesting by the glass, and the bottle list revolves pretty quickly, too! Over 90 per cent of the list is under $100, keeping it as accessible as we can while still keeping it interesting,” Bresnan says.
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Up a flight of stairs above long-term wood-fired pizza player Woodstock in Fitzroy North, Neighbourhood Wine occupies a site of both individual charm and somewhat dubious history. Before Simon Denman and partner and chef Almay Jordaan took possession of the first-floor title that stretches over two shopfronts, it had remained idle for a quarter of…
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