The Little Press & Cellar

The Little Press & Cellar is part of George Calombaris' Press Club empire but leaning towards the wine bar end of the restaurant spectrum. Smaller, more intimate, and more casual than the Press Club. The restaurant serves smaller dishes, they're a bit like Greek tapas, and a couple of larger dishes to share.

Making use of Melbourne's fine rail transportation system to get into town.
I had got the address wrong and so we trekked half way around the city looking for the Press Club. Luckily I was only a block out so the poor ol' dears and the pregnant lady weren't too inconvenienced.





Prawns - Kataifi wrapped, avocado, attiki honey dressing. I can honestly say I've rarely had prawns as good as these.

I can't find this on the latest version of the menu but it was a rabbit terrine like thing with little toasts and cherries (can't remember exactly what dried fruit it was either). Whatever, it was outstanding.

Octopus with olive oil and lemon juice.

A big bottle of beer to myself. Bridge Road Brewers Saison. No-one else liked this one - a little sweet for beer was the consensus. Me, I like sweet beer.

Squid ink risotto with wagyu bresaola, pistachios and beetroot puree. Another outstanding dish. Pity we had to share.

Another beer no-one liked - Samichlaus Doppelbock. When it is 15% alcohol who cares what it tastes like. I like these dark beers but it was a little too sweet.

Another dish not on the on-line menu but this was a roast chicken dish for two to share. A whole succulent chook cut into pieces with a delicious sauce and coleslaw like salad.

Salad - beetroot, pistachio, celery and goats cheese (labne?). Delicious.

Goat slow cooked for many hours with 40 cloves of garlic for two. Michelle and I insisted that everyone try the goat. Goat can be hard to find so whenever we get a chance to try it we do. I think one or two of the others were a little reluctant to try it but it was pretty good. Maybe a touch dry in parts but excellent overall. Both the chicken dish and the goat were supposed to be for two to share but really you could feed an army with both dishes. Really generous serves so 75 bucks for the goat isn't as expensive as it sounds.


Sokolatopita - salt caramel, peanut praline, vanilla ice cream and the pudding itself. As soon as someone says salty caramel I am there. Fricking rich this was. We also had the cheesecake (Tsizcake - citrus, passionfruit) which was divine and an upside down fruit pastry (Kydonopita - hot quince pie) with vanilla ice cream which was also reported to be pretty bloody good.



Flinders Street railway station.


The baby's fed and we're on the way home. Of course you'd be smiling.

Or you could be getting some zees.

The Little Press & Cellar is at The Press Club, 72 Flinders Street
Melbourne. I don't think it has a Good Food Guide hat but after tonight's meal I think it probably deserves one. Definitely up there with the better meals we've had in Melbourne.