Lunch at Julie Restaurant in Abbotsford Convent
Weenjoyed an exceptional lunch at hatted restaurant Julie Restaurant, a new venture from Cameron Miller of Cam's Kiosk, and chef extraordinaire Julianne Blum.
It was great to be welcomed by Cam and sit down and relax at this foodie haven with tall ceilings and white tablecloths in a stylish but unpretentious airy restaurant.
We ordered -
✨La Sirene Farmhouse Sour
✨Charles Oliver Grenache
✨Cosmic Connexio Xarello Orange Wine, Spain
✨Artichokes, borlotti beans, pork and fennel sausage, sour cream and green sauce - such depth of flavour and a great start
✨Octopus ragu, anneletti and bronze fennel was so rustic and rewarding - excited to enjoy a seafood Ragu w natural saltiness and love the small thin rings of pasta
✨Roast chicken, charred lemon, broccoli, greens - humble title to the dish but it’s next level, delicious chicken from Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm in Bendigo
✨Flathead, mandarin, ginger shallot sauce, red mustard - great presentation of whole fish and incredible sauce with ginger nuance, fish from Gippsland Lake
✨Spring vegetables - a highlight from local farms (Seymour and at Abbotsford Convent)
✨Lemon and Ricotta Bomboloni, bay leaf custard, rhubarb caramel - our new addiction
This is a menu that excites with elevated dishes, but with an honest and rustic feel. We also felt we were being nourished, with many ingredients sourced from their garden. Service was impeccable throughout.
Julie is a destination for lovers of beautiful food, with a luscious wine list of independent producers in a uniquely Melbourne location. Executive Chef, Jules Blum and Front of House, Anna Clifford, helm the female-led team behind the venue. Now joining the team is sommelier Sophie O’Kane (Manze) and head chef Stephannie Liu (Apollo Bar and Atelier September, Copenhagen, La Buvette, Paris).
Julie is a relaxed bistro with elevated service and a produce-driven menu in the idyllic Convent surrounds seated in a curve of the Birrarung (Yarra River). Julie reflects the pedigree of chef Julieanne Blum (Jules), who has built her career in the hospitality industry working as Head Chef at Cam’s Kiosk over the past six years.
Julie is filled with warmth and a dinner party-like atmosphere or comfortable country pub vibe with an urban edge. The menu illustrates the evolution of Cam’s Kiosk into a stylish older sister, but much like its namesake, Julie’s menu is an unpretentious approach to seasonal deliciousness. Featuring a high rotation of dishes according to availability of produce each, as well as to tickle the creative brains in the kitchen.
The seasonal wine list is thoughtfully curated by Claudelle Savannah (Public Wine Shop) and celebrates people and places the Julie team love and have found wine with purity and pleasure including Australia but also around the world. The ethos is wine for everyone - people who want to think, people who don’t want to think and people who want to feel comfortable. There is also a Cellar List of wine that is exciting, rare and special. Highly recommended.