Balmain's all-day dining bistro and live music hang-out, Elliott's, occupies an iconic corner in the heart of the buzzing neighbourhood. The venue that was once home to Casa Esquina was entirely reimagined with a new layout and design, a reenergised team, a fresh culinary direction, and a bar reworked into a standalone destination. The vision of evolving from a regular dining space into a hybrid social and dining-and-entertainment destination was sparked by relaxed live music laws. Michael Fegent, Director of Atticus Hospitality, says he has "imagined it as a space where people could enjoy a meal or just come in for drinks and let their hair down with live bands and vinyl DJS bringing a festive upbeat vibe. When council finally approved the courtyard cover this year and live music rules changed, it was the perfect moment to bring that vision to life." Now, Elliott's has appointed the acclaimed Brad Crowle as Head Chef, marking an exciting new chapter for the bustling venue. Crowle brings a breadth of experience across fine-dining institutions, including Kiln and Oncore, and a produce-led philosophy to the kitchen. "When I first stepped into Elliott's, the open-fire kitchen immediately stood out. Without a second thought, I knew that was what the menu needed to be built around," says Crowle. Crowle was drawn to the community feel of Elliott's, wanting to be part of a true local hangout. "I've spent most of my career working in large city-centre venues and was looking for an opportunity to become part of a local community. I live only a short bike ride from Elliott's, so it genuinely feels close to home. In a neighbourhood restaurant, building trust with guests is just as important as the food itself. We want to understand what people love, what keeps them coming back, and continue evolving the experience around that," says Crowle. Crowle's menu highlights exceptional produce and champions local suppliers. Refined snacks include a crab tartlet with avocado and grape, and barbecue king prawns with a prawn bisque. From the open-fire grill, taste market fish with parsley velouté and makrut lime, butterflied chicken with warrigal greens, and steaks ranging from a 200-gram wagyu flank to an 800-gram T-bone. "We follow the seasons and even the micro-seasons within them, allowing the menu to evolve organically throughout the year. Rather than making a handful of major menu changes, we'll continually adapt as produce, suppliers and the team see fit. It keeps things fresh, exciting and responsive," says Crowle. Jordan McDonald, Director of NITE-RITE Entertainment and head of the music program, is thrilled that the team behind Elliott's has taken advantage of the music reforms so quickly. "The atmosphere in this place is pretty special, it's that blend of buzzy service, high calibre food and drink and masterful performance that you don't often find hanging out under the one roof. I think the neighbourhood's gonna [sic] love this, but I'm excited to give music-fans another compelling reason to visit Balmain". Guests can expect DJs on the decks every weekend from lunch until late, with some of Australia's most celebrated funk, soul, boogie and blues personalities set to curate bespoke sets for Elliott's courtyard showcase act each Saturday. Images: Leigh Griffiths.
