Embla Is Opening a New Upstairs Set Menu-Only Restaurant Called Lesa
If you've been mourning The Town Mouse, ex owners Christian McCabe and Dave Verheul will open an intimate eatery one level up from their CBD restaurant.
It seems Christian McCabe and Dave Verheul have been keeping all kinds of busy since closing their much-loved eatery The Town Mouse earlier this year. In excellent news for anyone mourning the loss of the Carlton restaurant, the pair has announced it will be opening a new venture, Lesa, in August.
The boys have transformed the space above their Russell Street wine bar Embla into the ultimate escape from all of that CBD hustle and bustle. Oak flooring and exposed bricks lend a warm, rustic feel, while a window at the back of the space looks through to McCabe's prized wine room, its sprawling collection heroing minimal intervention drops and Old World iterations.
They'll aim to dish up a slower, more intimate sort of dining experience, with both food and a setting to linger over. A woodfire takes pride of place in the kitchen, so expect plenty of slow-cooked, grilled and smoked creations on the menu. Nab one of four seats perched along the pass for the best view of the fire-driven magic.
As far as pace goes, Lesa is keeping things relaxed, forgoing an a la carte offering in favour of a four-course set menu, with a two-course option for those with a little less time up their sleeve. Here, expect to settle in and really savour, with dishes like a salted bergamot, walnut and koji île flottante (French for 'floating island'), and a semi-dried potato cacio e pepe pasta, topped with basil and pecorino.
Embla was one of our favourite bars of the year when it opened in 2016, so we're looking forward to seeing what McCabe and Verheul do with Lesa.
Lesa will open on level two, 122 Russell Street, Melbourne, from early August. We'll let you know when an opening date is set.
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