Carnation Canteen
Carnation Canteen feels like a warm, inviting dinner party, at your chic friend's house.
Overview
As the sun sets, the orange glow emanating from the unassuming facade of Carnation Canteen on a tucked-away corner in Fitzroy draws you in like a moth to a lantern. It's enticing and warm, and feels like an intimate and chic dinner party you're so grateful to have been invited to.
Carnation Canteen is a pink-pastel-hued, petite and charming neighbourhood bistro owned by Head Chef Audrey Shaw and her husband, Alexander Di Stefano. The loosely Mediterranean menu is strictly seasonal and changes weekly. Shaw's approach to cooking is intuitive and produce-led, driven by her close relationships with suppliers and growers who share her ethos towards food.
The alluring handwritten menus deliver a selection of ever-changing snacky nibbles, food that mandates another glass of wine. You'll find something intriguing sitting atop charry toast, whether it's braised leeks with pistachios, tuna crudo with prosciutto butter, or olive tapenade crostini primed for scooping fresh buffalo ricotta. There will likely be thinly sliced meats such as San Danielle Prosciutto with pear, veal girello with tuna sauce, or Jamon Iberico with hazelnuts and dates. More substantial dishes may be along the lines of pork and fennel sausages atop braised lentils with parsley and mustard sauce, charcoal grilled chicken with yoghurt and pepperonata, or roast pork with prunes and pistachio.
In her former life, Shaw's creativity was channelled through her career as an architect. So of course, she lent her architect's hand to designing the space, cleverly making the most of its svelte size. Carnation Canteen is imbued with character, with layered, cracking paint on the walls juxtaposed with fresh flowers atop an enviable pink marble bar that grounds the space. Glowy lamps give off a romantic and dreamy feel and make you want to stay for another drink and something sweet — usually something rich and chocolatey, such as semifreddo with fudge sauce, or profiterole with chocolate sauce (always using Melbourne-made, organic Huntered+Gathered chocolate).
The warm welcome Carnation Canteen received from the very beginning is the result of hands-on hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering dedication to quality — both in terms of food and service. Shaw's confidence in her produce and skills in creating considered dishes make this the kind of restaurant you'd feel smug showing off to an out-of-towner. Carnation Canteen exudes the essence of unpretentious yet exceptional dining, reminding Melburnians how lucky we are to have restaurants like this at our fingertips.
Images: Coco and Maximillion.
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