The newly renovated Rydges Melbourne is now home to a pre-theatre and after-work drinking and dining haunt, Bossley Bar and Restaurant. The huge space is split up into a front bar and terrace overlooking Exhibition Street and Little Bourke, a dining room serving up lunch and dinner to the public (and buffet breakfasts to hotel guests) and two separate private dining rooms. And even while it is connected to Rydges, Bossley does a damn good job at standing alone. A soulless hotel dining space this is not. Instead, it's got character all of its own, feeling like a big French bistro thanks to the green leather banquettes, parquet flooring and moody lighting. Led by Executive Chef Paul Griffiths, the kitchen serves up contemporary Australian and European eats with a strong sustainable focus. Your steak will hail from Gippsland, the fish is all line-caught and most other produce is locally sourced and seasonal. On Bossley's winter 2023 menu? A series of charcuterie boards, handmade burrata with charred cauliflower, pickled fennel and a smoked honey and a mean roast chicken. This classic is perfectly juicy, has a moreish golden crispy skin and comes with a black garlic puree and macadamia pangrattato. It's also mighty big so you won't be going home hungry. We're also obsessed with the fries. Griffiths has perfected the art of the hot chip — first boiling the potatoes, then popping them in the blast chiller before frying them, chilling them and then frying them again. They're pillowy, crunchy, oily bites of pleasure. Dessert-wise, you best try the Bossley Snickers. It's a glammed-up version of the original chocolate bar. They've tempered their own chocolate shell with peanuts and pumped in a salted caramel cream that's close to heaven. End the whole experience by adding a sweet iced Riesling from Tassie or the Bossley signature martini — made with Four Pillars Olive Leaf gin, vermouth, sherry and a dash of miso and saltbush olive oil. Don't expect a total reinvention of the wheel at Bossley but be very happy trying classic dishes and drinks that have been given a modern twist using quality produce. It's clearly trying to please a broad range of diners, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a joint you can go to with the whole office crew or the family visiting from out of town. Even the fussiest eaters will find something pleasing here.
