Huxtable

+ Huxtable
131 Smith Street Fitzroy VIC 3065
T: 03 9419 5101

I had been to Huxtable only the once for breakfast and was disappointed because with my 20.0 breakfast I only got one piece of toast. Vowing never to go back – my partner went recently for dinner and raved about the place – with obviously a very different menu for dinner vs breakfast – and I thought I should risk it.

So it is a Tuesday night and we have a 6.30pm booking – it’s sibling dinner night with my two sisters – and there are a couple of groups in but it is pretty quiet. We get a table with the swivel chairs which immediately excites the child in me – I am the youngest afterall. We are offered menus and water is poured immediately without even an eyebrow motion. Even though I do remember the bacon being fantastic for breakfast – the dinner items are all with an asian + Italian + Spanish slant – which is a strange mix but makes for interesting reading and already am excited about most things listed – oh forgot, the eldest sister [S1] has a seafood allergy [just shellfish] – and as tempting as it is not to tell her and see how things pan out – I decide to play nicely.

It is food for sharing and my partner had already worded me up on the ‘lamb with spahetti’ and the duck main. We start with the jalapeno and cheddar croquettes @ 3.50 each, which are a crumbed ‘popping-sized’ ball of gooey cheese and chopped chilli with a slight punch [too much for S1] followed by the tempura eggplant and prawn fritter 5.50 each which was my self-indulgent pick [notice shellfish] but shared with S2 and finally the crisp filo log of lamb puttanesca with lemon yoghurt 5.50 each – ah reckon this is what she meant by ‘lamb with spaghetti’. All the entrees are very good and a real mixture of flavours and taste sensations.

Now the joint is pretty crowded and it is only just after seven. Time for mains – we opt for the rice crusted snapper, green papaya, chilli and peanut salad @ 22.0 – there is a really interesting crunch and flavour to the salad and our very attentive waitress informs us later that it was probably the prawn skins – figure S1 didn’t hear that or she would have begun to sweat, but no swelling and no rash – so more food. Next the lightly smoked duck breast with figs, chevre, honey and frisee @ 25.0 – the other prompt from my partner and she is definitely on the mark – this is really good. The roasted lamb rump,with silverbeet, pinenuts and balsamic jus @ 26.0 follows, generous plump slices of perfectly medium rare lamb that almost melts away in your mouth – wow.

It is not just the meat dishes – under the monikers of ‘sea’ and ‘land’ that are on show here though – ‘earth’ has a list interesting vegetarian options. We try the roasted brussel sprouts and portabello mushrooms @ 12.0 which is nicely charred and my other favourite the quinoa [apparently pronounced ‘kinwah’ not ‘quinowa’ according to S2] with zucchini flowers, pomegranate and goats cheese @ 14.0 – both really good. This is all washed down with a bottle of Prentice ‘ramato’ pinot gris @ 48.0. We close sharing the coconut pannacotta with pineapple, lychee and kaffir lime salad, mango sorbet @ 15.0 – reminiscent of the quality of my favourite – the pistachio pannacotta with caramelised popcorn from Sarti.

Huxtable is in a bit of a weird spot, right next to Copacabana with the masses of hen’s night patrons and latino John Travoltas queuing up out the front– but right opposite the Grace Darling and just a stone’s throw from Boire and Easy Tiger – so as long as you have a table inside [preferably with a swivel chair] and this amazing food – you cannot go wrong. If only they had two slices of toast with breakfast.