Vitis Eatery is a funky and fun little bar and restaurant in Braddon that is bringing a new world of flavours to Lonsdale Street. With a focus on friendly and relaxed dining – backed up by a truly fascinating menu and a stellar and an evolving wine list – Vitis is perfect for a quick snack with a glass of wine or a long evening of grazing among family and friends.
Chef Jeff Lamshed has travelled the world, investigating flavours across countries and cultures. The result is a truly intriguing menu that delivers food with an elegant simplicity. As plates arrive on the table, you’ll be struck by the strong colours and shapes that tell the story of each dish. Elements are not hidden, rather every flavour is in plain sight, and maintains a delicate sense of restraint that prevents them from appearing too busy. It’s a tricky balance, but one that works beautifully in the relaxed setting of Vitis Eatery.
Served on crunchy toast, the Scallop Tartare with avocado and wasabi is juts one of the dishes from the ‘Smalls’ menu that you will want to try. A nice change from the seemingly omni-present ceviche, this delicate morsel matches the delicate texture of the scallops with the creamy avocado. Fresh and light on the palate, just wait for the gentle heat of the wasabi to come through, adding a fuller mouth-feel behind the freshness of the fish.
Anyone who has cooked octopus knows the effort required to ensure the meat is tender. At Vitis, the Grilled Octopus with lemon, potato and paprika takes the word ‘tender’ to a whole different level with a dish that is so perfectly prepared that the knife simply glides right through it.
Just when you’ve got used to the combination of paprika and the creamy mayonnaise, small segments of lemon provide a sudden tang of citrus to provide balance and a sense of surprise. It’s a fun way to balance a dish that almost brings a small burst of laughter as the flavours swirl and combine.
Another tempter is the King Salmon served with beetroot and horseradish cream. It’s another dish that beautifully demonstrates Chef Lamshed’s philosophy of simplicity matched with sophistication. What more do you need to add to a choice cut of King Salmon? Well, the elegant inclusion of rich baby beetroot and a horseradish cream adds creaminess and acid to compliment the fish, but it’s the addition of a little salmon skin ‘chip’ that again brings the clever playfulness that sets Vitis apart from many of it’s contemporaries
Love your Dolomades? You may think of these as the heavy logs purchased from the deli section of your local supermarket. Here, the Greek favourite is treated with a reverence that would have put the O’Stratos Restaurant (previous occupants at Vitis’ location) to shame. Stuffed with quail and the traditional rice, these dolomades are topped with pine nuts and currents to add crunch and tang. Put aside the knife and fork and pick at the plate with your fingers.
While the focussed dessert menu offers plenty for the sweet tooth, there is also a range of delicious cheeses on offer. Set to change on a regular basis – and arranged across the familiar hard, soft and blue – our selection was as intriguing as it was delicious.
What sets Vitis apart, however, is the board of accompaniments. A result of Jeff’s time in Michelin-starred kitchens, an assiette of fennel, candied apricot and quince takes the cheeses into another dimension of flavour.
All together, it is this attention to detail combined with the friendly and relaxed feel of Vitis Eatery that provides the winning recipe. For a quick snack or a long stop with friends, it’s another shining star in Braddon’s culinary universe.
