No need to beware the Ides of March 2018, when the restaurant whipped back the curtains on the makeover it deserved. A sign of commitment to the fine-dining-with-a-difference cause, the formerly austere shopfront was anointed with sleek timber-slatted cladding and artworks injecting a hint of a retro sensibility. The more relaxed approach is another reason to revisit a restaurant gently pushing boundaries. Peter Gunn makes a celebration of just-blanched cherry tomatoes with an eggplant purée centre and crowned variously with goat’s curd, candied pine nuts and watercress flowers. He anchors miso mustard-glazed kingfish in a bright chorizo and lime sauce and cuts the richness of slow-cooked lamb neck in a wrap of parsley stalks with pickled turnip. With his wine list staking a claim to Melbourne’s low-intervention crown, Ides 2.0 is unfussed fine dining at its best.
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
