*I dined as a guest, however all opinions are my own.
Remi Food and Wine Bar is tucked away between two buildings on Moore Street in the city. Originally owned by the Trimboli family (of Mezzalira, Italian & Sons, Da Rosario, Bacaro fame), it has recently been rebranded and taken over by Michael De Silva who also owns a handful of Italian restaurants in Melbourne. I was invited to try out the breakfast menu one weekday morning.
Michael uses Red Brick Espresso coffee beans and even goes out to the site for tastings to make sure he has a good batch for the eatery. I tried out a soy mocha that has a mix of white and dark chocolate in it – an interesting and yummy change to the regular mocha. Happy to report there was a perfect blend of coffee and chocolate, in a thick and frothy mocha.
My friend ordered a flat white which came out with pretty coffee art.
Breakfast won’t set you back more than $15 with items such as shakshuka, eggs benedict, smashed avo, a breakfast burrito and more. I was planning on ordering the shakshuka when Michael mentioned I could try the new dish that would be introduced to the menu – the French toast with raspberries and white chocolate. I’m such a sucker for sweets, so I decided to try that instead. This is more a classy French toast without the bells and whistles. Covered in a raspberry coulis and white chocolate ganache, the dish also came with white chocolate balls filled with a raspberry gel centre. Though the French toast was nice, it wasn’t the fluffiest and a little bit dense. The differing flavours of raspberry and white chocolate worked very well together, but in my opinion it just seemed like there was something missing. Perhaps some fresh raspberries on top or a little something extra to add oomph to the meal.
My friend ordered the Remi’s Omelette (usually $14) with a mix of chorizo, roasted peppers, Spanish onions and potato. Served with a side salad, this was certainly going to provide a filling way to start your day. The omelette was huge and stuffed with a generous portion of all goodies. The egg was fluffy but slightly dry around the edges. Other than that, my friend was completely full and satisfied with his breakfast.
Remi’s lunch menu includes pizzas and pastas ($17) as well as salads, a burger, fish and chips, and focaccias that can be taken away. I forgot to ask what kind of wines are served, but given it is a wine bar, you should have a decent selection.
Service is really friendly and helpful. Our drinks and food came out quickly, and prices are decent for a city eatery. Noise levels are low – perfect for a business breakfast or lunch. There were plenty of cyclists in that morning enjoying a coffee as well. Friday afternoon Happy Hour has recently been introduced from 5-7pm with $5 basic beer, wine and spirits, as well as live music.
Remi Food & Wine Bar is open Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch along with Friday Happy Hour. A big thanks to Michael and his team for inviting me to dine in!
Foodgasm 6/10
Value for money 8.5/10
Service 10/10
FPJ score 24.5/30
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