Concrete Playground

Philip Johnson’s recently opened restaurant Bistro One Eleven is a new favourite amongst the corporate workers of Eagle Street. Built in the CBDs latest highrise, One One One Eagle Street, the restaurant is designed to match the sleek new look of the building with high ceilings and modern finishes.

Comparing it to E’cco, Johnson’s iconic restaurant nearby which has a very intimate feel, Bistro One Eleven has much more of a corporate vibe. With bag hooks on the table for the ladies, we were off to a good start. We ordered the pizzini prosecco, a fruity and tasty sparkling wine, reasonably priced and easy to quaff. Our waitress ran us through the menu which is made up of ‘bites’, ‘charcuterie’, ‘more than a bite’ and then the mains. I ordered the wagyu carpaccio for my ‘more than a bite’ and the Gippsland lamb rump and neck for my main. The carpaccio was served with buffalo mozzarella, artichoke pesto and olives. It was a wonderful dish. The razor thin meat melted in my mouth and the accompaniments were the perfect combination of textures and flavours. My fellow diners enjoyed the sand whiting and the confit chicken leg.

When our mains came out the waitress explained that the lamb had been rested for fifteen minutes. This was evident by how juicy it was when I cut into it. It was a beautiful piece of lamb and the neck was rich and mouth-watering. It came with a nicoise salad, with marinated white anchovies and a quail egg. It was the perfect main for spring. A fellow diner ordered the ‘minute steak’ that was indeed minute. Much too small for a hungry and large man, it would be more appropriate for a person on a diet, craving a steak but without the size.

We skipped out before ordering dessert but I would be very keen to see what the almond doughnuts with blood orange and almond ice cream taste like. Bistro One Eleven had beautiful, simple food as is Philip Johnson’s style. The restaurant has a relaxed but elegant atmosphere and is the perfect place for corporate diners to enjoy a very well executed lunch or dinner.