For the Terminus Hotel in Fitzroy North – as for many pubs – steak has played an important role in its 150-year history. And now Chef Jake Furst (brother of Liberty Bar’s Zackary Furst) is building on that with Cinder, a restaurant and chef’s table within the pub devoted to dry-aged, flame-licked meats.
“Steaks are always a big priority,” said Furst Large format sheet. “We have kept all of the locals happy.”
But it does not stop there. With a Josper oven and grill, the newcomer specializes in a variety of proteins – including seafood – which Furst cooks over charcoal. “It’s the highlight of the place,” he says. “We cook as much as we can with it. “
These include charcoal-cooked scallops served with a rich Paris coffee butter; slimy lamb chops coated with plum and gochujang; simmered beef shank with soft, fire-baked flatbread; and wood-roasted carrots rolled in goat cheese. “[The Josper] Caramelizes them and gives them a bit of smoke and charcoal, ”says Furst. “You can’t beat him.”
There’s also a few pastas, including pumpkin gnocchi, a marinara, and a pasta rotation of the day. And, of course, a narrow selection of steaks: two options each, grain-fed, grass-fed and Wagyu, plus a dry-aged special, with your choice of sauce or butter.
While most pubs aren’t famous for desserts, Cinder’s shines. Find a selection of classics revisited with refinement, such as panna cotta chai with gingerbread crumbs and spicy honey, or a caramelized lemon tart embellished with a vitreous brûlée.
They are available a la carte or as part of the Chef’s Table Experience, which includes four to five courses that change regularly.
Located through the pub’s hidden side door, Cinder has tavern-like privacy with its low ceilings and exposed bluestone. That said, the speckled ceramics, brass accents and artfully presented plates by Furst give it just as much a contemporary touch.
The walls are filled with photos and memorabilia dedicated to the suburbs, with any excess space reserved for the large selection of spirits. Try them neat or in cocktails such as the Negroni aged in American oak barrels, made with Mountain Goat Hopped Gin.
Soon, the team also plans to launch Cuts Club, giving 65 members their own handmade black-mulga steak knife that they can store in the restaurant’s renovated wooden cabinet when not in use. .
Ash
492 Queens Parade, North Fitzroy
Hours:
Tue to Thu 5:30 pm – late
Fri & Sat 11:30 am-late
