Lady Carolina has opened its doors, bringing colour, vibrancy and creative Latin gastronomy and drinks to Lygon Street, Brunswick East. Owner Alby Tomassi (Feast of Merit and YGAP) and creative director Paul Wilson have teamed up to create a Latin feasting experience, highlighting fresh and creative ingredients that will shine in playful dishes and cocktails inspired by Peruvian, Mexican and Cuban cuisines.
CLICK HERE TO READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH LADY CAROLINA FOUNDER ALBY TOMASSI
The venue has two distinctive areas serving up equally exciting dishes, with very different twists. The indoor cevicheria and pisco bar is the main restaurant where diners will feast on the likes of octopus ceviche, purple corn clam ceviche and Tijuana style Lamb barbecoa. The outdoor Latin street kitchen is a place to kick back relax, enjoy some delicious street food including pork jowl with peaches and pisco, washed down with complementing cocktails.
Creative director Paul Wilson said: “Lady Carolina will be highlighting Latin cuisine through fun and creative touches, while paying homage to the authenticity of the culture. Patrons can look forward to trying something a bit different, from the likes of Australia first nixtamalised corn, used to prepare authentic Mexican street foods like gorditas filled with house made chorizo verde, local asparagus, wild eggs and Australia’s first crop of Mexico’s famed herb epazote, enjoyed with weird and wonderful cocktails like our inca punch, a delightful concoction with incaberries in a cocoa pod.”
The cocktail menu also includes the likes of the Leche de Tigre, a citrus and spiced option and a Lady Carolina version of the pisco sour.
The Lady Carolina team has showcased Latin authenticity with a north side accent, which can be seen in the extensive vegetable and vegan offering, including flavoursome, healthy and exciting dishes like purple sweet potato with hot peppers and pomegranate mojo, braised kale with Australian poblanos rajas, roasted Brussels sprouts with bush limes and adobe sauce, pachamanca heirloom papas with Huancaína, peanut, bojita salsas, new style ensalada caesar cardini with goats cheese and masa croutons.
“Our creative vegetable dishes rival the menu’s barbecoa meats; dishes including the half slow roasted cauliflower with coconut and macadamia and chayote and pumpkin seed sprout slaw with lime and tamarind bring together aromatic flavours which all sing together and show how delicious creations can be made with vegetarian produce sourced locally,” Paul adds.
The venue design reflects Lady Carolina’s playful vibe, with the Latin street kitchen filled with bold shades of yellow, watermelon, turquoise and timber. The cevicheria and pisco bar has distinct Latin accents, with a refined and modern finish.
Lady Carolina’s held its launch party last week bringing some of Melbourne’s foodies out to sample some delicious offerings from the food and drink menu. Some of the guests also included the reptilian kind with pythons and baby crocodiles mingling with guests to bring a bit of South America to Melbourne.
For more information on Lady Carolina visit www.ladycarolina.com.au.
Lady Carolina
175 – 177 Lygon Street North, Brunswick East
Phone: 03 9381 0898
Yum! I can not wait to go there. The food looks amazing and I will love the explosions of flavours