Thoughtful Irish-inspired cooking, beautifully made cocktails and a standout crab rosti make Enbarr well worth a visit.
On the corner of Racecourse Road in Kensington, Auntie Annie’s Hotel occupies the former space of The Quiet Man, a much-loved convivial local that’s been thoughtfully restored by Zengal Hospitality. At the front sits Enbarr, its more formal (yet refreshingly unpretentious) dining room.
Soothing blue-grey walls, glowing orb-like sconces, and sexy curved timber and leather chairs set the mood. Generous booths through the centre of the room are ready to host everything from a family feast to a night out with friends.
In the kitchen, Chefs Declan McGovern and Joseph Elarmo showcase seasonal Victorian produce through an Irish lens. From our window-side table we had the perfect view of the curved wooden bar where cocktails were being shaken and poured into delicate stemmed glassware.
My martini arrived with a hint of marmalade, adding bright citrus notes without becoming too sweet, while a gin and elderflower number was also well-balanced with its crisp cucumber garnish.
The starters were where Enbarr wowed us. The mustard and dill crusted salmon, cured for 48 hours in gunpowder gin, came topped with pickled fennel, dill cream, and an almost plate-sized puffed fish skin cracker. The standout? The Crab Rosti from the small snack menu.
Three crispy fried potato rostis came piled generously with creamy crab, Yarra Valley salmon roe and finely julienned apple. Each bite balanced creamy, crunchy, tart, and salty in a way that kept us reaching for another. A simple dish proving you don’t need to overcomplicate great produce.
It’s here we ran into some hiccups. After some excellent guidance on a glass of Tierra del Puerco Mataro Malbec Grenache blend from the Barossa, we realised we’d made a little too much progress on our pours as the wait for our rack of lamb became undeniable. To the team’s credit, they recognised the delay without prompting, and offered crispy fries to tide us over while topping up our wine.
Not long after, the lamb arrived, definitely more rare than the medium we’d noted while ordering, though beautifully caramelised and still full of flavour. The real stars of this course were the sides: a deeply comforting, silky Irish mash pooled in a glistening jus topped with crisped chicken skin, alongside fork-tender Brussels sprouts, maple bacon, almonds and just the right level of char.
Dessert sealed the recovery. A shared fudgy Sticky Date Pudding with craggy edges and a rich sauce that clung to each spoonful. Paired with sips of well-made espresso to cut through the sweetness, it was a fitting end to a meal that wasn’t flawless but kept us talking on the drive home.
Like any new venue, Enbarr is still finding its rhythm in a few areas, but the warmth of the room, the lilt of Irish accents, and the fact I’m still thinking about those crab rostis make a very convincing case for coming back.
Melbourne Insider Score 4/5
