Father's Office Speakeasy Bar and Restaurant

249 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne 3000
Date visited: 30th March 2014


We were craving burgers again.  Bad.  Despite having burgers just the day before, we headed to yet another American-themed destination, this time picked out by MerlinFan.

Head down Little Lonsdale St and you come across a door with a curious peephole.  

Nevermind that the door's actually already wide open, head up a flight of stairs to a landing of vintage furniture and up yet again to the 1920's restaurant and bar. 

You can dine in the bar area, with a beautiful vintage fireplace and comfy couches.  Alternatively there's the actual restaurant down the other end, adorned with a large feature chandelier as centrepiece, or take a seat outside on the wrap-around balcony overlooking Swanston Street, where you can watch the day go by.  

MerlinFan and I ordered at the bar and chose a table in the corner.  Our food didn't take too long to arrive.

I had to admit, as soon as I saw MerlinFan's platter, I had a serious case of food envy.  She had the Pork Belly Burger.

Pork belly burger

Did it taste as good as it looked?  Hell yeah.  Seriously?  The Victorian pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth tender and creamy, with that crispy, salty crackle.  Topped off with a generous dollop of sweet apple and pear compote, cos lettuce and lovingly embraced by two halves of a soft brioche bun coated Dijonaise dressing...  I had never seen MerlinFan wolf down a burger that fast - she was done when I was only halfway through mine!  It was so sinfully, artery-cloggingly good.  Fantastic.

I had the Beef, Apple and Beetroot Burger.

Beef, apple and beetroot burger

Everything sounded amazing on paper and flavour wise, everything went together brilliantly.  The patty was a 1/2 pound grass fed Queensland yearling MSA certified black Angus beef with apple and rosemary - the robust, meaty flavour was great, however, my patty was very well done and I really wouldn't have minded if it spent a little less time on the grill to keep in those juices.  Most places serve their patties cooked through, and some may cringe at bloody patty but I would have liked a bit of pink like they how they do it at Trunk Diner and NSHRY - personal preference only, of course.  It sat atop a chunky housemade beetroot chutney that gave it a wonderful sweetness, and was topped off with oozing Victorian Brie (yum!), wild roquette and apple cider dressing.  I loved the combination of these ingredients together - genius. 

Sigh.  Sometimes I sit back and think how lucky we are to live in Melbourne, with so many dining out gems to discover scattered everywhere.  

Oh yes.  Living so close, we'll be back.




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