Update 04/01/2023: 113 Eatery is now permanently closed, but you can enjoy a similar menu at Shop 225.
November 21, 2021
We are very fond of the pizzas at Shop 225, so I took note when the team announced their new restaurant 113 Eatery opening in Northcote. We had time for an unhurried Sunday lunch there last weekend.
The menu is very similar to what we've come to expect from the older sibling - a dozen pizzas and a short pasta menu, with a couple of salads and a smattering of starters. It's omnivorous and exceptionally inclusive - everything bar two of the pastas has a vegan option and everything has a gluten-free option. We decided to try the vegan versions of everything we ordered to put them through their paces.
Arancini ($16, pictured top) were a fun way to start - they have strong, savoury mushroom and truffle flavours, including a large mushroom slice at their centre, and a garnishing dab of fondue. For his main meal Michael chose the Deliziosa pizza ($28, pictured above), another truffle-scented dish. 113 Eatery have gathered impressive vegan substitutes for fior de latte, nduja, and speck and teamed them with a thin, lightly charred base, thick porcini mushrooms and a scattering of ground pistachios - I really liked the variety and complementarity of flavours.
I tried their gnocchi al gorgonzola ($27), which is served in a light, silky beetroot sauce with walnuts. While I enjoyed its more subtle flavours, the vegan formulation lacked the pungency of gorgonzola and even the beetroot didn't have much of its characteristic earthiness.
The vegan desserts are a triumph. The tiramisu ($13) that we shared had an almondy gluten-free seams in place of the traditional ladyfingers, dense creamy layers that we think might be coconut-based, and enough coffee and cocoa to seal the deal (a classic version without substitutes is also available). Wonderful cannoli and sweet calzone are also on the menu.
113 Eatery retains everything we love about the Shop 225 menu. The setting feels a little fancier, with an elaborate bar rather than a hot pizza oven dominating the interior, and the staff are just as friendly. Located only a few doors down from the Westgarth Cinema and the Merri Creek Tavern, it's an excellent option for dinner before or after a show.
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113 Eatery has already received positive reviews on Melbourne Lifestyle and Gastrology.
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113 Eatery
113 High St, Northcote
9429 0457
Accessibility: The entry is flat and narrow, and tables are moderately spaced; chairs have backs and there is a small amount of padded bench seating. We ordered at our table and paid at a high bar. Access to the toilets is flat; they're gendered and narrow.
That mushroomy pizza sounds right up my alley. A shame about the pasta.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan - the gnocchi was still pretty nice on its own terms! But I think the pizzas are the real specialty here.
DeleteI love good tiramisu.
ReplyDelete