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Nudging its way onto the bustling Little Collins strip in March 2022, Parcs (“scrap” backwards) is the little venue on a big mission. Owned by the team behind Aru and Sunda and helmed by 26-year-old sustainability savant, Dennis Yong, Parcs is tackling food waste head-on by putting fermentation to the front.
Fermentation isn’t just that failed sourdough starter you attempted during the depths of lockdown – it’s a preserving technique that gives fruit and veg a new lease on life. It’s also something Yong is exceptionally well-versed in since founding Furrmien, a fermentation-focused business dedicated to making forgotten food new again.
You might’ve already heard of Parcs’ cult classic dish – umami e pepe – and with good reason. Yong’s reimagination of the Italian staple sees nonna’s favourite dish not only skip town, but move continents. Spaghetti is swapped with Hokkein noodles and pecorino is subbed out for aged miso, created using rye bread off-cuts from Parcs’ sister venues. Don't be surprised when your chopsticks return to the smokey, pepper-flecked noodles for second (third and fourth) helpings.
The majority of the Parcs menu is made from scraps, off-cuts, and rescued food; even the protein like oysters and kangaroo are minimal impact. Parcs’ gently charred roo is blushingly tender, and comes doused in subtly sweet treacle sauce and topped with crisp fermented natives.
Another dish with the Midas touch is the golden fried rice. The moreish snack comes with slivers of salted salmon and gets its crunch, unexpectedly, from wilted cos leaves which are brined, dried and sprinkled on top.
The venue’s token dessert – brioche miso ice cream with poached pear – packs a deceptively savoury punch, and is best reserved for those who would’ve opted for the cheeseboard to finish.
All this food talk making you thirsty? Same. If you’re new to the world of sustainable wines, let the friendly Parcs team guide you through the list of interesting, local-leaning tipples. There’s ample chance to sample by the glass, so get out of your comfort zone and try drops like the Konpira Maru chilled sangiovese and Delinquente ‘Hell’ orange wine. Just don't get too attached – the minimal intervention, biodynamic wines are small-batch and rotate regularly.
If you’re the kind of diner who prefers to kick off a meal with a cocktail (guilty), prepare to go on an adventure with Darren Leaney’s (Dinner by Heston, Capitano, Aru) boundary-pushing creations.
You might not be able to take the libations home with you, but instead, get your paws on Parcs’ bottled condiments, like Bread Miso (the umami bomb that gives many of the restaurant’s recipes their can’t-put-your-finger-on goodness). It’s a worthy investment –Parcs’ dishes are addictively unforgettable.