It’s true that some of the best things in life start with the letter 'B'. For instance, bread and booze, both of which you can find at 52 Reservoir Street at Beau, a slick restaurant by the Nomad crew.
Just 200 metres down the road from elder sibling Nomad, Beau is more intimate in size. Inside, the polish décor – which is by Smart Design – is the direct opposite of a Ken Done artwork, with concrete flooring, huge windows showing exposed brick walls, and a long dark bar. It’s grown-up, sexy and elegant, and in our humble opinion, has date night written all over it.
Expect to find a 300-strong wine list with 25 drops by the glass ranging from wines on tap, to fancy ones served from Coravin (a nifty tool to serve wine without removing the cork, allowing it to be preserved longer), plus rare and funky wines for those who like to spice things up.
"Beau can be thought of as Nomad's cool little sibling", says the group’s beverage director, Ged Bellis. "But a little cooler, funkier, and more dynamic.”
They say change is as good as a holiday, which is taken seriously here. The wine by the glass list will be changing weekly. There are also five cocktails on the list, including the Dopamine with calvados, dark rum, and papaya citrus, which TBH we’d probably order off name alone.
Share-style and succinct, the food at Beau has been designed to be eaten with a drink in hand. Think mafaldine with heirloom mushrooms and shiitake XO; padron peppers with Olasagasti anchovies and fried bread; and slow-roasted cabbage with buttermilk and puffed rice.
"The Beau approach is elegant, refined and relaxed dining, embracing our city fringe and neighbourhood location”, says co-owner and creative director, Rebecca Yazbek.
And if you're looking for a place to host your next do, Beau has a 16-seat private dining room with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a stunning piece by Melbourne-based artist Hannah Quinlivan.
