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Review: Asia meets Smith Street at Northern Light in Collingwood

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

All of the lights: The interior of Northern Light in Collingwood.
All of the lights: The interior of Northern Light in Collingwood.Pat Scala

NORTHERN LIGHT
★★★☆
102 Smith Street, Collingwood, 9416 0698
Licensed AE MC V eftpos
Tuesday-Sunday 5pm-late
Small: $5-$10; Large: $17-$35; Dessert: $9-$15
Theme: Good Value

Northern Light is a delicious conundrum. The tiny room, strung with light globes and giving the impression of a budding astronomer's sharehouse, looks like a promising place for a snack. Instead, the waiter (charmingly) pushes a nine-course banquet ($95). The menu mentions sushi rice, miso and yakitori but the food isn't really Japanese. The wine list is short and moderately priced (mostly $60 to $90) but the offerings are skewed to Europe and rather daring. Chef Adam Liston's food is creative and thoughtful but is so easy to enjoy in this casual setting that there's a risk of wolfing it down without due appreciation.

There are distinct Japanese and Korean influences and dude food tendencies (hello, fried chicken) but it all feels very Melbourne – and even very Smith Street. The key snack is a tapioca cracker flavoured with prawn essence and topped with pickled prawn and seaweed mayonnaise. The prawn is flavoured with yuzu, a tart citrus that makes lime seem sweet as caramel, and the whole dish is tart, earthy, crunchy and flat-out tasty. A zucchini dish is more wistful: raw, pickled and cooked zucchini are draped over cauliflower puree, with sour sorrel leaves and a dressing of dill oil and buttermilk. It's light and dancing but sesame oil and sansho pepper in the cauliflower add oomph. There's an emphasis on excellent base ingredients: fish sauce is ethically harvested and soy sauce is created in house. Desserts include simple jasmine-infused custard (cue stories about grandmothers) and a clever "broken ice-cream sandwich" with chocolate biscuit shards and malty mousse.

Delicious conundrum: Northern Light in Collingwood.
Delicious conundrum: Northern Light in Collingwood.Pat Scala

A couple of dishes lacked balance. Pumpkin oyaki (dumplings) were a little stodgy and fried chicken strips were dry but the snacking style of a meal here means the occasional rut is easily surpassed, and the overwhelming impression is of a personable, enthusiastic chef-run restaurant.

Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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