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Kitchenboys

Nina Rousseau

Kitchenboys, Warburton.
Kitchenboys, Warburton.Rodger Cummins

WHERE am I? I'm scoffing pan-fried dumplings by the banks of the Yarra, a curry laksa is on its way and, ''Would you like some dhal and roti?'' Of course! I'm in Warburton.

Changes are afoot in this mountain town, with a spate of new eateries adding diversity to its growing food scene. Warburton Curry Club popped up last month, Kitchenboys opened in March and Cog Bike Cafe sprouted on the Rail Trail last November.

Kitchenboys, an informal but modern backstreet Asian kitchen, is run by Campbell Starr, who's cooked his way around the world, including South Africa, Belfast and at Harvey's with Marco Pierre White, where Gordon Ramsay was also a chef at the time.

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Kitchenboys, Warburton.
Kitchenboys, Warburton.Rodger Cummins

''It's not authentic,'' Starr says of the menu, a compact list of pan-Asian offerings. ''It's my interpretation.''

Dumplings, such as pork and cabbage or beef and chive, are steamed then fried, landing on the table in bamboo steamers with a crunchy salad of beanshoots and cabbage.

Starr makes the vego dumplings in-house - a tasty mix of tofu, mushroom and cabbage - as well as the dipping sauces to dunk them in, such as sweet chilli jam or black vinegar and pickled chilli.

A signature is the steamed bao bun, a big oval piece of steamed white or wholemeal dough turned into a two-hander sandwich. Pork-belly bao is the big seller, a hunk of meat braised in a master stock of star anise, ginger, lemongrass, soy and mandarin. It's grilled crisp and given a Japanese twist with pickled ginger and tonkatsu sauce.

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The dhal is awesome, a mix of green mung beans and red lentils, spicy with garlic, cumin, turmeric and coriander. It's served with raita, roti and pappadums and, at $11, is top value.

If you're craving laksa, this one is aromatic, soupy and coconut-creamy, chock-full of tiger prawns, chicken breast and deep-fried tofu to soak up all the juices. Starr uses hokkien rather than rice noodles, but if you have a preference, he can oblige.

Cafe Meccanica, which operates from the same premises, is responsible for the Genovese coffee and organic, locally sourced, teas.

Out the back, the cheery sheltered verandah acts as a sun trap, with multicoloured chopsticks at the ready. Mount Little Joe undulates to the left, Mount Donna Buang rears to the right, and the Yarra is just past the rambling, rejuvenated garden.

''I never opened to attract Melbourne,'' Starr says, ''I opened here for the locals.'' And what lucky locals they are.

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Where 3395A Warburton Highway (enter via Thomas Avenue), Warburton, 5966 2861
Prices
Entrees, $7.50-$16.50; mains, $8-$17
Cards
Cash only
Unlicensed
Open
Kitchenboys, Thurs-Mon, 9am-7.30pm (extended hours in summer); Cafe Meccanica, Thurs-Tues, 8am-4pm
Website
kitchenboys02.blogspot.com.au
Cuisine
Modern Asian


You may also like …

Warburton Curry Club A classic Indian curry house with a utilitarian dining room, puffy naan bread and all the favourites, from spicy lamb Madras to house-made paneer in a sweet tomato, cashew and cream sauce. 3463 Warburton Highway, 5966 9182.

Cog Bike Cafe A cute cafe with a bike-repair shop, great brekkies, rockin' sticky-date muffins, coffee and some of the best views in town. 42 Station Road (on the Rail Trail), Warburton, 5966 2213.

 nrousseau@theage.com.au

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