Elwood's Dandelion becomes Mediterranean diner Anchor

New Middle East-meets-Med restaurant Anchor is reviving the Ormond Road space that fell quiet when Dandelion closed in June after 10 years.

Fans of Brighton's tres French Curly Whiskers may recognise some of the faces on the floor, with Rosalin and Oliver Virnik making the move to Elwood for this new venture, which opened on Thursday, November 4.

Curly Whiskers closed in July despite the Virniks' hopes that new owners would continue with the restaurant. But signature dishes, like confit duck and scallops with champagne sauce, have come along for the voyage, as has Whiskers' chef Silas Orre, who has stepped into a sous chef role.

Antoine Cheron is heading the kitchen after several years teaching at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and working at Yering Station and London's Soho House, among others.

Along with French fare, the menu picks up ideas from around the Middle East and the Mediterranean, including saltbush lamb cigars, zucchini parmigiana, lamb shoulder with baba ghanoush, and baklava for later.

"We wanted to cut the butter and increase the olive oil," jokes Rosalin, adding that they're dishes that better suit a relaxed, shared style of eating.

Sourcing and provenance is an obsession for Rosalin, after a long career in food supply chains before she turned to cooking. Anchor uses single-herd halloumi from Dreaming Goat Dairy, Milawa poultry and eggs, Ramarro Farm heirloom vegetables and Cape Grim beef that's been dry-aged by Gary's Meats.

Dandelion's distinctive long and narrow room is much the same except for a new palette of soft greens, blues and pinks and a large mural by Victorian artist Melanie Caple depicting Mediterranean herbs used across the menu.

As at Curly Whiskers, Oliver Virnik oversees the floor, while six signature cocktails with names like Hold The Rope and Strawberry At Sea will be dispensed from the long marble-topped bar.

Open Thu-Sat 6pm-11pm

133 Ormond Road, Elwood, 03 9531 4900, anchorelwood.com.au