A buried treasure in a Flinders Lane basement, Dessous is the subterranean sister to street-level fine-diner Hazel, and no less ambitious on the food-and-drinks front.
Don’t be put off by the dimly lit fire-escape entrance from the Flinders Lane foyer of fine-diner Hazel. Dessous (“underneath” in French) is a buried gem in the city that deserves to be discovered. The dark stairs end at a theatrical space with curtained entry, plush velvet seating and low lighting – picture tabletop tea lights and bankers’ lamps on a backlit bar. A row of high windows lets daylight in between a parade of passing legs on the cobbled laneway.
Don’t rush Dessous. Come with an appetite and a thirst and you will be richly rewarded. Its bucket chairs and leather banquettes are built for long-term comfort, but if time is of the essence you can always grab a quick one at the bar (as local hospo staff are fond of doing).
The wine list looks a little pricey, but it’s also gone to the trouble of sourcing unusual or exceptional wines and grape varieties, with an emphasis on sustainability and biodynamic farming. In light of which, the prices they’re asking for a Heathcote Greco di Tufo, say, a Spanish Godello or Rhône-style red don’t seem too steep.
Besides, this a place to indulge. There’s a careful selection of skin-contact and oxidative wines for the more adventurous, and an extensive choice of house cocktails such as the Harlot Martini with buttered amaretto and the East End Hustle, a menu staple of gin, medium-dry bianco vermouth and basil. A handful of premium classics, meanwhile, range from a $29 Mai Tai, made with Diplomático Exclusiva and Jamaican rums with Cointreau, lime and orgeat almond syrup, to a $51 Sazerac featuring Tesseron Lot 90 XO Cognac. Standard cocktails cost from $21 to $23 and include such fruity thrills as a sage orgeat with Italian amaro liqueur, vodka and grapefruit, and a melony, smoky mix of sake and mezcal.
While the rest of Melbourne is pining for pork katsu sandwiches, there’s a genius alternative here in the scallop katsu sando. Deep-fried panko crumbs accentuate the sweetness of Abrolhos Island scallops seasoned with tart, citrusy Japanese kewpie mayo and nori seaweed powder dusted on white-bread sandwich slices. Pair it with a fresh, mineral-driven white wine like the Corta y Raspa “Miraflores” Palomino.
There are many other paths to fulfilment at Dessous. Duck with gamay. Rump cap with cabernet sauvignon. Or a sweet riesling with the jasmine rice panna cotta.
Thai-born chef Dan Sawansak (formerly of Melbourne favourites Movida and Higher Ground) turns out one of Melbourne’s more delicious-sounding menus, featuring everything from a chawan mushi-style steamed soy custard with crunchy school prawns to a bubbling double-baked soufflé served in a skillet with Gruyère cream and native warrigal greens.
Dessous offers drinks on a walk-in basis, but obviously it’s rare to find a spare perch on Fridays and Saturdays. Try your luck late, when local hospo staff and post-dinner drinkers descend on the subterranean space to kick back and get convivial.
The sommelier always has something interesting on the go and often if they’ve only got a bottle or two left of a special vintage they’ll serve it by the glass. So always ask about any off-menu specials.
