The Mill House

It’s one of those wonderful Melbourne nights. There’s been sun, rain, wind and humidity all in the same day. The city has calmed from it’s temperate afternoon and has settled on a brilliant sunset, with orange hues bouncing off the buildings and a cool steam to the air.

We’re laughing and cheerful as we use this balmy Thursday evening to explore The Mill House, one of Melbourne’s new bar and eateries. Having opened 2 months ago, the Mill House is situated in the basement of the Tomasetti Bulding, just off Degraves Street. This historical site was initially a steam driven flour mill, built in 1851; the bluestone walls of the original building remain, now offset by raw wood, iron fittings, dim lighting and low roofs to create clean, comfortable surroundings with the tickle of trend that any successful new Melbourne venture requires to make an impact. The vibe is enhanced by a DJ tucked in the back, playing a constant remix of old school, popular hip hop to to give off a cool, young professional sense of place. You can tell the after 5 workers adore it here, with the relaxing, throw your tie over your shoulder and let loose vibe.

They’ve cleverly written their bar list to include a wide variety, to cater to the masses, but to also stroke the curiosity of anybody who comes down for just one beer after work. Their highlights include a long list of Moonshine selections and cleverly named cocktails to touch on the history of the site. If you’re keen to get a good start on a big night, there’s four options well priced jugs of Sangria, and you will be tempted to try all of them. The highlight is definitely the Maker’s Maple Old Fashioned, housing Maker’s whiskey, maple syrup bitters and a zest of orange. The brown liquor combined with delightfully sweet citrus and maple tang associate to create something that totally converts this brown liquor snob.

The menu, at first glance, gives off a sense of traditional English fare with a touch of the city; pub meal gone Modern Australian if you will. However, as the food begins to come out, I feel tricked. Something is different. My corn croquettes come with a side of squid ink aioli, the king fish ceviche is accompanied by tiny cubes of sweet potato, sprigs of coriander and lashings of tiger’s milk. I try to tuck into what appears to be a Yorkshire pudding that houses some beef brisket – but what turns out to be a knee bone. Finally, the deconstructed lemon meringue tart, taken apart with the greatest elqouency, has chilli chocolate on the side. It’s absolutely perfect, giving the sweetness of the lemon and sugar a polite kick. I bring my curiosities up to James, our host, and he confirms my suspicions; the dishes have a subtle South American touch, provided by head chef Augustin Ortega.

I beckon James to take the opportunity to publicise the venture, tell me what he wants to see in the article, but he doesn’t really take it. With total confidence, he says that they’re happy with what they’ve got to offer, and they’re proud of everything they’ve built. His certainty seems completely valid when he explains that despite only being open for a number of weeks, they’ve already seen it so packed at 4:00pm on a Friday that you can’t even walk; I wasn’t wrong about my first impressions for the after work drinks vibe. They’re now hoping to tackle the weekday workers, to beckon them in for a wine to unwind on a Wednesday night. With the warm, off-the-wall invitational air of the Mill House, I absolutely don’t foresee a problem with getting this place packed out 7 days a week.

The Mill House
277-279 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
themillhouse.com.au