14 Oct Juno and May, Camberwell
Growing up in the country on a cattle farm in South Australia, Henry Honner and his five siblings had different priorities when it came to spending their pocket money. Henry’s was to get a new TV. As a deal with their father, the purchase of two new dairy cattle – Juno and May – were the cash cows who would bring the dream home after mornings and afternoons spent milking.
Henry’s childhood has influenced more than his restaurant’s name. His time spent gathering shellfish and foraging for fresh ingredients gave birth to his passion for quality produce brought to the table.
Henry was previously head chef at Italy1 in Camberwell, then starting up Barrio in Ivanhoe, before returning to Camberwell with Juno & May. It serves up modern Australian, with the hope of injecting excitment and interest in new flavours. The menu for this season tends towards Asian inspiration, and an example of this are the scallops. The juicy morsels go beautifully with the smooth puree, and refreshing and tangy apple nam jim.
One not-so-Asian dish is the lamb cutlets. They’re perfectly cooked and come with a tasty pulled, slow-roasted lamb shoulder ‘moussaka’ and potato gratin on the side. The fish pie croquettes containin discernable bits of seafood within, coming with smooth house-smoked salmon and fresh and crunchy asparagus. Spaghettini with blue swimmer crab, lemon, chilli, garlic and parsley is simple and tasty.
Char-grilled 16-hour beef short ribs slide off the bone. They’re accompanied by creamy house mash and fresh and vibrant chimichurri. Perfect for both wintery nights and breezy Spring evenings.
Today’s dessert special is an apple and almond tart with aniseed anglaise, mint, apple and sultanas. The shortcrust pastry is perfect, and vanilla bean ice cream brings needed freshness and a foil to the richer aniseed anglaise. We also go for one of the regular desserts – the brioche bread and butter pudding. We love the different textures of the pudding, with its crunchy bits around the edges, and custardy parts at the bottom. Thick and wobbly citrus panna cotta completes the picture together with candied pecans and more vanilla bean ice cream.
Although they’re also open for breakfast and lunch, Juno and May’s dinner menu delighted and impressed. It’s a welcome addition to the dining scene at Camberwell Junction.
Disclaimer: I was invited to Juno & May as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are based on my experience at the time
Juno & May
662 Burke Rd
Camberwell, VIC, 3124
(03) 8840 8006
junoandmay.com
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