Nestled in a cosy, narrow corner shop, Shifty Chevre is a cheese lover’s paradise. As well as its food offerings, they have cheese for sale, on display in their front cabinet.

Cheese fondue and raclette are conducive to group feasting. We order both, and receive $5 off for Fondue Friday. The fondue is a mix of white wine and three cheeses: Emmental, Abondance, and Maasdam. Keep stirring that fondue or it will burn. If it starts to harden, check it’s still being heated or you’ll end up with a thick and chunky hunk of dairy. The set comes with a freshly cracked egg to stir through the remaining cheese at the end, resulting in DIY cheesy scrambled eggs.

There’s also the French-style raclette, where slices of cheese are placed on individual paddles and inserted into an oven-like appliance. Melted cheese is poured over our potatoes and cured meats such as prosciutto, cured ham and French salami. I got a bit too excited when the raclette was ready, so sorry, no photos.

The highlight is the baked Camembert roasted in white wine and honey. Toasted slices of baguette are used to dip into this molten delight.

It is a cheese place, and vegetable options are lacking. Most of the small share plates also involve cheese, and there’s even mini cheesecake for dessert (though there were a few chocolate desserts). We pick a zucchini carpaccio with beans and salad to help reduce the cheese overload, but also order a plate of crispy pork crackling and sourdough with gruyere to take advantage of the 3 for $18 offer.

By the end of it all, we’re cheesed out, but it doesn’t mean we won’t be back for more.

Shifty Chevre
375 Brunswick St
Fitzroy, VIC, 3065
0423 694 763
http://www.shiftychevre.com/