Banksia is a quietly confident newcomer in Caulfield North. Named for the native flower – which the owners describe as “resilient, unmistakably local and quietly beautiful” – the restaurant brings an elevated culinary approach to a pocket of Melbourne better known for daytime cafes and suburban staples.

It’s the first venue from chef Nishant Arora (ex-Cutler, ex-Society) and first-time restaurateur Adam Aflalo – and it almost didn’t happen.

Arora tried to quit the restaurant world. He was burnt out after funding fell through for Aanya, the Indian fine diner he and chef János Román were expected to open with Jessi Singh (Daughter In Law, Bibi Ji) last year. He’d started a finance degree when a message landed in his LinkedIn inbox.

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Adam Aflalo, a product manager looking to break into hospitality, had come across Arora’s profile and reached out.

“We caught up at Hopper Joint to discuss the new venture and I said, ‘OK, I’ll join you,’” Arora tells Broadsheet, laughing at his short-lived attempt to leave hospitality behind.

The pair’s new restaurant is something of a rarity in the area. It’s elegant but relaxed, with a focus on welcoming service and a menu Arora describes as “unrestricted”. There’s a yakitori charcoal grill, a broad mix of Indian, Japanese, Italian and Scandinavian influences and no shortage of native Australian ingredients.

Opening a suburban restaurant has meant creative freedom for the chef, who has worked at a five-star resort in the Himalayan foothills, did a stint at three-Michelin-starred Stockholm restaurant Frantzen and was head chef at Kiwi restaurants Sidart and Cassia, before he moved to Melbourne.

To get an idea of Arora’s approach, take Banksia’s most popular dish: tuna crudo with stracciatella. “Fine dining says things like seafood and cheese don’t go together,” Arora says. “I had time to think, ‘Well, that can’t be true.’ I researched how raw seafood is used in different parts of Italy, and tried it with cheese, lemon myrtle for a herbaceous kick, and a bit of coffee oil for umami.”

The menu is filled with similarly approachable, yet playfully refined, dishes, including a milk bun burger and a grilled lamb cutlet topped with black garlic and curried sauce. Even the kids’ menu is considered (and proudly devoid of chicken nuggets), offering chicken breast, John Dory and a 100-gram portion of porterhouse.

When the liquor licence comes through, the playful menu will be coupled with cans of craft beer and cocktails such as a pineapple, wasabi and yuzu spritz.

The chef says the menu is already turning heads. "In an open kitchen, you hear conversations and you’re able to respond to feedback,” says Arora, who’s had customers question the restaurant's unusual ingredient combos and refined plating. But the bemusement comes with the territory and the duo are sticking with their slightly offbeat offering.

Banksia
98 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North
0423 905 835

Hours:
Wed 11.30am–3pm
Thu to Sun 11.30am–3pm; 5.30pm–9.30pm
banksiarestaurant.com