First Look: Tori’s Is One of the City’s Most Loved Bakeries. Can Its Owner Make a Bistro As Buzzy?

Chef Tinee Su’s laneway spot Tori’s is known for lines down the block, iced strawberry matcha lattes and delicate Asian-influenced cakes. The small bakery is particularly popular with the city’s students who wait for a place on one of the vintage couches.

Where Tori’s leans into a Tumblr-core aesthetic, Su’s new bistro Regale is decidedly more polished with uniform furniture, pendant lights suspended from the ceiling and a Luke Whitten sculpture that greets guests as they enter.

At 150 seats, Regale is a big departure from the tiny cafe. But given its location in a historic 1800s building that was once the Carlton United Brewery, right next to RMIT buildings and a short walk from Melbourne Uni, its core customers will likely be the same student base that Tori’s appeals to.

Regale is spacious, and specifically designed for spontaneous dinners. “If you want to hang out as a big group and you don’t have a place to go … we can definitely find a spot for you,” Su tells Broadsheet.

The chef, who also owns nearby cafe Humble Rays, has teamed up with executive chef Brett Johnson (ex-Mitre Tavern) to create what the pair describe as an “East meets West” menu that the two says they created by envisioning a group of friends on a night out.

Savoury dishes span grilled butter scallops with saltbush, chicken cordon bleu with a Sichuan-inspired sugo, and rempeyek kacang (Indonesian peanut rice crackers) served on a silky bed of tofu cream (the creation of sous-chef Kevin Setiawan). The menu has a dedicated rice and noodles section, which features black garlic fried rice, and mushroom tagliolini. Larger plates include soy-glazed scotch fillet and honey char sui-glazed barbeque pork jowl.

There are echoes of Tori’s on the dessert menu, where there is an avocado and jasmine tiramisu with a hint of genmaicha, crowned with a sprinkling of roasted genmai (Japanese roasted rice) for a nutty finish.

The wine list travels around Europe and to local vineyards. And you’ll find Asian-inspired cocktails such as the Pandan Paradise, which pairs the green leaf with coconut and a shot of gin. Others include a Genmaicha Spritz and a Margarita made with rosemary-infused tequila.

Later this year, adjoined basement bar Galer will open its doors, welcoming people for drinks and live performances.

Regale
555 Swanston Street, Carlton
0435455455

Hours:
Tue to Thur 5pm–9.30pm
Fri & Sat 5pm–10pm

regaler.com.au