First Look: Ian Curley Looks To Reshape Brighton Dining With Baix

Ian Curley opened wine bar 81 Bay in Brighton in April. It was the first venue the chef – who is co-owner of Hardware Lane’s French Saloon and Kirk’s Wine Bar, (and previously of The Point, The European and The Melbourne Supper Club) – opened outside of the CBD.

But the wine bar was just the warm-up act. On Thursday July 3, the Brighton local will officially open Baix, the adjoining 40-seat restaurant, bringing a touch of city polish to the Bayside suburb.
“I just wanted something that was local to us. I live in the area, and there was nothing that really stuck out to me, since The Pantry closes at night,” Curley says. “I thought, ‘Well, there’s a gap in the market here. I’ve done the city restaurants with Kirk’s and French Saloon, why not do a neighbourhood restaurant?’”

81 Bay is open Tuesday to Saturday, but the restaurant runs only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, keeping things tight and deliberate. A heavyweight duo runs the show in the kitchen: Pamella Tomio (former Lona Misa head chef) and Paul Turner (former executive chef at La Madonna). Diners are locked into a three-course menu that will evolve every few weeks, but will always consist of three seasonal entrees to share followed by a choice of mains and desserts by pastry chef Jo Ward.

Based on the sample opening menu, entrees may include caviar-topped blinis with sour cream and chives and tuna crudo with smoked beetroot. For mains, it could be a Wagyu porterhouse or John Dory with poached cuttlefish and potato mousseline. Dessert may be a Portuguese tart with a smoked maple custard or a chocolate malted parfait with a salted pretzel caramel.

The three-course meal is $95 per person. “I have the mantra: we charge what we have to, not what we can get away with,” Curley says.

Like the food, the wine list keeps things tight and purposeful. There’s a mix of local and international producers, and the short menu means the team can curate drops that pair especially well with the food.
The space is understated and elegant, a dining room that feels considered but not over-designed. Timber tables, soft lighting and clean lines make the room feel calm and intimate, while thoughtful acoustics ensure it stays lively without tipping into loud. There’s a quiet confidence that puts the focus where it belongs: on the food, the service and the people at the table.

Baix is a neat pairing with 81 Bay. The latter is for snacks, a quick glass of wine or an easy catch-up; the former is for slower, more considered dining. The venues opened about two months apart by design. “We just wanted to get one right before opening the other,” Curley says. “It had to be intentional.” They share a kitchen, a team, and a clear focus: to give the neighbourhood something it’s been missing.

Baix
81 Bay Street, Brighton
No phone

Hours:
Thu to Sat 5pm–10pm

baix.com.au
@81bay_baix