Molli is the latest venue for prolific Melbourne restaurateur Nathan Toleman, set in the leafy backstreets of Abbotsford opposite one of his first hit venues, the (since sold) cafe Three Bags Full. His company, the Mulberry Group, has gone on to open hotspots including Lilac Wine, Liminal, Hazel, Dessous and Square One.

Now comes Molli – named after its address on Mollison Steet – a warmly lit, contemporary bistro and daytime cafe with cosy couches, marble tables, vintage sideboards, a lively open kitchen and expansive bar.

Just days after opening to the public, Broadsheet Access hosted an intimate private dinner for its members in the dining room. Guests braved a blustery July evening and warmed up with an arrival cocktail, the Mandalay Spritz with amaro, Maidenii vermouth, rhubarb wine and cacao husk.

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Head chef Aleksis Kalnins sent out eight courses of inventive shared plates, many fired by the Josper oven. The standout dish was the potato rosti – a crisp and deeply umami potato cake piped with sour cream gel.

Other impressive plates included tender pork neck skewers, fluffy flatbreads, seaweed crackers, caserecce pasta with fermented tomato, sliced wagyu rump cap with Spanish piperade (a rich capsicum-based sauce), and smoky eggplant with chickpea miso. To finish, guests enjoyed individually baked sticky date puddings, perfect for a cold Tuesday night.

Toleman was there to meet with guests and took the microphone for an engaging chat with Broadsheet’s features editor Michael Harry, discussing Common Ground Project – the Mulberry Group’s regenerative farm at Freshwater Creek – which creates employment pathways for women from asylum seeker and immigrant communities. There were also questions about Toleman’s next project Zareh – a much anticipated new venture with chef Tom Sarafian. Watch this space.

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