If you took the closure of St Kilda restaurant Luxembourg as a sign Andrew McConnell’s hold over Melbourne’s restaurant scene was waning, you were wrong. Supernormal Canteen, a casual spin off of Andrew’s CBD classic Supernormal, will take over the spot in July.
If Supernormal Canteen rings a bell, that’s bc it’s a reboot of a 2013/14 test kitchen pop-up which ran before Andrew got the charcoal grills goin’ at Flinders Street.
So far, the plan is that Supernormal’s sous-chef Tim Geogan is stepping up to head the kitchen. The menu will crosses cultures with the likes of Chongqing popcorn, steamed pork buns, pig’s head bao, whole garlic clove yakitori, and a whole lotta dumplings.
Oh, and Supernormal’s much-loved lobster rolls are coming along for the ride.
Similar to its parent restaurant, Canteen will have a raw bar too (albeit smaller) and a charcoal yakitori bar, too.
But what’s different? The vibe, for one. Without the pressure of being one of Melbs’ dining must-dos for tourists, the Canteen team can play casual and experiment with the menu more. We’re not sure what that looks like yet, but that’s kind of the idea.
Delivery’s a big push too – while Supernormal delivers, the Canteen is keen to step it up. Andrew’s even thinking they might do delivery for a fortnight before the restaurant opens as a sort of test.
There’s no specific date announced for the Canteen yet, so it’s best to keep an eye on Supernormal. We know we will be.
Source: Broadsheet.com
