Bar Spontana

Bar Spontana feels like a secret, and a juicy one at that. Hidden in a Brunswick backstreet, it’s akin to a warehouse apartment: all brick walls, exposed beams and leafy plants. Wooden booths line one wall, and tables are big enough to hold dozens of plates.

But first, a drink. Spontana is Esperanto for spontaneous – how about a tap-poured, spontaneously fermented ale from Ballarat wonderbrewer Dollar Bill? Drink it with a round of mushroom firecrackers: a jumble of seasonal shrooms delivered on a crisp rice cracker flavoured with watermelon juice.

Chef Pipat Yodmunee leans into his Isan heritage throughout a menu of sticks, snacks and substantial curries. His nam khao tod is a pleasingly sour tumble of pork, herbs and clustered rice, his lamb ribs are piled high and sticky with treacly green peppercorn glaze. The kitchen will lessen the heat if necessary but if you’re someone who loves loud flavours, this food will delight you.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.