Congress - Review

It calls itself a wine bar but Congress has burst out of the Collingwood starting blocks with a dish that has “instant cult classic” written all over it. We’re talking about the pig’s head sanga with mustard mayo, starring a breaded and fried puck of porcine goodness larded with chicken jus so explosively juicy it comes with a warning from the waiter. It’s thoroughly deserving of the accolades – but then so is the kangaroo done pastrami-style, the richly salty strips cut with a sweet-leaning cultured cream and served with a rubble of fried onion. And the brussels sprouts, the zero-turned-hero vegetable paired with an umami bomb of sunflower tahini and capers. This sleek, hyper-modern little spot anchoring a new apartment block is so much more than a residents’ pit stop: it’s a new Melbourne must-do.

Open Friday-Saturday for lunch and Monday-Saturday for dinner
Best for: Upmarket comfort food
Stand-out dish: Crumbed pig's head sanga
Fab factor: The sleek, modern interiors
Address: Corner Peel and Wellington Streets, Collingwood
Phone number: 03) 9068 7464
SEE ALSO: Melbourne's Best Bars and Drinking Dens