Ping Eatery & Bar

LOCATION
Port Melbourne

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS
Created by well known Melbourne restaurateur Gina Koutropoulos, former owner and founder of Veludo in St Kilda’s Acland Street, and with the collaboration of food author Meera Freeman, Ping Eatery and Bar has become a principal meeting point for a quick drink or leisurely bite. Gina has achieved her goal of creating a modern eatery with a fresh healthy menu and prices much lower than one might expect.

Chef Ben Sisley worked closely with Gina and Meera, interpreting a menu that is full flavoured balancing sweet, sour, salt, spice and herbal elements of the South East Asian region. Start with sweet potato and prawn fritters served with lettuce, Vietnamese herbs and nuoc mom sauce, or the egg noodles in chicken broth with shredded chicken, shitake mushrooms and herbs. For main try the Ping roast duck served with Jasmine rice, greens, and two sauces, or the weeping tiger barbecued beef fillet served with a cherry tomato and green bean salad and a Northern Thai dipping sauce. Finish with a dessert of coconut battered fritters with coconut sorbet. Weekends from midday to 4pm sample delicious dim sum such as steamed dumplings, char siew pork buns and wok fried greens of the day. The wine list of some 40 wines offers all by the glass.

Veda Wickens