PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAFrom the warm breaded Dutch goat’s cheese with stringybark honey to the beetroot and vodka house-cured salmon with manouri cheese, Zenzero’s tapas menu is perfect for sharing with friends – sparking conversation, intrigue and praise. Owners Adrian Catalano (manager) and Joe Spataro (head chef) have drawn on their experience travelling, eating and working abroad in the airline industry to forge a modern and unique collection of rich delights with Mediterranean and Asian influences. While some would label Zenzero as a tapas bar, the diverse menu makes Adrian and Joe’s preferred term of “sharing plates” much more appropriate. For those feeling shamelessly selfish, main courses are also on offer, with Joe claiming his marinara blu as a particular head-turner. Zenzero Blu has a modern bar and main dining area speckled with on-sale work by talented Melbourne artists. The outdoor patio sports graffiti art, a red chandelier and a coffee table filled with goldfish, providing a gritty and refreshing escape from the neat St Georges Road cafes.
Zenzero Blu also holds its own in the breakfast/brunch battlefield of Fitzroy North, offering a selection of comforting favourites that nicely complement a lazy weekend morning. If you only have time for a quick stopover, visit Zenzero Blu between 4pm and 6pm each weekday to wash down a few of Joe’s tasty dishes with some cheap happy-hour drinks.
Frank Trimboli