All about the balls at Meatball & Wine Bar (Melbourne)

Posted by Kath

On a cold, blustery day in Melbourne, it was the bold 'meatballs' sign of Meatball & Wine Bar in Flinders Lane that drew us in like a beacon. A typical Melbourne laneway full of creative and culinary delights, we were excited to discover the wining and dining potential in a meatball bar.

Front window of Meatball & Wine Bar

True to it's name, and as our waiter put it, Meatball & Wine Bar was "all about the balls" - meat or otherwise - and of course, the wine.

Deceptively narrow looking from the outside, we were please to find quite ample seating inside and, most importantly, respite from the chilly weather outside.

Boar meatballs, mash and peas

We got straight into the food with the meatballs of the day: a wild boar offering - and we couldn't resist having boar balls. Served atop a bed of mashed potatoes mixed with juicy green peas, the boar meatballs were tender and full of flavour, covered with a savoury jus.

Aside the balls was a meaty, slow cooked lamb rib which just fell away from the bone, and made the meal quite a substantial one.

Rare beef sliders and broccoli (in background)

A great share plate on the day's specials were the rare beef sliders, with sweet onion relish, melty cheese, leafy greens and slices of beef so soft and pink that they almost melted in the mouth.

While it might be all about the balls and meat at Meatball & Wine Bar, it's worth mentioning the market vegetable of the day: a beautiful and simple plate of steamed broccoli seasoned with salt, lemon and whole lot of butter which made this a real highlight.

Table setting and wine

What I liked about this wine bar, apart from the delicious food offerings and comfortable surroundings, was the fact that the wine selection wasn't overwhelming or unapproachable.

Whoopie Mac

To finish off we couldn't resist the Whoopie Mac; a build-your-own ice cream sandwich of sorts. Diners can choose whichever combination of cookies and ice cream that take their fancy.

We chose a soft and chewy chocolate cookie and a sugary and crisp pistachio meringue to sandwich a giant scoop of house-made fig and almond ice-cream, and had no regrets whatsoever.

Neon sign in restaurant

With both the meatballs and wine ticked off, I was certain that we we much better equipped to deal with the cool weather and life generally. After all, it's just all about the balls.