At his new restaurant and bar in Melbourne’s CBD, the hatted chef and owner of Farmer’s Daughters and Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters Alejandro Saravia brings the best of Latin America to the table at Morena.
It’s a return to his culinary roots but so much more; alas a chance to raise the profile on Latin American food culture in Australia.
“The main reason for opening Morena was to really increase the Latin American category offering in Australia after what had been a 15-year journey in the making for me,” explains Alejandro Saravia.
“I really felt that the market in Sydney and Melbourne was now ready to experience the next stage of Latin American cuisine in a more elevated setting that could compete with some of the best restaurants in the country,” he says.
Saravia is all about dispelling the myths around Latin American food too – from street side fare to refined elegance; proving it has a purposeful place at the table.
“It’s often assumed that Latin American food cannot be presented in a refined way, but that is exactly what we are trying to do with Morena,” he says.
“We want to bring out the diversity of the ingredients and showcase how this influences our techniques in the kitchen. These days there are also more Latin American ingredients available in Australia so it’s fantastic to see this growth due to the growing demand,” says Saravia.
Alongside the dishes, is a fabulous parade of wines that hero the best of the bunch from Latin America.
At Morena, the focus is on a special selection of criolla varieties made from native Latin American grapes. Some examples of what you’ll find on the drink list includes: Matias Riccitelli, ‘Kung Fu’, Criolla, Tinto de Rulo, ‘Blanco de Rulo’, Moscatel and Matias Riccitelli, ‘The Apple doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree’, Torrontés.
There’s also the arrival of Morena Barra – the option for more lively all-day dining experience inspired by the vibrant cantinas found throughout Latin America. why not pull up a bar stool and give these cocktails a go. We recommend:
- Morena Sour- Barsol pisco quebranta, lime, blood orange syrup, oloroso sherry, bitters
- Sunburn – Barsol pisco quebranta, dry rose wine, grapefruit, maraschino, panela syrup
- Cielo y Tierra – Barsol pisco quebranta, passionfruit, lemon, yerba mate syrup, saline, tomato soda
When he’s not running his own venues; Saravia always calls into Sydney’s Clocktower Bar in Shell House. When back home in Melbourne, he loves to visit City Wine Shop.
His Exhibition Street restaurant Farmer’s Daughters now has a new rooftop bar revamp that’s offering a more extensive food offering. It’s open from lunch and dinner from Monday 7 October.
“We have also brought in some of our special collections of Victorian and Gippsland wines and have given the space an update with some built-in banquets to create a more intimate feel for our guests,” says Saravia.
His drink of choice when on the rooftop – the 2023 Fleet ‘Lichen’ Cabernet/Syrah Rosé, Leongatha.
www.morenarestaurant.com.au/melbourne