The Coventry, South Melbourne by Bureaucrat

Just over a month old, The Coventry is the newest cafe in South Melbourne.  Owned by the same family who run Piatella and Meat In The Middle, The Coventry is a breezy and relaxed spot that's located opposite the South Melbourne market.  The menu here draws upon a number of cuisines.  Owner, Nick Bourgazas, explained that they wanted to offer something a bit different to the typical cafe fare to differentiate themselves from the glut of neighbouring cafes.

Case in point, is the tuna tartare.  A delightfully modern take on the greasy and stodgy battered fish and chips, The Coventry's version is much healthier and surprisingly moreish.  While I'm usually not a fan of rare/raw seafood, I couldn't help stealing forkfuls of the delicious tuna from the Lawyer's plate. The tuna is finely diced so that even if you're squeamish about eating raw fish, you cannot feel the chewiness of the uncooked fish.  The tuna is tender and melts in your mouth.  It's beautifully seasoned with cornichons, capers and shallots and the aioli gives it a lovely creaminess - it's utterly yummy and there's not a hint of fishiness at all.  The tuna is served with these gorgeously golden and geometric fluffy polenta chips and lotus root chips.


The beautiful airy interior


I love anything with squid ink - love the glossy black hue it imbues in the food.  So it was easy for me to pick the squid ink gnocchi with chicken, mushroom and white wine.  This was a hearty yet non-stodgy dish - lovely fluffy gnocchi with lots of tender chicken.


We also got some chips to go with our meal.


Our soy chai lattes were lovely.  While I do prefer my chai to be made from actual tea leaves, Nick says that they use a good quality chai concentrate from the reputable Seven Seeds company.

Verdict

We really liked it.

Mid value.

Overall

The Coventry is a great cafe for a meal or a drink.  Service is friendly and I love the spacious feel to the place.  I also love the big views to the street that lets you people-watch while you eat.

The Eat and Be Merry Crew were guests of The Coventry.

Find it at

The Coventry
315 Coventry Street
South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: (03) 9696 9028