Hell of the North

On hearing that I would be going to Hell of the North, I instantly had images of grunge, graffiti, and large servings of deep fried, sub standard food.  So it was to my absolute surprise to discover that Hell of the North is in fact none of the above, but is instead a warm and inviting venue offering refined European inspired cuisine.

With its exposed brick walls, wooden features and array of booze on display, the venue has a snow chalet meets American saloon type of vibe.

The service was definitely one of the stand outs, with our waiter more than happy to run through the menu and add value to our order by assisting us to decide what, and indeed how much, to order (you were right, our eyes were far bigger then our stomachs that night!).

To start with we shared the cheese donut ($7) and the pork belly with sweet and sour onions ($7) - both incredibly delicious (who knew cheese would actually work in a donut??) and both dishes that I would highlight recommend you order.

Although, the stand out of the night was the beef tartare ($21). Whilst looking like a simple dish (as my dining companion kept commenting, it's just like an uncooked hamburger pattie), this dish leaves nowhere to hide.  The produce has to be incredibly fresh, and the flavours have to be spot on.  Hell of the North ticked both of these boxes.

Luckily for us, Hell of the North also manages to cook it's beef pretty well too. The braised beef short rib, which was paired with celeriac, horseradish and red wine sauce ($32) was cooked to perfection - tender, juicy and full of flavour.

Unfortunately for the gnocchi parisienne with Jerusalem artichoke, kale and pine nuts ($27), due to my absolute hatred for kale, it never really stood a fair chance.  Whilst the gnocchi parcels were light and fluffy, the artichoke puree smooth and creamy, and the truffle parmesan on top an exquisite touch, I just couldn't get past the dirty taste of kale.  That being said, for any kale fan out there (as I know there are many), this is definitely the dish for you.

Serving food until 1am on Wednesdays through to Saturdays, Hell's doors are always open (well, not always, but definitely great for a late night eat). With its exceptional food, inspiring character and incredible service, Hell of the North is definitely the New Fave.

Service: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Venue: 4.5/5
Total: 13.5/15
Verdict: The New Fave - put it as number 1 on the 'To Do' List.

135 Greeves Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3060