CARTER’S
Carter’s Avenue
Toorak, Melbourne

Anybody who has ever been in the restaurant business knows that these days it is tough. It is hard to make a real quid. Long hours. Demanding chefs. The end of the long business lunches since FBT. A shrinking dollar and how far it can go makes people more prone to fast food outlets and takeaways.

It is no coincidence that places like Fanny’s and Glo Glo’s and Stephanie’s and Maxim’s have gone.

Even at Lynch’s -- el supremo, the old rogue elephant, Paul Lynch – has changed his place with a new New York style bar and a bistro in the front. And it could and should work.

Other up-market places have bitten the bullet and started touting set price business lunches.

I’ve talked about them before.

The best value, in my opinion is the Watergrill inToorak Road South Yarra. Did again with a book for company the other day – and yes Bruce I paid – but didn’t pay much.

There you can get -- at lunch time during the week – a glass of Lindeman’s, half a dozen natural oysters cerviche with a brilliant slightly hot sauce and a main course like corned beef or fish for a total of $25.

And I only go back to all this because one of this city’s top, veteran foodies. One of this town’s top EVER restaurateurs – and I rank him alongside Lau and Massoni and the late Mietta and people in that league.

I am talking about Richard Frank. A man who has managed to escape from under the shadow of Lillian’s big hats and sometimes big mouth. And managed to make his own reputation.

I started this discourse talking about how hard it is to make money in the food business because of a Richard Frank story.

He has been in the food business for decades. Decades. He is suave and debonair and sophisticated and knowledgable.

And where did he make his biggest profits?

Not at places like Petty Sessions. He made his best money when yonks ago he owned a sandwich bar and coffee shop in the city and they used to hand out tickets – like movie theatres – and you would buy one for a shilling or two and six. And you would buy that as you walked in and then they would give you a sandwich or a pie or a vanilla slice and a cuppa tea.

Much more simple then for a healthy return.

I don’t know why but in his dotage Mr Frank is back. And back in a place he wears like a comfy jacket.

He is doing it all again on a site which used to be THE place in Melbourne. Glo Glo’s.

Now it is called Carter’s because it is in Carter’s Avenue in Toorak. And Richard Frank has created a very clever restaurant. The restaurant looks good. . Bright, breezy, with a good ambience and a great menu.

The slatted window blinds are appealing. The Saturdday night I went there it was packed with a mixed crowd of Toorak burghers, couples and families.

I won’t delve too deeply into the menu except for two things.

And doing it back to front—Carter’s has some stupendous desserts for sweet eaters.

I am not a big sweet eater but I succumbed to a chilled lime pudding with mandarin ice cream and Iranian sugar floss. I shared it with two other people.

But I save my best praise for a main course that just sneaks in to the Hinch night time soup diet.. with a bit of a stretch. It was Saturday night.

After all.

Believe it or not I had the best saltimbocca I have ever eaten and you could pass it off as soup.

It was slim veal saltimbocca, alpparently pan-fried with proscuitto and sage served with Asian cabbage, white wine and oyster mushroom jus.

Served in alarge bowl with the mushroom jus I can just call it soup. I’ll also call it bleeping delicious.

Carter’s is the name and the game.

They’ve replaced Glo Glo’s with pride. Blithe Staley must hate it.

But as someone once said : That’s Life.