Concrete Playground

Named for a pet Dodo, Pickwick's is a fresh take on French-inspired food, housed on the Enmore strip. The space itself is all class with a little bit of quirk: raw walls with a greenish tint, glass shop windows with gold lettering and simple wooden chairs. The menus - either brunch, lunch or dinner - are Modern Australian, with a touch of French influence, and change regularly to make the most of seasonal produce. Ingredients are super fresh, menus are vegetarian friendly and the staff are happy to accommodate all dietary restrictions (particularly if you call before their weekly market visits).

Brunch, served between 8 and 3, is perhaps the most talked about menu. We hear good things about the Croque Monsieurs et Madames ($14 + $3) but I had to opt for the French Toast with a side of Bacon ($13 + $3): Challah bread, made in house, with poached pair, ricotta, cinnamon sugar and lemon thyme honey. Accompanying friend went for the more savory Fish on Toast ($10), with white anchovies, sourdough and mixed leaves with merlot viniagrette. Neither disappointed. Coffee aficionados will also be pleased to hear about the Toby's Estate Indian Monsoon Malabar on offer.

The dinner, on the other hand, is not nearly talked about enough, and this is where the fresh ingredients really come to the fore. All day red wine braised Beef Cheeks, Pork and Chestnut Pate, never mind Chocolate Cake and Cheese Plates... There's plenty here to die, or at least faint, for so it's worth indulging in each and every course. Before we get too into the menu, however, we'd advise checking the up-to-date version, remembering that this will change regularly.

A restaurant like this has been long overdue in Enmore. Finally, fans of Bloodwood will have a new haunt close to home.