Shannon Kellam’s hospitality career started in Brisbane over 30 years ago and he has since represented our nation in the most prominent competitions around the globe, including Europe, Middle East, Scandinavia and Asia. The past decade saw Shannon operate several iconic Brisbane venues.
I recently visited ACH, a Middle eastern inspired restaurant and wine bar.
On arriving I was greeted with the pleasure of a very engaging and welcoming waitperson (who turns out is one of the owners), the aromas of the wood-fired hearth and the clean, modern concrete lines of the premises which are perfectly heightened by the dark and deep green nuances of the fit out.
I was seated in proximity to the open kitchen which, if you are like me, allows you to enjoy watching the brigade go about their fine craft.
I was impressed by the young team, who were well-groomed, well-presented, and communicated with each other in a manner that gives you confidence you are in for a good meal.
The first thing to get under way is a cocktail. The list is fully customed to the Middle eastern theme and from the names to the combinations it makes for a hard choice, all sounded delicious. I went for the ‘Phoenician Spring’, a cherry herbaceous mix perfectly balanced with smoked American oak whiskey.
Onto the lunch menu, I was happy to see a small, tight menu for lunch (I like the idea of not holding excessive produce) which also included all-day breakfast.
I selected the preserved Aleppo salad along with a braised lamb dish, (presuming shoulder). The lamb was juicy and succulent, benefiting from the well-executed process of slow cooking which had the connective tissue at the perfect sticky and gelatinous stage. The seasoning of the dish was well balanced, not overpowering the flavour of the lamb.
The Aleppo salad was fresh, crisp and pleasantly acidic, and excellent value with each dish around the $15 dollar mark.
The wine list is an educated list covering the regions of Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel, showcasing ancient wine producing regions alongside a combination of Australian references that also speak of thought and research.
The service was extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of the dining room, notably the wine and cocktail lists, also friendly and engaging.
The dinner offering massively ramps up to a family style presented menu where the wood-fired hearth earns its keep. It is a well-crafted selection of vegetables, seafoods, meats, dairy and breads that reads exceptionally well.
My visit to ACH was a memorable dining experience, great value and elevated by the display from a young team championing the next generation of passionate and driven hospo professionals.
