Inspired by a recent trip through China, Japan and South East Asia, chef Adam Liston is nourishing Melburnians and visitors through the cold winter months at his pop-up noodle bar while awaiting the permanent Honcho, due to open later this year.
The intimate three-month pop-up on Bourke Street named Honcho Noodle opened on June 2nd.
The menu, split simply into ‘Noodles’ and ‘Not Noodles’, offers some of Liston’s popular lighter dishes from his previous Asian eatery, Northern Light, and noodle dishes that are designed to warm Melbourne through the winter.
Noodle dishes include shaved charcoal duck noodle soup with bamboo, water chestnuts and spanner crab udon with smoked oyster butter, kizami nori while those wanting to go beyond the popular staple can sink their teeth into Liston’s signature corn-fed chicken yakitori – fillet, thigh, wing or meatball, signature “Golden Egg” dish and BBQ char siu pork chop, spring onion sauce, mustard leaves.
“I’ve always loved cooking and eating Asian cuisine, it makes much more sense to me than many of the Western styles. At Honcho Noodle, we’ll have the opportunity to share and focus on dishes we love to eat everyday that are wholesome and tasty. The vibe of the place will mirror that of the street noodle shops you’d find in Indonesia, China and Japan,” says Liston.
The front-of-house team will be led by Brad Hammond, who brings a wealth of expertise from esteemed Melbourne restaurants Mister Jennings and The Press Club.
There will also be a serious Asian inspired cocktail focus, led by head bartender Ryan Noreiks.
Honcho Noodle will pave the way for its permanent premises, Honcho at 18 Punch Lane, designed by award-winning architect Kerstin Thompson and due to open in September. The menu here will centre on contemporary Asian cuisine that showcases Liston’s flair cooking over charcoal, with a customised multi-purpose grill currently being built.
Located at 1 Bourke Street, Honcho Noodle will be open Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm.
Stay up to date with what is happening at Honcho Noodle and Honcho via their Instagram: @honchomelbourne and their website: www.honchomelbourne.com.
