Feels Like Home

Australian chefs tell ALEXANDRA CARLTON about the restaurants that put them deep in their comfort zone; where the smiles are genuine, the food is nostalgic and everybody knows your name.

- Alexandra Carlton

JULIAN HILLS

CHEF-OWNER NAVI, MELBOURNE

“I love ph and so does my wife Georgia, it’s part of the reason we moved back to Melbourne, and particularly to the west. A regular of ours is Ph Chu Thin Footscray, where the broth is always fragrant. My eldest daughter Eleanor gets so excited when we say we’re going there for dinner. They serve her a kid’s helping with scissors so you can cut up the noodles. When she was two we cut them up for her but now she’s four she cuts up her own and adds her desired sauces. The staff already know what the girls are going to eat before we say anything and they know that Eleanor wants the blue booster seat, not the red. Going there is the one family outing where we all sit relaxed for a minute (just a minute!) and enjoy our dinner.”

NATASYA SOETANTYO

CHEF-OWNER SALT & PALM, SYDNEY

“The staff at Ayam Bakar 7 Saudara in Sydney are like typical Indonesian aunties and uncles, who always want to make sure you’re eating enough. They keep coming to the table asking if I’d like some more sambal; do you want this, do you want that. Last time I was there they gave me three desserts, which reminds me of my mum and auntie back in Indonesia who would always say ‘you’re too skinny!’ and feed me more. They play old Indonesian ballads like the ones my uncle used to play – you don’t really hear that kind of music anymore. It’s such wonderful hospitality and makes you feel like you’re with family.”