AFRICAN-FUSION HITS MELBOURNE

Melbourne’s African-inspired bar pole¯pole¯, (meaning relax, slowdown and take it easy, in Swahili) now offers a full-service dining space downstairs beneath the bar on the upper level. Owners Dean and Jeanelle Mariani grew fond of the vibrant cuisine and culture of Tanzania and Kenya during their travels and wanted to bring a taste of their experiences to their Little Collins Street venue in the Melbourne CBD. The cuisine is a mix of modern Australian and traditional African recipes and ingredients, hand crafted from spices sourced around Australia and throughout Africa. The kitchen team is headed by Brazilian born Head Chef, Felipe Bley who smokes many of his meats in-house, including the highly popular smoked goat curry. The restaurant offers a rotating special menu featuring African–inspired Game dishes that are scarcely available outside the Serengeti. From the drinks menu visitors can also sample any of the twelve African beers.