JON plus xoxo

Thursday 11th December - It's been a year since JON's first inaugural dinner so it seems fitting that JON celebrate with a thousand wines. Millevini is JON's choice. The recently opened enoteca focuses on Italian wines and associated spuntini, various plates of italian joy which define the food offering.

The start of the party season is well underway along Crown St, Surry Hills. As JON moves from the buzz of the Clock and a few gin and tonics to the more sophisticated confines of Millevini, a long wait is the expectation with the front window already indicating the full house inside. However, the efficient and lovely maitre'd exceeds all expectations despite his potentially intimidating manner and crisp 3 piece suit.

Inside, the two storey space spills out over dark furniture, a long bar top and a jumble of tables which extend up to exposed beams, sandstone walls and the scent of an italian foodie's heaven. The atmos is a good mix of christmas spirit chatter and the bustle of the kitchen.

Seated at the bar in 10 minutes, JON very quickly feels the Millevini love when the bible is presented -the beautifully bound and presented wine list. With it's leather embossed cover and beautifully drawn images of Bacchus with various drunken maidens, it invokes memories of Nicholas Lane and Robin Williams in The Birdcage, serving soup in porcelain bowls depicting young greek men 'leapfrogging'. The tome is expansive and interesting with JON settling on a pinot, well chosen by Jake (and expectedly so with his Peacetree Estate background).

Despite hearing the specials, JON settles on the standard fare which is by no means standard. Oli leaves the ordering to Jake and Nat, relinquishing the opportunity to sit back, soak up the atmos and his vino. Jake reviews the menu with the spuntini varying in price from $8 to $22.

Like the wait for the table, there is a minimal wait for the food however JON starts to feel slightly concerned when already 4 of the 6 plates arrive altogether. Thankfully, the food service is slowed down enough to allow JON to enjoy a plentiful plate of salumi misti, melt in the mouth beef carpaccio, skewers of duck wrapped in proscuitto, beautiful pork loin rich in flavour, and a caprese salad with an amazing buffalo mozzarella.

Settling into the food, Jake decides to throw in a showstopper. The flights are booked, the plan has been made and it looks like one third of JON will soon be moving to NYC. The previous LA domination plan has been replaced by the lure of Gossip Girl. There is much JON love felt as Nat realises with a move in April, there will be very few JON dinners left to see the time out. Jake baits JON with a potential suggestion for a Tetsuya's farewell. Nat and Oli fall hook, line and sinker as a crescendo of excitement and shared rumours of the legend culiminate in the promise of a mid March booking.

Breaking the JON bubble, Millevini asks if we would like to see dessert. With tiramisu, pannacotta and cheese plate on offer, it is hard to surpass JON's excited state and satisfaction with the spuntini already consumed. Deciding to finish on a good note, JON settle the bill at $45 a head, leaving in a happy daze of pinot, pork loin and dreams of JON dinners across the Pacific.

Fantastic.