Global restaurateur and one of Australia’s leading chef exports, Luke Mangan, is bringing his successes back to his native Melbourne with the launch of a new restaurant venture at the iconic Palace site on City Road, South Melbourne.

The Palace by Luke Mangan will be the latest offering from the restaurateur, who has built a successful career through his award-winning restaurants in Australia and abroad, best-selling cookbooks and range of provisions.

It has been noted that the venue will be a spacious contemporary urban gastropub where Luke will deliver a modern Australian take on traditional pub food. The refurbishment of the venue, overseen by leading interior designer and Luke’s good friend Neil Bradford, focuses on open spaces and natural light. A classic, clean colour scheme of navy, whites, charcoals and chocolates is carried right throughout the property creating a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

The pub has been reinvented numerous times since it was first opened in 1874 as Meagher’s Family Hotel, becoming Partner’s Tavern, then Pickled Pig Hotel and Port Melbourne Hotel before it was named The Palace. In the current refurbishment, Neil has carefully maintained some of the old pub’s historical finishes which he has complemented with contemporary furnishings.

Offering a range of dining and socialising concepts, The Palace melds a dining room, bar & lounge area, light filled outdoor beer garden and two private function spaces. The prime South Melbourne location makes it easily accessible from the city, Southbank, and inner Bayside suburbs.

“With The Palace I wanted to create a relaxed, fun and informal space, where people can experience the finest and freshest Australian produce, served simply so the ingredients speak for themselves,” said Luke.

The main restaurant menu will be predominantly meat-focused with a selection of premium grain fed steaks including the Rangers Valley 300 day grain fed black angus and the Teys Brothers 150 day grain fed black angus, and Nolan Meats, Gympie 100 day MSA and 30 day dry aged. A 600g Chateaubriand with bbq rub will also be on offer. Other mains include pan-fried gnocchi, seared baby snapper, steamed barramundi and char-grilled chicken. The restaurant menu will be complemented by a refined wine list of Australian, New Zealand, French and Spanish wines, with a strong focus on quality wines from Australia’s boutique winemakers.

Adjacent to the restaurant, a bar area, lounge and sprawling beer garden will offer cocktails, boutique beers and a casual, fuss-free menu where diners can enjoy informal drinks, meals and casual bar snacks such as BBQ beef and lime, pumpkin samosas with mint yoghurt and a curry dressing, and natural oysters with eschalot dressing. Traditional bar favourites including garlic bread and salt and pepper squid will also feature. Luke envisioned the bar, lounge and beer garden to be places where diners can drop in for a drink and a bite, and will have a no reservations policy.

Upstairs at The Palace are two individual, sophisticated private dining rooms for banquets and events. With elegant interiors creating a contemporary yet timeless feel, the function spaces can be opened up to a central cocktail area for pre-dinner drinks and entertainment.

While Luke will be instrumental in the menus and philosophy behind The Palace, he will take on the role of restaurateur, assembling a skilled team of people to manage the day-to-day operations. The culinary operations will be led by Head Chef MJ who has worked with Luke for many years and was instrumental in the successful opening of Luke’s Tokyo restaurant, Salt. Overseeing the front of house is Manager Christian Green, formerly of South Yarra’s Botanical and Rockpool.

The Palace will see Mangan’s restaurant empire expand to four .
The chef is already owner of the Glass Brasserie in Sydney’s Hilton Hotel, Salt in Tokyo, Japan and South food + wine bar in San Francisco.

The venue will open in early December 2009