Alter Dining opens in Windsor

The Commune Group has launched a new restaurant, Alter Dining, in Windsor, located in inner city Melbourne.

It comes seven months after the Commune Group closed the business Melbourne restaurant BKK.

At the time, the Commune Group said BKK was in a space that was in a destination dining spot, with too much competition nearby.

Alter Dining is a completely new venture for the hospitality group which also runs Tokyo Tina, the Hanoi Hannah chain and formerly Saigon Sally.

Alter Dining, as the name suggests, is a casual fine diner which would sit quite well in a place like Windsor.

The menu is modern Australian food, fragrant and clean. And despite the different kind of food, Sean Judd, previously of Nahm, Longrain and Chin Chin is in charge of the kitchen.

Dishes, costing $65 per person. Or they are available á la carte or as part of a tasting experience.

The menu will offer dishes like whipped cod and chilli chicken skin crumble, grilled quail skewer, blood plum sauce and spiced salt, and whole snapper baked in charcoal salt drizzled with mussel and red curry bisque.

Situated on the old BKK sites, it’s a significant foray away from Asian cuisine for the group but then, as the name suggests, it’s about something different from the previous Commune Group venues.

And the interiors of the place say it all. It’s very different with a bar sitting front and centre, surrounded by walls covered in monochrome illustrations, floor to ceiling.

There is also an open wine cellar but the drinks on offer are shorter and tighter.The focus is on aromatic white wines, Victorian craft beers. And of course, there are a few classic-with-a-twist cocktails. 

Commune director Simon Blacher says Alter Dining has been designed to complement the area. The plan is to bring a completely new offering to Windsor.

“With the launch of Alter Dining, the group will explore a new direction focused on the guest dining experience, rather than the volume of visitors,” Blacher told Hospitality Magazine.

Leon Getler 10th May 2018.