Mabu Mabu Big Esso (Federation Square, Melbourne)

Mabu Mabu Big Esso, an all-day bar and kitchen aims to bring back Indigenous food and culture. It is located in Federation Square on the land of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples.

I first came across Mabu Mabu when I picked up a jar of their Rice Spice from an artisan food store.

Since I am very interested in Indigenous ingredients and food, I searched for more information online which led me to discover more about this enterprise and their products, restaurants etc….

Mabu Mabu (a saying in the Torres Strait Island which means ‘help yourself’) is the brainchild of Chef Nornie Bero who grew up in Mer Island, Torres Strait.

The enterprise began as a stall selling sauces, condiments, spices etc… made from native ingredients. Later the business moved and was launched as a café selling food made primarily from native ingredients alongside the products.

Today, Mabu Mabu has three different offerings – Big Esso, Tuck Shop and Kara Meta. More details on the website….

Big Esso, an all-day bar and kitchen aims to bring back Indigenous food and culture. It is located in Federation Square on the land of the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples.

Traditionally, this land was a source of food, hunting and cooking. Birrarung (Yarra River) was an eel breeding ground where shark, dolphin and stingrays could be found. So, there couldn’t be a more befitting location for this restaurant.

Big Esso is a restaurant that everyone living here must visit at least once. I don’t think there is any other place that showcases Indigenous and native ingredients better. Truly blown away by the taste and flavour and I wonder why our native ingredients are not more popular or commonly available.

The Indigenous focus is not just on the food but also extends to the drinks menu. I was particularly interested in the cocktail menu but the wine/spirits section was great too. The food is designed to be shared so keep that in mind while making the order. We wanted to taste a variety of dishes so chose more items from the small share and just two from the large share.

This is my second visit to Big Esso, the first being an impromptu one and hence I couldn’t photograph any of the dishes. Since I was so impressed with the food, went back again for tasting more from the menu and documenting it here.

So, here’s a roundup of all the drinks and dishes we tried at Big Esso; I have provided the name and description beneath each photograph.

During the first visit, I tasted Namas (island style coconut cured kingfish with chilli, coriander and taro crisps), Purple yam and cassava terrine with quandong chutney and Stuffed cuttlefish with wild rice, sea blite, morcilla, green tomato and desert lime salsa verde. While all three are delicious, I would highly recommend the purple yam….it was nothing short of spectacular.

Green Ant-ini – a delicious spin on the traditional martini made using Seven Seasons Green Ant Gin and served with green ants as garnish. It was quite intriguing to see ants floating in the drink but that’s the whole fun of it. Bite into one to get a burst of citrus on your palate!

Davidson’s Plum Gimlet with Brookies Slow Gin and lemon juice – refreshing with a sweet aftertaste from the plums. It’s the perfect cocktail to sip on warm summer days.

Freshly shucked oysters – pepperberry mignonette. Incredibly delicious especially with the slight tingling that the pepperberry leaves behind at the end.

Freshly shucked oysters – fingerlime and rivermint. This was more refreshing and the combination of lime and mint is a classic.

Bush tomato pippies with samphire, sea parsley, macadamia and charred lime. I love pippies and the simple flavours of this dish blew my mind away. The bush tomatoes add a touch of sweet tartness that complements well with the pippies. The texture of sea parsley was interesting and offered a touch of crunch.

Saltbush and pepperberry fried crocodile with smoked oyster aioli – another delicious finger food. The only problem with this was the fact that you hardly taste the crocodile since it’s cut into thin strips and deep fried. I like the taste of crocodile so was hoping to get more of that.

Kangaroo tail, pepperberry bourguignon, island fried scone – while I have tasted kangaroo many times, it’s the first time I am having kangaroo tail. Tastes exactly like the slow cooked meat stews I make at home. Rich with a tomato base spiced with the pepperberries. The island fried scone was perfect for soaking up all the gravy.

Saltbush and macadamia lamb rack, pepperberry bordelaise, pickled quandong, celeriac remoulade, crispy saltbush. The saltbush lends a wonderful earthy savoury flavour which works brilliantly with the lamb. A dish where each component on the plate complements the other to create a harmonious experience.

Wild boar with native lemongrass, pig’s blood, Warrigal greens, crispy nettles and labneh. This dish reminded me so much of the beef dishes of Kerala…the flavours are different but the texture and feel of the dish was so similar. While the meat flavour comes through strongly, it is not gamey at all which makes it really enjoyable especially when paired with the labneh to cut through the richness.

Big Esso is a definite must try if you are interested in Indigenous foods and learning more about native Australian ingredients. It’s one of a kind restaurant, a real tribute to Australian food and culture.

Mabu Mabu Big Esso

Federation Square

Melbourne CBD

Victoria

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