Walking past the heavy door of new bar March heralds the same feel of understated classiness as entering Ides, the renowned fine dining restaurant by acclaimed chef Peter Gunn.

For the distinguished diner, following Gunn’s journey from working as sous chef at Attica for many years, to opening Ides in 2016, it is well known that his innovative culinary flair has added an important element to Melbourne’s fine-dining landscape.

Quintessentially a sibling bar to Ides, March is a lot more informal in its approach, but serves its menu from the same kitchen with the added privilege of Ides’s comprehensive cellar. The stunning black marble countertop is the centrepiece, inviting you to join the only staff behind the bar.

If you want some me-time, you can nestle on the street side high bench looking over Smith St. The room glows in dim lights, revealing a carefully considered decor of charcoal tones intertwined with elements of brass. Further in is the only table, ideal for a bigger gathering with a view into the walk-in wine cellar, where a few unicorns are displayed in quiet charm.

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Woken up from my small reverie by prompt and attentive service, I notice the tempo of a gradually building dinner service in orchestration. The Japanese-inspired menu is mainly comprised of grazing items complemented by a few more substantial dishes. The drinks list, despite its brevity, offers good diversity, ranging from wine to sake and beer, a nifty selection of spirits as well as a careful choice of classic cocktails. Otherwise, for a wider scope, there is always access to Ides’ wine list.

The green chilli pickled mussels and crispy garlic come nestled in their half shell on a plate of pebbles. The mussels are juicy, the green chilli is subtle and elegant, but the slivers of fried garlic dominate the flavour. Easily washed down with a glass of Loire chenin blanc, the following dish is a small serve of baby cucumbers cut lengthways, pickled in aged soy. It is crunchy and refreshing. If you are familiar with the famous Asian cucumber salad, you’d notice the taste is typical, except for the price and portion.

Moving on to a beef tartare with kimchi dressing. It comes hidden under a brittle of lavosh-like crackers. The kimchi dressing is delicate and doesn’t overwhelm the silkiness of the raw high-quality beef. This goes down well with a glass of pink natural wine.

A miso roasted eggplant, quartered, slightly doused in sesame sauce and draped with black and white sesame seeds delivers comforting familiar flavours, while a sweet and sour quail completes my main course with a recommended glass of primitivo from Puglia. Excellent choice! The quail is succulent with the texture near perfection. A peppery leaf salad with bonito vinaigrette as a side, adds an extra layer of umami.

The only dessert was a peach purin which is lovely and works a treat with a glass of monbazillac – a delicious dessert wine from the obscure wine region of Bergerac in the southwest of France. It is refreshing to find these rare drops celebrated in Australia and in the right context. Well executed!

All things considered, March is a well-played stand-alone bar, but also a clever extension to Ides for either pre or post dinner drinks, or maybe both? For Gunn, it is good territory to explore and diversify. It eloquently delivers elegance with unpretentious fare and well curated wines by the glass matching the menu to a tee.

If a more extensive dinner is not what you are looking for, albeit with the same pamper of its knowledgeable staff and with Peter Gunn’s creative mind, then March welcomes you to a tasteful commingling of wine bar slash pub slash izakaya.

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