Feeling peckish? Me, too. Sauntering down Armadale’s High St on an autumn afternoon, I’m hoping for a splash of this with a snack of that but all I can see are bridal shops and gym joints. Thank goodness for Wine 1160. This new, smartly attired bar is a welcome addition to Melbourne’s south side and coming up with some intriguing wine and food match-ups.

Anyone for popcorn and gruyere salt with their sparkling? What about a pissaladiere with pinot? Wine 1160 — conceived by owner Prabir Majumdar — can even do you a pink lamington with moscato. Peckish indeed.

They “celebrate provenance and purity’’ at Wine 1160. Dive into the menu here, devised by chef Jasmin Lefers, and that rather vague mission statement begins to make sense.

We started with house-made labne ($7), tickled with olive oil and glowing with red pomegranate seeds. Then a feathery salad of rocket and parsley ($7) and potted salmon ($16.50), teamed with shards of crispbread. All three flattered a minerally white from Abruzzo.

An Austrian rose was recommended for braised eggplant with peas ($16.50). A beer might have been just as good to cut through its spiciness but Majumdar was right on the money suggesting an Earth’s End pinot noir from New Zealand with Lefers’ pissaladiere (French pizza) ($14). This was our dish of the day, no question, its lightly tanned pastry crosshatched with kalamata olives and white anchovies and flecked with just torn herbs.

Drinkers near us were happy to linger over taste plates of cave-ripened taleggio ($14) and curls of aged prosciutto San Daniele ($17). But I think they missed out not trying a pink lamington ($9.50) or the chocolate, cinnamon and Pedro Ximenez ($14.50) dessert.

Majumdar wants to take his customers “on a journey with great wine’’. The journey will get more exciting as Wine 1160 builds its cellar but there’s plenty to enjoy now. Fizz is well represented and New World pinots vie for attention with “alternative varietals” from France, Italy and Spain. There are lagers and ales for the non-wine inclined, not to mention a sturdy slate of malts and spirits, two kinds of coffee beans and Chinese tea.

Wine 1160 staffers are refreshingly free of wine geekery and Majumdar, a personable presence on the floor, keeps his young team en pointe but a little more salesmanship is called for. Knowledge, imparted with flair, can greatly enhance drinking pleasure.

What a superb fitout. Wine 1160 houses bottles in solid cabinets, eases customers into super-comfortable seats and sets fine stemware on its sturdy tables. Jazz murmurs in the background.

Overall, good value. Smaller taste plates come in under the $10 mark while wines by the glass rarely exceed $14.

Wine 1160 shows great promise and is wisely keeping things fluid as it works out what its customers really want.

This review originally appeared on heraldsun.com.au.