Corte

Great food, chorizo is especially special, loved it. Great presentation, great flavour, great atmosphere in the outside garden /​courtyard. Love what they have done with this old church. Good work guys, have been here before and will be back again.

A couple of colleagues recommended Corte in Port Melbourne, and being extraordinarily easily led, here I am for Saturday lunch today! This little Latin influenced eatery is located in a lovely little building near the bay end of Bay Street. It also has a deck outside and as it’s quite a pleasant Saturday afternoon I decided to park myself out there.
They have a pretty good selection of wines from South America, Spain and Portugal (actually, that’s pretty much all they have so if you’re looking for a local drop you’re out of luck) but I was in a cocktail sort of mood. Serendipitously they serve these in jugs, so I ordered a batch of something called «Innocent Your Honour», a sweet, refreshing combination of white Cachaca (Brazilian rum), lime, mint and ginger beer.
The menu isn’t extensive, but there was certainly enough on it to keep me amused. I started with the Serrano ham and an entrée of merguez sausage. The Jamon was tasty, not too salty, and came with a plate of brown bread and olive oil. Nice. The merguez was a little spiral of pork sausage served on a pool of cauliflower purée and topped with grain mustard. The sausage was tasty and the purée added a nice softness to the overall flavour.
Both serves were quite generous and I was actually about to ask for the bill when I noticed the word «morcilla» tucked away on the left hand side of the menu. Blood sausage is one of my food obsessions, and I’m particularly partial to the Spanish variety. How can pigs blood taste so good? Conceptually it should be like swallowing a nose bleed. But this was delicious; quite creamy, but firm, tasty without being overpowering. It was served with home made BBQ sauce, which worked surprisingly well. The pick of the dishes for me.
Fast, friendly service, good food and a sound track that ranged from Rodriguez to Van Morrison and Neil Young. What’s not to like?

First and foremost, Quilmes in a bottle. That rocks.
Service and food were excellent. The baked brie was tasty on bread, and the steak with chimmichurri was nicely done. Add in cabbage slaw and a plate of sardines, and you are in heaven.
The interior décor is pleasant and rustic, the building is a converted old courthouse.
In nicer weather, there is a nice patio for outdoor dining.
Hugh would like it here!

So, first off, I’m glad to be the first person to review this place. I need to say that the whole vibe of Corte is great. The outdoor area is open, yet not… the inside is rustic yet modern… it’s a quirky little place that has a great mix with atmosphere and the menu.
I had the Tuna Ceviche to start, Humitas, Albondigas, and Pork Sliders. I am not a fatty, they are small dishes!
The tuna was served over a sweet potato purée and was heavenly to start. I then moved into the Humitas which is a corn purée served in a corn husk… sweet and delicious. I paired that with the chorizo meatballs and it served as a great balance in flavors. I finished the meal with the pork sliders which were very tasty indeed. They really use fresh ingredients here and that is much appreciated.
Oh wait… I am a glutton. Chocolate Caliente dessert??? Yes please! Enough to share but don’t because you’ll want it all and it will cause a fight between you and your partner for sure. Rum flavored chocolate, toasted marshmallow, rhubarb jelly, and coconut crumble… Enough said.
All in all I had a great evening by myself at the bar. Ben and his staff were welcoming to the newest Port Melbournite. I highly recommend giving Corte a shot.