The former head chef of a three-hatted restaurant has opened a West Melbourne pop-up for summer
With its dog-friendly patio and new liquor license, Cam Tay-Yap’s Pebble is a hot ticket to the freewheeling menu inspired by Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Summer must be here: Cam Tay-Yap has opened a new pop-up for casual hangouts and fresh tastes. Last year the chef installed a charcoal grill in the car park of the Oakleigh South rock climbing gym. This time it’s at the former Earth Angels venue in West Melbourne, a five-minute walk from Queen Victoria Market. The Pebble residence will remain at the corner spot until April, after which the Tsunagu Project hospitality group (Hareruya Pantry, Le Bajo Milkbar) will open a tempura restaurant in the space.
He was the head chef of the three-hatted Amaru when Tay-Yap was selected. Age Good Food Guide 2024 Young Chef of the Year, an honor shared with Lily McGrath. (McGrath also took a big step in his career by taking on the role of head chef at CBD Japanese grill Robata.)
“The transition from fine dining to the parking lot to indoor space is surreal,” says Tay-Yap. “Unlike the car park, we don’t have to deal with Melbourne’s weather, but it makes more sense to be in a real room with a ceiling and a kitchen, which is a bit scary.” The restaurant has 34 seats, a dog-friendly courtyard in the back and a room for private dining upstairs. Unlike the parking lot version, this Pebble has a liquor license: Good Food approves of the oil-washed kaya toast vodka.
Tay-Yap and his wife and Pebble collaborator Trish Pham recently returned from six months of traveling around Asia, a mix of vacations and restaurant pop-ups with old colleagues and new friends in destinations like Singapore, Tokyo, Bali and Ho Chi Minh City.
Tay-Yap says, “I have nothing to say in terms of personal development.” “Before I left, I was thinking about what to do next. I felt lost and disillusioned with events in Melbourne. Going away for six months gave me a fresher feeling.” A big question was: Why cook at all? “I wanted to understand why I do what I do. Do you cook to get a Michelin star or to get three hats? Do you cook because you love cooking? It turns out I really love cooking and being in the kitchen.”
Pebble’s freewheeling Asian fusion menu is inspired by the duo’s travels: think of it as cheerful, nimble, fine dining. Tuna ceviche, Vietnamese style, is tied together by adding papaya and Vietnamese mint “leche de tigre” pressed on top of the fish. The mushroom rendang bun has its roots in Malaysia, where Tay-Yap was born, but is served with herbal oil containing native Geraldton beeswax. Hong Kong is the inspiration for mochi-covered mango sorbet studded with peaches and apricots.
Family is at the heart of Pebble: Pham balances working as a sonographer with restaurateur duties; Tay-Yap’s mother, Sim Tay, will appear frequently; the decor is a transposition of Pham and Tay-Yap’s living room.
“All our artwork, framed photos, plants and crockery are here,” she says. “Our house is barren; it looks as if we’ve been robbed.” The idea is to create a welcoming feeling as well as a culinary experience. “As a chef, I do the best I can with food, but I want to take the ego out of it. I’ve realized that at least 50 percent of what keeps people coming back, especially to a neighborhood family restaurant like this, is the atmosphere and friendliness.”
Tuesday-Thursday 17:00-late; Friday-Sunday noon-late
225-229 Victoria Street, West Melbourne, pebbledining.com
