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Restaurateur and Chef Lance Rosen welcomes you to his award winning restaurant. Offering contemporary Australian cuisine with some South African highlights.
Rusk is located at 764 Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield South between Hawthorn Road and Cedar Street.
Saturday/Sunday Breakfast & Lunch from 9.30am
Tuesday to Saturday Dinner from 5.30pm
Take away available (pick up only)
Lance Rosen, a noted chef, restaurateur and resident of South Caulfield who's inspiration for an iconic restaurant serving global contemporary food in his local area is now a reality.
The food philosophy at Rusk is to use the best quality ingredients in dishes from around the world respecting the heritage from where they originate. The food is fresh, not overworked and cooked with care.
The restaurant won the BDAV award for the best hospitality renovation in 2006 and was made over by BY Architects in late 2007. Rusk has a contemporary feel, with an emphasis on warmth and comfort.
Rusk is fully air conditioned and heated and features original artwork by renowned artist Ceci and up and coming South African artists. The restaurant can accommodate up to 100 guests. The main restaurant seats 60 and the private function room seats 40.
After being immersed in the South African food culture, a melting pot of many global influences often described as East meets West, North meets South, Lance immigrated to Australia.
Here he completed an Advanced Certificate of Business in Hospitality Studies at William Angliss, whilst waiting tables at various Melbourne restaurants. Loving cooking, he then completed a Certificate in Commercial Cookery.
His first significant appointment as a chef was at Mietta's - then Melbourne's premier fine-dining French restaurant. Here he learned the most important lessons, season and taste. Then came a stint in Melbourne's top 4 and 5 star hotels, working under renowned chefs, such as Gary Mehigan. In 2000 Lance secured his first Executive Chef position at the Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens.
In 2002, Lance accepted the role of Head Chef to Stephanie Alexander at Richmond Hill Café and Larder. Stephanie reinforced in Lance the importance of using quality produce and maintaining respect for the heritage of the food. He developed a passion for cooking Asian food from Tony Tan. Then consolidated this working closely with Meera Freeman on the opening of Ping, learning her secrets on Thai, Vietnamese and Moroccan cooking.
Lance now brings to his first restaurant, Rusk, his wealth of experience and true love of food from all cultures.
BILTONG & WORS, a selection of traditional South African air dried coriander spiced beef strips and beef sausage
Grilled TURKISH BREAD with lemon hummos, CEVAPCICI and pinenuts
Maple roast PUMPKIN SALAD with crisp sage and pumpkin seed, mustard fruits, amaretti biscuit and sticky balsamic glaze
Pan fried Masala spiced BLUE EYE fillet, seared tomato, sauté spinach, curry oil and date chutney
Skewered lamb SOSATIES in a sweet and sour curry dressing with coconut rice, Masala peanuts and atchar pickles
STEAK selection - Our steaks are all dry aged, rubbed with our tarragon pepper herbs and cooked on our charcoal grill
Valronah soft-centred chocolate SOUFFLÉ with pistachio ice cream
Cheese and raisin BLINTZES with sour cherry sauce and cinnamon
Halva ice cream SUNDAE with Turkish delight, pistachio, rose syrup and fairy floss
Restaurant (ground floor): Seated 60, cocktail 100
Function room (1st floor): Seated 40, cocktail 80
The function room has it's own toilets, wireless microphone and music. In addition, the ground floor restaurant has disabled access and baby change facilities.
We offer choice menus from $34pp for 2 courses and $39pp for 3 courses.
Please contact us to receive a copy of our current menus. All our menus can be customised to your specific needs.
Our house package includes red and white wine, heavy and light beer and soft drinks from $15pp.
By appointment only
The cost of $100 per person, includes a demonstration style lesson by passionate chef, Lance Rosen in his specially designed kitchen. In addition, you get to taste all of the wonderful dishes created that evening, together with a glass of wine. All students receive a copy of the recipes made that evening to take home.
Customised classes for 10 people are designed to your requirements. They are ideal for people with an interest in food wanting to expand their repertoire. Suitable for everyone, from beginners to advanced, classes are held on Sunday nights and Mondays.
To book your cooking class or discuss class options, please call Lance on (03) 9523 7410.
Rusk has been on the lips of many a resident south of Dandenong Road for quite some time. Friends of mine who live in that area appreciated having 'something good on this side of town'. . . Rusk offers contemporary Australian cuisine with some South African highlights.
"The food is always well presented and the steaks are outstanding - fillet, sirloin and rump, all grass-fed and dry-aged, rubbed with a herby salt and char-grilled. All delicious, tender, well-flavoured. The cost includes a side dish and a sauce - the sauce may be unnecessary, but the sides are excellent. Order extra so you can have creamed spinach, salad and delicious chips."
"... this suburban restaurant/bar in Melbourne's east has been luring locals with its tempting Cape Malay cuisine and balmy decor ... the compact front bar section is ideal for cosy drinks or nibbling traditional South African delights ..."
"Rusk blends its influences brilliantly. My mate, meanwhile chose sosaties, a South African speciality of marinated lamb chunks skewered with apricots and bay leaves and grilled. Superb. Now, Lance Rosen is an accomplished, diligent chef. In Rusk - named after a South African biscuit for grown ups rather than a thing babies gnaw - he has created a top restaurant in an area in urgent need of such a place."
"The food at Rusk is a genuine reflection of Lance's colourful background and culinary experience, exhibiting "fusion" themes at their best"
"With his choc ice cream, the proof is in the pudding. This is a gorgeous balance of bitter, sweet and cream; the steak is beautifully marbled and its perfectly caramelised crust gives way to a tender, juicy, beefy interior. Rusk has raised the bar in this part of the world. The food is honest, often delicious and reasonably priced."
"Pan fried mas
ala spiced blue eye ($26) amounted to a chunk of fish cooked deftly just beyond rawness. Three disks of lightly cooked tomato topped it, and a big smear of a fine "seared tomato" and date chutney escorted the lot. A limited but representative wine list is very well priced, and 10 whites and 11 reds are available by the glass."
Check back soon for recipes from the Rusk kitchen which you can enjoy at home.