Discover fluffy souffle near Puffing Billy at this local favourite in the hills

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The saffron-scented risotto ($35) is prawn-and-rice perfection, my glass of fiano is vibrant and crisp, and I can hear the car chase playing out in Cinema 1. That’s the multidimensional joy of being at Cognoscenti, a bistro next door to an independent cinema in hilly, outer-suburban Belgrave.

I love restaurants that look after their community – and there are so many signs of that here. A couple with young children comes in for “Golden Hour” half-price oysters and a quick spag bol ($12). Moviegoers pause on the pavement to read the sandwich board: this week’s Sunday roast is chicken with Yorkshire pud and sides ($35): “Ooh, doesn’t that sound good?” A table of triple-daters leans into the weekend with the assistance of barrel-aged negronis ($25). Friends sort out life once and for all over shared cold cuts ($24) and a slab of kohlrabi ($31), a vegan version of steak.

And me? I’ve driven an hour from the city to be here, which isn’t really the way genuine cognoscenti play Cognoscenti. Those in the know walk here and, many hours later, wend their way home. In between, they’re looked after by a team that works this 60-seat room with professionalism and enthusiasm.

Co-owners Adrien Gomes (he’ll welcome you) and Kevin Cerquiglini (he’ll cook for you) met when they were 14, attending the same hospitality high school in south-eastern France. Over there, aspiring young cooks and waiters study both disciplines before specialising. That overlapping training develops empathy between kitchen and floor teams, resulting in a dining experience that feels synergistic and smooth, which is definitely the case here.

Gomes and Cerquiglini moved to Australia together in 2012 and worked at St Kilda beachfront institution Donovans. There, Cerquiglini met his now-wife Emma D’Alessandro, who was head chef at the hatted stalwart for 16 years. In 2022, it was time to do their own thing and the trio took on this restaurant in a place that needed it.

“These first-time restaurateurs will be annoyed if I call Cognoscenti ‘Donovans in the hills’, but it’s not hard to draw parallels.”

Belgrave is a hinterland precinct, part of the suburban rail system but also the terminus for the steam-powered Puffing Billy. The heritage train winds its way through hills that are a drawcard for city escapees, both tree-changers and day-trippers.

These first-time restaurateurs will be annoyed if I call their baby “Donovans in the hills”, but it’s not hard to draw parallels between the restaurants’ classic, broadly Mediterranean approach: charcuterie, charcoal-fired meat and fish, a braise or two.

One thing that’s definitely different is the pricing. Lamb shoulder to share is $86 in Belgrave and $140 by the bay. Cognoscenti is necessarily cheaper than the foreshore favourite and offers some excellent eating and drinking at keen prices.

Is it a strategic error or stroke of genius to order two fluffy, cheesy dishes in one meal? Whether it was blunder or brilliance, I can easily confess to enjoying both the savoury goat’s cheese souffle ($25) and the baked Basque cheesecake ($16), both of which are signatures.

The souffle is twice-baked to a deep-golden colour and lists jauntily, almost lazily, in a pool of parmesan cream.

I’m hard to impress with a cheesecake, but this one is a paragon – air held together by cream cheese and smiles – which I somehow demolish even though I’m already stuffed.

Also good are the charred flatbread ($8) for swiping through ricotta and herb oil, and a tuna tostada ($22) that suits gluten-free diners and includes buttered leeks and pickled daikon, a smart counterpoint between the rich and the frisky.

Charred asparagus is the nominal hero of a vegan entree ($21), but the roasted and pickled mushroom medley is just as impressive, especially when swept through the accompanying tofu cream.

Beef rib ($44) is more affordable than steak and this version is arguably more delicious, with marbled fat beautifully rendered through tender meat and the exterior caramelised over charcoal. It’s served with parsnip puree and “greens” (chard on my visit), but the generic term on the menu means the chef can choose the day’s best and most reasonably priced veg.

A tiny, 10-square-metre kitchen restricts the menu – there’s not enough stove-top to make a range of pasta dishes, for example – but there are plans to renovate. Physical tweaks will allow for an expanded offering, bigger cuts of meat, maybe some linguine, more wine to boost an already-strong list, and a dining area set aside for groups.

I’m confident the Cognoscenti cognoscenti will find even more reasons to fall in love with their local after the changes, but this is already a very appealing restaurant, one worth building into a Puffing Billy day trip or a Dandenong Ranges weekend.

This review was originally published in Good Weekend magazine