A Lick Of Paint & A Complete Concept Overhaul For Toddy Shop, Tropp Reckons

In a matter of months, Fitzroy’s Toddy Shop, as we know it, will be no more.

For two years, chef Mischa Tropp has been serving Keralan bites paired with flavourful, party-vibe cocktails at what he calls a South Indian Refreshment Bar, all accompanied by the sound of vinyl beats.

His journey began impulsively: “I didn’t know what Toddy Shop was until it opened. It’s one of those things. I woke up one day and I was like, I need to stop sitting on my arse. I need to do something, so I opened Toddy Shop.”

Image Credit: Toddy Shop | Supplied

He chose a challenging cuisine to master, noting that, “Kerala food is probably one of the hardest cuisines to do well. There are so many steps along the way, that minor changes in heat or process, change the end result.”

Top dishes include Eggplant Theeyal with roasted coconut and tamarind gravy, Beef Nadan Roast (beef neck with Kashmiri chilli, tomato and curry leaves) and Goat Ishtu (a green chilli goat stew).

After the compact 20-seater eatery just off Smith Street, Tropp followed up with Kolkata Cricket Club at Crown—a much bigger space fitting 150 people—that just unveiled a swish private dining room. This shift in focus has had an impact and brought on some soul searching.

Image Credit: Kolkata Cricket Club | Supplied

“Kolkata’s taken all of my time for the last twelve months. And I haven’t been at Toddy Shop much,” he says. “For me, one of the things I've learnt is that there needs to be more, that’s not about me. It needs to be about other chefs, other people who are really great at their job, so that I’m not doing everything.”

He’s now focused on evolution: “How do I create something that’s still me? The food is still me. But other people can embody it. Let’s evolve.”

Mischa shares there’s a chance Toddy Shop, his debut diner, will stay open into January. “I’m talking to everyone involved and figuring out what we’re gonna do. That’s the fun part. Being creative and making something new.”

Some ideas have surfaced but nothing's locked-in. Bringing together food, arts and culture is a possibility. Mischa says once he’s ready, Toddy Shop will close for a re-paint. “We’ll change how it feels and looks. New menu [still Indian]. New brand. And launch next year.”

As for Toddy Shop 2.0—Mischa’s already ruminating. “I’d love to something in the city. I’d make it even more Toddy Shop.”

While Toddy Shop evolves, get your fix of Tropp's cooking at Kolkata Cricket Club, featured in our round-up of Melbourne's best restaurants.

For more, check out our thoughts on Kolkata Cricket Club here. 

Main Image Credit: Toddy Shop | Supplied