LITTLE RAAJA, OCEAN GROVE

We spent a good part of the 1990’s and 2000’s designing some of the best-known restaurants and bars in Melbourne and beyond, but it’s great to be able to complete a job in our own patch with Little Raaja in Ocean Grove.

We tried to pack a lot into the intimate space, with a rich selection of materials and colours, and it would have been easy to fall into cliché and adopt a traditional style. Instead, we headed in a different design direction and came up with a palette inspired by the modernist architecture of India in the 1950’s and 60’s including raw concrete and plywood with bright copper highlights and a splash of vivid green and peacock blue.

We always love taking an off-the-shelf product and giving it an interesting twist, so came up with the idea of using a geometric pattern of stacked concrete masonry for the main barfront and feature wall. It gives a rich, fractal texture to the space while keeping things grounded and low-tech and adds a memorable touch to the dining experience.

It’s hard to pick a favourite, but we love the chicken biryani and the some of the best garlic naan this side of Hyderabad!

PHOTOGRAPHER Steph McGlenchy