Abbotsford’s new brew-pub Bodriggy Brewing Co. has opened up on Johnston Street and is fast becoming a hotspot for quality craft beers and delicious Latin American eats.

Head chef Johny Dominguez has created a menu to connect with stories and friends from home while embarking on a new life in Melbourne

‘As immigrants, we move somewhere else and bring a slice of home with us, but I think we need to embrace what we find here as well, using local produce and embracing Australia.’

‘One of my goals is to break those clichés about Latin American food. Every single dish on the menu is different and has its own profile.’

The menu is not without adventure. The signature Taco Bodo (fish taco) is sans batter, instead the fried Marlin is smoked and stuffed into a pickled jalapeno and served with cabbage and mayo – a fish recipe popular in Northern Mexico.

The whole grilled cauliflower (pictured above) with pickled onions, crispy cauliflower and chimichurri highlights the diversity of good quality Australian produce.

‘A lot of people are scared of offal but I’m trying to get people to try something try something new,’ says Johny. The anticuchos de corazón (beef heart skewers) is a delicious national Peruvian dish also featured on the menu.

Travel has been at the forefront of Johny’s food journey which began with being awarded a scholarship to study at the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monaco, before volunteering to work under Rene Redzepi at the two-Michelin Star restaurant, Noma, in Copenhagen.

Following his wife to Australia where she studied, Johny immersed himself in Australia’s innovative food scene, working at Vue de Monde for a year, followed by Dinner by Heston.

Now at the helm of the kitchen at Bodriggy Brewing Co., Johny is balancing on the edges of fine dining and classic Latin America cuisine while considering the Australian punter.

A side step from Johny’s previous fine dining journey, Bodriggy Brewing Co. brings another new experience to the table.