St Hotel or ‘the saint’ as some may know it, is a bit of an institution in St Kilda. It continues to be a place for people to eat tasty food and drink quality beverages. They recently launched a new European bar and bistro menu with chef Ben Isaacs running the kitchen. Quality produce cooked to perfection and a well-known institution reinvented.
It is a great rustic open space with high ceilings and good quality food and wine.
We started our canapés with a glass of NV Mojo Brut, which was light, sparkly and fruity. The smoked ocean trout rillettes were lovely on a thin rye crisp and topped with yarra valley caviar.
Crumbed oysters are always a crowd favourite and these were no different. They were delicious and served with a homemade tartare sauce & slices of lemon.
The parmesan gougeres with truffled gruyere sauce were like little choux pastry balls kind of like savoury profiteroles, filled with cheesey goodness.
Then for entrée we had wood roasted jamon wrapped buffalo mozzarella with bitter leaves like witlof. The bitter leaves balanced out the creaminess of the cheese and smokey richness of the jamon. This was paired with a glass of La La Land Pinot Gris, which was fresh, fruity, and crisp. Loved it.
For mains we had a platter of wood roasted chateaubriand served a la bourguignonne style. Quality cuts of meat cooked on St Hotel’s wood-fired ironbark BBQ. The thick cuts of beef were tender and cooked to perfection with a delicious sauce with pieces of mushroom, onion and pancetta. It went perfectly with a glass of red. We had the 2014 tar & roses shiraz.
Again, cooked on the wood fired ironbark BBQ of deliciousness, was the wild barramundi with wild mushrooms in a burnt butter and sage sauce. The fish was tasty and flaked apart beautifully and the grapes added pops of sweetness. This meal was paired with a lovely glass of 2014 In dreams chardonnay.
Sides for our mains. Roasted purple carrots, French fries and baked cauliflower mac n cheese. Yum!
And some greens of course. Roasted cavolo nero (Tuscan kale).
To finish of our wonderful meal we ended on an elderflower pannacotta w blueberries & lemon. By this time our bellies were super full, so a light refreshing dessert was a perfect finish to the meal. The pannacotta was light and creamy with a touch of fruity fragrance. It had tart fresh blueberries, candied lemon and pieces of meringue, it was a winner. Paired with a sweet fruity 2015 Borgo Moscato d’Asti.
St Hotel’s new menu brings a casual elegance into the venue. The hearty meals and quality produce create sophistication and warmth. The contemporary menu excites and the wines selection is fabulous. They also have some function spaces you can book out for larger groups.
I heart St Hotel!
Olives x
St Hotel
Address: 54 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182
Website: http://www.sthotel.com.au/
Phone: 03 9534 2944
Trading Hours: Tue-Thu: 3pm-12pm, Fri-Sun: 12pm-3am (closed Mondays)
