Stokehouse City Bar has now closed and will be reopening December 2016 in St Kilda. See http://stokehouse.com.au/melbourne/ for more details
As Stokehouse rebuilds at its original St Kilda site, the restaurant has found itself at a temporary location on Alfred Place, right across from Prix Fixe.
For many, Stokehouse is considered a Melbourne institution and a long standing icon of St Kilda beach. With the transition from a beachside to a city location, its impossible to replicate the same dining experience and it is clear – particularly with the slight name variation – that Stokehouse City does not seek to achieve this. What the restaurant has brought across to its new establishment is the adaptation of a similar upstairs/downstairs dining model that was in place at its original restaurant and a wide menu selection.
The focus today will be the Stokehouse City Bar, which is situated at the ground floor of the building and offers a more casual, relaxed approach to dining with one menu that runs throughout the day. Upstairs is the main dining room, which is accessible via a beautiful grand staircase and evokes a more elegant atmosphere with 3 menus per day (breakfast aficionado’s should note that the restaurant opens early) and a special Sunday menu. That’s not to say that the bar section is limited though.
Whilst restaurant bars may often be associated with finger food and tapas, Stokehouse City Bar offers a full-fledged menu and a bright, spacious dining area suitable for both the after-work drinks crowd and larger groups. Yes, there are small sharing places, but you will also see a great selection of mains, pizzas, various side dishes and desserts too.
Highlights from the bar menu
Cocktail: Gin, lime, raspberry and ginger beer
The bar menu offers a great selection of cocktails and wines. The wine selection is also categorised by taste, which makes it easier to make a decision! The cocktail that I ordered was refreshing and punchy without being too sweet
Rosemary + almond crumbed lamb cutlet, parmesan aioli (one serve)
The lamb was evenly crumbed and well executed – the crust was crispy and the lamb retained just a tinge of pinkness. An excellent starter.
Mini Wagyu beef brisket rolls and chilli coleslaw (one serve comes with 2)
It’s hard to go pass mini burgers whenever its on the menu. The tender beef brisket and coleslaw work perfectly together however I think a little more chilli or spice would have elevated the dish to the next level.
Spanner crab linguine, tomato, chilli + lemon
This dish was a knockout of flavour, both rich and satisfying. The linguine was al dente and what I particularly liked was how the richness of the tomato did not overpower the spanner crab, which was cooked perfectly.
Ice cream sandwich — chocolate cookie, strawberry jam + peanut butter ice cream
Stokehouse City
7 Alfred Place
Melbourne VIC 3000
