PROFILED BY DEGROOTS MEDIAIf you are one of the many who love to dine on Hutt Street, turn the corner onto Flinders and step into Decant. Within the spanking new Clarion Hotel Soho, where the designer accommodation is inspired by London’s namesake hip district, is this funky restaurant. Since its recent opening, the brassiere-style restaurant has attracted corporates, casuals and city slickers alike; essentially anyone with an eye for taste. The imported Italian marble bar shimmers during the evening with its LED backlighting, and Missoni linen covers a feature wall with gelati flavoured colours.
The menu is in keeping with the dining room; a high quality product condensed into a small space. Char-grilled quail with caponata salad, baby celery and red wine vinegar makes for a tidy start. Roast Berkshire pig stands out in the mains as does the scotch fillet served with Parisian gnocchi, walnuts, baby spinach and balsamic. There’s a delicious crispy-skinned duck breast with watermelon, shredded crepes and tatsoi, and fish fiends will enjoy the red snapper with crushed peas, curry oil and potato crisps. Decant’s fizz list offers Billiecart Salmon Brut Rose for two $100 notes. Pop a bottle with the two egg omelette with goat’s curd and grilled asparagus for an extra special breakfast. And on a sweeter note, summon the Soho spice cream plate. Chilli, ginger and saffron make plain vanilla ice-cream look, well vanilla.
Roz Taylor