LOCATIONSt. Kilda.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTSOn a corner at the very base of St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street sits One Fitzroy Street, a contemporary restaurant renowned for its panoramic views and creatively different dishes. Upstairs is the minimalist dining room with its relaxed atmosphere, where a seat on the balcony will treat you to views of Port Phillip Bay and the surrounding St Kilda Gardens.
Executive chef George Calombaris’s goal is clear: to achieve a dining experience that does not go unnoticed. Under his direction, chef Simon Turner has created a menu that’s not only enjoyable to read, but tasty too. Start with the prawns and garlic (delicately poached prawns with garlic aioli) or the egg and salmon (Arzak poached egg, baby cos, babaganoush and smoked salmon). Follow with a main of duck and coffee (slow cooked duck spiced with tea, beetroot ravioli and coffee vinaigrette) or the lamb and fetta (a strudel of lamb with spinach, fetta and thyme jus). Finish with the chocolate royale (with house-made marshmallow, chocolate fondant and strawberry jelly) or the aptly named nuts and sugar (a pistachio creme brulee). The fair sized wine list offers a good selection of Australian, New Zealand and French varieties, with many available by the glass.
Veda Wickens, October 2006