Exquisite Dining On Top of the World – Strato Melbourne

Unique dining experiences usually have three things in common – great food, excellent service, and a second-to-none atmosphere or location. Nothing could be more true than this for Strato Bar & Restaurant on Melbourne’s South Bank.

Perched on the 40th floor high above the Oakwood Premier tower, the first property in Australia under the brand which houses some 392 luxury apartments and guest rooms, Strato stands in a league of its own. As soon as we walked through the illuminated entrance to the lifts our anticipation rose and we were not to be disappointed. 

Within minutes we emerged on the top floor after the smoothest of lift-rides, and stepped into the stylish bar with stunning uninterrupted views over the city. The clearly spectacular outdoor seating was closed due to the chilly Melbourne winter, which we didn’t mind because we loved the warm & sophisticated interior of dimmed lighting, chic architectural design features, and a stunning bar dotted with high tables by the ceiling-to-floor windows, affording the lit-up city below to fall away like a carpet of lights. 

We were led to our table through velvet drapes which sectioned off different rooms of the restaurant, creating unique areas of quiet & intimacy. It was magical to be seated overlooking Crown Casino under nightfall with countless glistening lights reflecting on the Yarra River curving its way through the city toward Flinders Street Station. Simply gorgeous!

A short walk to the restroom discovered that Strato restaurant occupies the entire floor allowing guests 360-degree views. I was gobsmacked to walk through a partition that opened to another bar with views over South Melbourne and the Bay area of St Kilda out toward the towering ‘Giraffes’ of Melbourne Port in the distance.

Sam Dawson was our waiter for the night. A calm and confident hospitality professional with a passion to match, he had recently settled in Melbourne, fresh from NZ. Sam made us feel comfortable and introduced us to the sensational menu which was difficult to navigate, simply because we could not decide and were tempted by everything offered, if only we had more than one night…

Sam advised us well on our starting cocktails, for the lady a ‘Moondance’ concoction of French vodka and white Creme de Cacao liquor with smoked passionfruit which was fruity, creamy, and gentle on the pallet. It went down like juice but offered that warming kick that only a smooth cocktail will grant.

I tried the Sakura of Gin, Sakura blossom, Lychee, Jasmine Verde, and Raspberry tonic on the rocks, which despite its innocent clear appearance brought a bouquet of flavours to my tongue. It was easy to drink, floral and not heavy, yet subdued me into life-reflecting relaxation as I took in the endless views over the city of lights far below.

The stunning views were partly at fault that it took us as long to order as it did, plus, there were so many delicious choices from Blackmans Bay Oysters with red wine mignonette, Poached Prawns with dashi brioche, and tobiko; from Oscietra Caviar to Mount Zero garlic and rosemary Olives, and Burrata & tomato medley with fresh basil.

With Sam’s assistance, we settled on the Egg Custard on toasted Brioche with Truffel and micro herbs; Cured Kingfish with avocado mousse quinoa crisp and herbs, and the Tuna Tataki seared shichimi with miso glaze and puffed grains to ease into the culinary journey. They were tantalising, delicate, and moreish…  definitely worth coming back for on their own.

Then we soaked up the flavours of the salmon with miso glaze, and Shiso, accompanied by Shimeji and Shitake mushrooms, which we peacefully fought over – it was that good! My tender Duck breast served with cauliflower and coconut puree and blackberry jus, melted in my mouth, was subtly pink to allow her full flavours to spread. The charred asparagus with pickled cucumber smoked almonds and creamy nori sauce, and the grilled broccolini with goat curd and tomato oil made for the ideal companions to our mains.

The rich flavour and deep tones of the 2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphorium gave our meals a nice backdrop to orchestrate their flavours into a symphony of culinary delights. Satiable, exquisite, and deeply nurturing.

We were left speechless, despite being an internationally published writer, words failed me. We sat in awe of the flavours that lingered, night-dreaming as we gazed out over the city below. And, then found us at a crossroads of whether we should or shouldn’t do dessert. And, of course, we did.

We couldn’t decide again, so a helping of the Coconut Panna Cotta served with passion fruit, toasted coconut, and fresh kiwi fruit, which was delightful, fruity, and not too sweet, making it a gentle finishing course. The other irresistible sweet was the Valrhona Chocolate Mousse, served in a thin chocolate flan and topped with matcha meringue and toasted almonds. It was rich, sweet, seductive, and – simply to live for! 

The combination of flavours and timeless ambiance made our meandering journey through Strato’s dinner menu unforgettable and left us in a state of bliss only an exceptional dining experience can do.

While the venue is ideal for sunset drinks in the clouds to intimate dinners, lavish lunches and private parties and functions, and small corporate events in the next-level up private bar and meeting room, the Strato Bar & Restaurant is definitely one of those places you have to experience more than once to really appreciate. It is definitely more-ish.

Too many cocktail options to manage in one sitting, ample menu choices to indulge in, and with 360 views of the city, you simply have to come back to get the full gamut of this exceptional bar and eatery high above the roofs of the Victorian capital. 

Open from Wednesday to Sunday, they also host locals’ cocktail sessions, happy-hour sunset drinks, a clever bar menu, and ample exotic beverages to lose time over into the late night…

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Strato Melbourne – www.stratomelbourne.com.au 

Our Rating: Six out of Five Forks!!!
(we seldomly give a rating of 5 Forks, let alone 6! Yes, it was that exceptional)