It is well documented that Melbourne has inconsistent weather. Just when you think it might be a bit of exaggeration and urban myth, you’ll be reaching for an umbrella in sunshine, or will be carrying one aimlessly for hours wondering why you bothered. Like other cities with fickle weather, as soon as one of those spectacular days come along, there is a stampede to take full advantage, as if there will never be another nice day. It is panic!
Then you sit and talk about how great the weather is. For hours. And no one questions it, because they are all thinking the same thing. Today is one of those days. We should be sitting at home, eating a home cooked meal, but this could be the last chance we ever get to eat outside in complete comfort.
Fried zucchini flowers
On days like these, there actually aren’t a crazy number of options. If bars and restaurants relied on Melbourne having spectacular weather they would be broke faster than a pub with no beer. Functional outdoor spaces here need to have heating, blankets, parasols, wind breakers, or shades, and that is not cheap. As we ran through a list of options that ticked the box for quality food, and drinks, with evening sun, we didn’t exactly have 50 places in mind.
Grilled prawn skewers
Naked In The Sky was the eventual pick. A beautiful view of the city, tapas style eats, and a renowned bar were the reasons. Luckily there was a steady flow of comers and goers and we grabbed a table pretty quickly on this random weeknight. It was basically full though.
The menu is littered with great options to share, even with just two people partaking. Catherine and I chose the zucchini flowers, croquettes, prawns and sliders.
The food is honest and tasty, with generous serves being the norm. There are fluctuations in the flavour intensity, and execution, but on the whole this is a pleasant place to eat. The standout tonight for me were the fried zucchini flowers filled with pea and mascarpone. They are beautifully fried, and the filling is an intelligent combination. The prawns were nice and juicy too; the croquettes on the other hand lacking the depth of flavour that is part and parcel of this delicious fried snack. The sliders were the weakest of the four.
To wash down the various dishes we both had a glass of white. Mine was a Verdejo with good versatility and balanced fruit, and Catherine had a Margaret River Chardonnay. The selection is extensive, and there is the right balance between focus on providing a place for a drink, and a place to offer sustenance.
Croquettes
The next time there is a spectacular day in Melbourne I wouldn’t blame anyone for dropping everything in a panicked state, and heading straight for Naked In The Sky. There’s a good chance we’ll see you there!
Steak is complicated. People love it; people think it is easy to cook, and often believe they do it better than most restaurants. I’m not sure if that’s true, but it is true that many people believe it.
Culturally we think we have steak down pat. Chuck it on the barbie, flip it once, and Bob’s your uncle. But really, it is just like chicken, in that it is often well over cooked, as opposed to well cooked. It is supposed to be easy, but I think that is more perception than reality.
The reality is we are familiar with steak and it is forgiving to the majority of us who are not overly fussy. We quite happily pay $15 at the pub, knowing that the product being served is less than ideal. But funnily enough, we are used to average steak. We are used to buying it, cooking it, eating it, and serving it.
How many times have you said “it wasn’t the best steak I’ve ever had, but it’s fine”. This is why there is such disparity in the quality and price of this dish across restaurants in Australia. The Station Hotel in Footscray has been towards the top of the steak game for many years. Tonight I’m paying around $35 for porterhouse steak with confidence.
My steak is simply presented and perfectly medium rare as I ordered. You cannot expect and you certainly don’t get the same for $15 at most pubs, on a consistent basis. The bearnaise sauce, another sign of technical excellence, not often in the repertoire of your average home cook, is easily my favourite accompaniment for any steak.
Is it value? Not every single time. But experiences like this make me wonder why I don’t get to places like The Station Hotel more often.
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It is well documented that Melbourne has inconsistent weather. Just when you think it might be a bit of exaggeration and urban myth, you’ll be reaching for an umbrella in sunshine, or will be carrying one aimlessly for hours wondering why you bothered. Like other cities with fickle weather, as soon as one of those spectacular days come along, there is a stampede to take full advantage, as if there will never be another nice day. It is panic!
Then you sit and talk about how great the weather is. For hours. And no one questions it, because they are all thinking the same thing. Today is one of those days. We should be sitting at home, eating a home cooked meal, but this could be the last chance we ever get to eat outside in complete comfort.
