Fitzroy Street

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Cafe Di Stasio – St Kilda – 8 November 2017 – Dinner

Classic should never be interpreted as boring, though in our fast-paced world, it sometimes has a double meaning. Done well, the classics, and classic places, reveal some of our favourite experiences.

It is certainly not that I forgot about Cafe Di Stasio. It appears year after year on the list of restaurants I want to go back to. Unfortunately it is a very long list, such is the quality we enjoy in Melbourne.

The cliches come thick and fast for touristy St Kilda. It’s one of those places that I’ve always enjoyed, but rarely get to. There isn’t the edginess that Fitzroy has, or the dynamic nature of the city. Perhaps it feels too much like the places I grew up in – beachy, safe and friendly like Perth.

Somehow, in the busiest part of Fitzroy Street, as you walk through the doors of Di Stasio you are transported thousands of miles to an Italian oasis. Yes, there is a St Kilda vibe of calm, but there instead of laid back beach charm, there is the sophisticated charm that only profession and experience can create. If it sounds like I am bubbling with praise for this institution, I am!

Capisante Gratinate – scallops baked in their shell with bread crumbs, parmesan and parsley

I’ve been here with groups, and by myself, but tonight it is with Catherine to celebrate the anniversary of our first date. Several years later we really combine well for dinner, knowing each other’s dining habits intimately. By virtue of that understanding, it doesn’t take long for us to agree to share a starter, pasta, main, and dessert. This isn’t for everyone, but too many times people miss the balance between trying several courses and dishes, and feeling uncomfortable at the end of the meal.

The first dish we select is the scallops baked in their shell, with a simple parmesan crumb. Done well this can be an outstanding dish while on the other hand it can be a good way to ruin a great scallop. Here, it has been done thousands of times and the result is delicious. After a great start we next choose the fresh pasta of the day with a mushroom sauce.

Freshly made spaghetti with mushrooms and sage

Draped with sage, this is the ultimate of mushroom sauces over a spaghetti that doesn’t get much finer when made fresh, though I wouldn’t have described it as angel hair like the kitchen had. The depth of flavour, without going overboard on seasoning, is exceptional from the first bite to the last. Sharing is not an issue to presentation either; the chefs happy to plate separately without being asked.

Agnello alla Romana – lamb slow cooked with white wine, anchovies, rosemary and garlic bruschetta

Our love of pasta means our main was never going to top our previous course, but the slow cooked lamb is beautiful anyway. With a generous grilled garlic brushetta to mop up the white wine, anchovy and rosemary sauce, this was a perfect expression of rustic fine dining. Halving the serve (again being plated separately) meant our final tastes were not stretching our stomachs and there was plenty of room for dessert.

Torta di Vaniglia – White chocolate and mascarpone tart

Throughout our meal I enjoyed some well selected wines by the glass, which is expected given Di Stasio has a bar that is as frequented as much as the restaurant. Service had been excellent too. The only exceptions were later in the meal trying to get a red wine before my main arrived, and organising the bill. These are only minor, and had a bit to do with our awkward table position, but still probably shouldn’t happen.

There are some nice sounding desserts, and while none jumped right out at me, Catherine had her eye on the white chocolate and mascarpone tart. Simple, not “deconstructed”, and full of flavour, I was glad to have tried the tart. It’s a beautiful dessert, and while rich, it is an excellent way to finish a superb meal.

Café Di Stasio Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Fitzrovia – St Kilda – Monday 26 December 2016 – Lunch

img_6405We are fickle. It is like going out to bat in cricket. You make a long walk out to the middle; get your bearings by taking centre; and if you don’t perform you make that long walk back to the pavilion, sometimes never to return to the middle. It might be a stretch but that is a metaphor for a café’s first performance.

There are a range of customers that allow café owners to make a profit. The base, or annuity if you like, is the regulars. The cream is the others. Those who come once but recommend to others (who themselves will hopefully visit more than once), and those who are patrons, but just less regular.

The regulars are easier. If the café walks out to the middle, bats a bit too far out of their crease, and makes a wild shot only to be caught out, they’ll still get selected to return and give it another crack. Some of the less regular patrons might even do the same. But what about when there is an off day, or an off section of the café, and a potential multiple visitor comes in?

We visited Fitzrovia for the first time on Boxing Day. It took us some time standing at the entrance to be greeted by the ticket seller. When we eventually sat in the stand we noticed others had better views of the wicket. Fitzrovia went out to bat and seemed to defend its wicket in a reasonable manner.

It was like we were watching a different game though. The flashiness we’d heard of in the reviews was missing. There were no wild shots being made, but eventually the tired forward defensive shot led to an edge, and Fitzrovia was caught in the slips, making a walk back to the pavilion that was no more memorable than any of the other batsmen I’ve seen in the tail. The performance left a lot to be desired and it’s unlikely they’ll be chosen to bat again. Maybe they can carry the drinks?

This might seem harsh. The toastie was great; a generous serving with cheese oozing out like you love, and plenty of meat. The thing is there are hundreds of great cafes that can serve the same quality of food. The coffee was good, without any frills or any flavour note that piqued my interest. The point is that there are too many cafes in Melbourne that are killing it, to go back to one that should not be open on Boxing Day.

The holiday period is important. There are less options meaning there is more of a need to experiment with new places, or travel for the privilege of a decent meal. That means there are more first timers coming through the doors. In other words, if you are going to stay open, performance potentially matters more over the Christmas holiday period than any other time during the year.

Contrast that with staff who would probably rather be doing anything other than working, on the day after Christmas (which can be a very tiring day). The question is whether I should be apologising for going for a post-beach feed on Boxing Day? I have decided I don’t. It is incumbent on the café to provide as close to the same performance each time a customer steps in.

Today we waited for a long time to be seated which is fine normally, but several staff saw us and didn’t approach or even gesture. We actually thought it must be full and we would have to wait for the manager to put our names down but it wasn’t. There were several tables upstairs completely empty. Then we were seated by the one person who seemed to care, but it was not her section so no menus came until we asked for them. In fact, it felt like the section was not part of any of the floorstaff’s portfolio, so it was again up to the one staff member to come and take our food order. We left to pay before the plates had been cleared.

Looking at the reviews (that attracted us to going to Fitzrovia in the first place) this is not the usual experience. Unfortunately it was ours and there is unlikely to be a reason to go back again. Fitzrovia has been retired from our Starting XI after one uncharacteristic performance.

Fitzrovia Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato