We recently dined at The Smith - Prahran with our dear friends, Trish and Luke. After all the recent hype and recommendations, we had to check it out!
VENUE & COMMENTS: The recent renovations look amazing! The new design is relaxed, funky and perfect for any occasion. The impressive open kitchen brings new meaning to 'dinner and a show'! There's an energetic buzz and great vibe around the venue, yet, I still felt we had our privacy as a group. The tables were spacious and comfortable, and a good distance from the people next to us.
SERVICE & PRICE: From the booking to the table service, we were reasonably happy. The wait staff were attentive, and they knew the menu. I did feel our waitress was a little pushy initially, trying to add-on their 'mouthfuls', in addition to our entrée, main and dessert orders. To make matters worse, an item that she up-sold us on was not even available! After the order was placed, I was happy with the time intervals between courses and the attentive but relaxed service.
It's not a cheap night out, but the prices are realistic for the portion sizes and food quality. Their entrée dishes ("Tastes") are all under $20, and all mains are under $50. It's definitely not a night to skimp on a good wine and desert.
THE FOOD: The menu is definitely suited for those who love seafood and an Aussie-Asian fusion. I ordered the Steamed Atlantic Scallops (see photo above) for my entrée, and for my main, the Chargrilled Sliced Lamb. The scallops were amazing, great flavour and perfectly cooked. As you can see they were served beautifully - vibrant and fresh. The portion sizes were fine, however, I would recommend a side with the mains.
Dessert is a MUST! One of the best deserts I've had in a long time. I had The Smith 'knickerbocker glory' with green apple sorbet - wow! The spectacularly layered trifle-esque concoction delivered every ounce of flavour that it promised.
FINAL COMMENTS: I will say, I was very disappointed with the 'sittings' offered: either 6.15pm, 8.30pm or 9.45pm on a Thurs/Fri and Sat night. We eventually booked for a Sunday night to avoid this inconvenience. Apart from this annoyance, I was very happy with our overall experience.The funky and lively atmosphere was definitely a plus, and one of the better vibes in a Melbourne restaurant. The quality, presentation and flavour was worth the price. Will I be racing back there for another meal? I could easily leave it a couple of months.
I definitely recommend you try The Smith, and I look forward to hearing about your experience.
I give it 7.5/10
SJM.
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