Sapore - St Kilda

Date: Thursday 9th June 2011

Restaurant: Sapore - St Kilda

Address: 3 - 5 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Phone: 03 9534 9666

Commentary: Sarah Andrew

Sapore is open daily for lunch and dinner and is position perfect at the bay end of Fitzroy Street, with an enviable view of the sea and a tram stop less than a minute away. The restaurant has ample seating outdoors for those balmy summer nights, a main dining room with bar downstairs, upstairs dining and a delightful long private room, perfect for events whether they be business focussed or private. If you give me long enough I am sure I could think of an event that would utilise all areas of the business and Restaurant Manager / Sommelier David Wickwar would be only too willing to assist with the planning required for such an event!

Sapore means taste / flavour and this certainly set the tone for my recent visit with a good friend. The menu has a strong Italian influence, and presents with classic approachability, options - but not too many choices, which can often become a chore for a diner, especially one that is hungry and keen to commence eating without delay (as I was on this night)!

The first half an hour at the restaurant now seems a blur; coats were taken, menus provided, specials revealed (projected onto the wall for those who fail to take in all the options), decisions made and a delightful glass of Neudorf 'Nelson' Chardonnay 2008, Nelson, NZ, delivered to the table. A delightful evening unfolded with precise but friendly service, knowledgeable suggestions from David regarding the wine selection and superb food.

I do remember looking at the wine list, which has an emphasis on Italy, with sound support from selections around the world including smaller Australian and New Zealand producers (naturally we supply one or two of these wines, so you will have to visit to find out which have made it onto this measured wine list). Our selection of wine for the evening came from recommendations and I was not disappointed.

We decided to share something from the ‘To Start’ selection, opting for the Saporetti, consisting of small shared tastes, showcasing local produce which consisted of Beef Carpaccio (with a caper & cornichon dressing, garlic croutons and watercress), Smoked trout & ricotta fritti and Confit lamb crochetti with smoked caponata. Each mouthful was fresh and flavoursome, activating the gastric juices for the next mouthful.

This was followed with house made Gnocchi with braised rabbit, truffle butter and Parmesan with a glass of 2005 Podere Castorani Montefalco, Cocchino 'DOC' - Sangiovese/Sagrantino, Umbria, Italy. Both the food and wine were well received; portions, temperature and pairing were spot on. Again cutlery and glassware came and went but I did not really notice when and how, which is exactly how it should be.

For our mains I opted for the following with accompanying wine:

  • Duck ‘tre modi’ with baby spinach, butternut pumpkin and a sultana-Masala sauce
  • 2006 Ca' dei Mandorli Barbera, 'La Bellalda' DOC Piedmont, Italy

My companion selected:

  • Hopkins River scotch fillet with celeriac remoulade, fries and red wine sauce
  • 2008 Glaymond Grenache, 'El Abuelo' Barossa Valley, SA

We both agreed that the food was superb on presentation and flavour. We were more than content when we completed our mains so opted for a traditional Italian Digestivi, ‘Amaro Nonino’. This comes from Fruili in the north east of Italy and is made from premium grappa, aged in oak with alpine herbs and spices. I must say this was a delightful way to end the evening and a very welcome recommendation from David.

If you have not been to this venue then you are missing out. We saw it by night but I have been there during the day when the restaurant is filled with natural light, in which the cosy ambience takes on another dimension. I would strongly recommend booking in summer and towards the back end of the week to avoid disappointment. If you are looking for a venue for a function there are many options available. My only dilemma is to work out what sort of wine and food function I want to book there as I will be making the most of the private dining room later in the year……watch this space!