We are in our fourth city of our Australia trip and by St Kilda beach, Melbourne. After spending part of the morning catching some rays and swimming we headed to Donovans for lunch, which is a restaurant by the beach. It was busy, being the public holiday but we had booked a table. Our seats were by the window, which was a great place for people watching.
The restaurant is in a single storey building and has a very homely feel about it. All the tables are laid out neatly and they have bar and sitting areas. Service was good from the onset, with a friendly maitre'd to show us our table and explained parts of their extensive menu.
We ordered a starter and main course together, for both if us to share (the reason for this will be explained later). After ordering we were given some fresh bread with a fava bean purée dip, which was a very pleasant way to start the meal, with the dip being really tasty.
The cos leaf salad was simple yet very nice with parmesan slices and a fresh lemon dressing on top.
Duck was well cooked and pink, with the meat and fatty skin combining well. The confit was a cuboid shape of leg meat and hazelnut, which was tasty and crunchy. The sauce was really nice too, with shiitake mushrooms, spinach and farro grains combining well. Whilst sparse looking on the plate it was enough for us two.
Moving onto the dessert course, we ordered what we actually came for: Bombe Alaska. This is the most I have spent on a dessert, $48AUD. It looks like a pineapple and is chocolate and hazelnut ice cream on a biscuit base covered in meringue, which had been toasted to give it the 'bombed' look. It is massive and certainly enough for two as advertised and the reason we shared the starter and main. The meringue covering was more like marshmallow in its firmness. The ice cream was still firm as well and tasted fine but it was not like a premium brand. The base was good although a small part of the overall dessert. We both managed to finish the dessert, just.
The food in Donovans was really good and excellently presented, not only ours but dishes from neighbouring tables looked tempting. The waiters were helpful and knowledgable, without being patronising and the whole place is comfortable, warm and inviting. It is not cheap by any means but well worth a visit if you are ever in that area of Melbourne, especially to try the dessert we just had.
Scores
Food: 4/5
Presentation: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Total: 17/20
Bill: Approximately GBP£45 a head.
I ate: Roast Duck with 'brick of confit leg, spinach, shiitake and cherry sauce; Cos Leaves; Bombe Alaska (all shared).
I drank: A small stub bottle of Victoria Bitter lager.
I wore: Thongs, or flip flops in UK English.
The restaurant is in a single storey building and has a very homely feel about it. All the tables are laid out neatly and they have bar and sitting areas. Service was good from the onset, with a friendly maitre'd to show us our table and explained parts of their extensive menu.
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| Building Exterior |
 |
| Bread |
Duck was well cooked and pink, with the meat and fatty skin combining well. The confit was a cuboid shape of leg meat and hazelnut, which was tasty and crunchy. The sauce was really nice too, with shiitake mushrooms, spinach and farro grains combining well. Whilst sparse looking on the plate it was enough for us two.
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| Salad and Duck |
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| Bombe Alaska |
Scores
Food: 4/5
Presentation: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Total: 17/20
Bill: Approximately GBP£45 a head.
I ate: Roast Duck with 'brick of confit leg, spinach, shiitake and cherry sauce; Cos Leaves; Bombe Alaska (all shared).
I drank: A small stub bottle of Victoria Bitter lager.
I wore: Thongs, or flip flops in UK English.
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