Smith St Bistrot

We had been counting down the days to attend our booking at Smith St Bistrot for the NYE dinner. Sitting at one of the adorable booth seats, we enjoyed the stunning meal and boutique drinks. Our waitress even catered to a couple of our dietary needs, which was a blessing. The service was impeccable, atmosphere was on point and my partner and I are already planning on another visit. Happy New Year team, see you in 2025!

Great service, great food, great atmosphere. Warm and eclectic feel to the restaurant with very welcoming staff. Our server, Liv, was very knowledgeable on all of the dishes, the restaurant, it's history and all of the restaurants in the Scott Picket group. All of the dishes tried were amazing. One of the best steaks I have ever had in the Rostbiff dish. We both ordered Souffles for dessert, however following a souffle catastrophe in the kitchen, they brought us the most amazing creme caramel, whilst they remade the souffles. All in all, a fabulous night. Would highly recommend.

My wife and I discovered Smith St Bistro a while back, initially stopping by after dinner for cocktails. What really caught our attention was their take on the French Martini, sparking curiosity about their food. After visiting several French restaurants around Melbourne, this one stands out as our top choice. We have a points system when rating restaurants where we start at 5 stars and deduct points if we don't like something. Harsh, maybe, but it works. For dinner, we chose the Degustation Du Chef, starting with caviar on a deviled egg paired with champagne—a promising beginning. Though I'm not a fan of caviar (I gave the caviar to my wife), the deviled egg itself was flavorful, and the champagne pairing added a pleasant layer. -No points deducted. The next course was chicken liver parfait, and this dish alone was a revelation. Its umami and saltiness balanced by sweet onion jam created a rich, indulgent experience. I savored each bit. Definitely one of those tastes you think you could never tire of, but the richness might eventually weigh on you if you tried to eat too much. -No points deducted. Following was the Gouger Au Comté (I think). Unsure of what this actually was, I only knew it had cheese... and I love cheese! It was crunchy and soft at same time, and tasted like the crispy, savory bits of cheese you find on a lasagne corner or a toasted cheese sandwich without any charred bitterness. It was a perfect "cheese lover's" delight. -No points deducted. Perfect run so far. Next up was the entrée, Asperge Vert, Noix De Jambon, Sauce Hollandaise. I'm usually indifferent to asparagus, but this was a pleasant surprise. Individually, each element was nice, but together—wow. The asparagus’s “green” freshness, the prosciutto’s (it looked and tasted like prosciutto, so I'm just going to call it that) depth, and the Hollandaise blended into a perfectly balanced bite. -No points deducted! The first half of the main course was the Filet De Barramundi. Not being a big seafood fan (especially the "fishy" taste), I was hesitant. But the barramundi's skin was crispy, with a satisfying crunch, and I found myself enjoying it despite the fish roe in the broth, which I just ate around. Surprisingly, this dish might've shifted my view on seafood! -No points deducted. (I won't deduct points due to my preference against fish roe) The highlight, though, was the Steak Au Poivre. In our experience, this is where French restaurants slip up, but here, they shone. It came with fries (slightly over salted) and a refreshing salad with lettuce, thin radish slices, and a dressing that tasted similar to Ceasar dressing - both good but not overly notable. The real focus was the beef: tender, rare-to-medium-rare, paired with a peppery jus and ground mushroom. Each element was strong alone, but combined, the flavors elevated each other. This "simple" dish showed remarkable depth. -No points deducted! Huge win! Finally, for dessert, the Crème Caramel was a nostalgic finish. My nonna used to make this for our family, so it brought back warm memories. Sweet but not overly so, the caramel flavor was beautifully rounded. Many crème caramels are too sugary or lack flavor, but this was perfectly balanced. -Zero points deducted. Service, from the moment we stepping in the door to the moment we left, was exemplary. Our server, Jerome, was cheerful, knowledgeable, and attentive, enhancing the entire experience. -Not a single point deducted. Smith St Bistro has jumped to the top of my Melbourne favorites, with each course carefully crafted and memorable. If I had one wish, it would be for Escargot on the menu. While it doesn’t detract from the experience, it would be a great addition in the future. Highly recommend! We will be back! It’s a must-visit! (I didn't take any photos of the food because, well, I was too busy enjoying eating it)

We had a fabulous lunch at Smith St Bistrot today. Amazing food and outstanding service. For extra we had the scallops and the pork croquette. For mains we had the Duck breast with red cabbage and the confit lamb. It was all excellent, especially the lamb. We finished with 3 French cheeses and the raspberry soufflé. The wine list was extensive and we enjoyed Pinot Gris with the meal and 2 glasses of Pinot noir with desert. We had an excellent view of the kitchen and watched the head chef Scott and his team working like clock work. A wonderful experience which we are keen to repeat next time we are in Melbourne.