A recent addition to Acland Street (in its first couple of years), St Moritz has proved it is here to stay. The other restaurants down historical Acland can get quite rowdy (always in a good way), but St Moritz has a chilled-out vibe which still brings the crowds in. Here you’ll find contemporary Australian cuisine at your fingertips.
Boasting an extensive wine selection and an explorative menu, you’ll be delivered the classics but with a twist. There’s nothing simple about their large plates. I ordered the Lamb Shank Pie; they have taken something universally British and given it a twist. The plate arrives with a lamb shank coming out of the pie. The meat falls delicately off the shank and into the pie. The pastry is soft but finished with the right amount of crisp. Accompanying the lamb shank pie, you’ll have thick cut chips. It makes my mouth water thinking of this dish.
The large plates are hard to choose between because of the many options. Another favourite of mine is the Seafood Linguine ($26), which comes with clams, mussels, calamari and I’m sure there was an octopus in there somewhere. Considering I’m very new to seafood in general, this one ticked all the boxes, even if I did leave a fair bit behind. On that note, my food never goes to waste because if it’s not going in my box for lunch the next day, then there are always 2 or 6 friends to eat my leftovers – the joys of having backpackers as friends.
St Moritz has a selection of small and large plates. There’s always a deal with the small plates as you can choose them to share. I love small plates everywhere I go because they allow you to have a taster of a big range of dishes with interesting ingredients. I have tried every option on their small plate menu. My favourite is the Chicken Wings ($1 a wing) and the Handcut Chips with an accompaniment of aioli ($14). I’m a simple girl sometimes but that’s not to say I didn’t give it all a try.
Before I left Australia I finally allowed myself the Kangaroo Carpaccio ($17.50). Thinly sliced and salty to taste with crackers and a side of relish. Get cracking. Another amazing selection is the form of their pizza options. Rectangular and delicious in taste. Give the Ol’Bay Spiced Prawn ($22) and the BBQ Pulled Pork ($22) a try next time you’re craving something thin-based.
Throughout the week you’ll find different deals on different days which are well-worth the amount you save. I love a Thursday Chicken Parma ($18) with peppercorn sauce. An iconic Australian take on an old Italian dish, cooked to perfection. I can never finish my portion, which is great as it guarantees a delicious lunch for the next day.
Inside there are two sections. One feels very much like a bar, where you can make your way through their generous wine menu. The other side you’ll find sit-down booths, perfect for group bookings of 3 or 5. In summer and winter the outside area is always full of people dining throughout the day with outdoor heating and sometimes generous offerings of mulled wine. In summer enjoy their cocktails, beers and ciders in balmy days and nights with the screeching of wild Australian birds in the palm trees as a background symphony.
* The menu is subject to change depending on seasons.
* Images taken from St Moritz’s Instagram account.
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