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MELBOURNE | Saint Barry Surrey Hills is a venue that aims to bring the kind of dining usually associated with Melbourne’s trendy inner city suburbs to a part of town less associated with it. The natural sunlight bathed Adele Bates interior is modern, striking a nice balance between sleek and homely through the use of wood, metal and exposed brick. Back to the name though – who is Saint Barry? Owners Peter and Rebecca Sprekos got the name from the Irish Saint Finbarr (Barry), who was known, amongst other things, as the patron saint of immigrants (Peter himself immigrated to Australia at the age of 16).
Owning a fish & chip shop in Lilydale means that the Sprekos’ have developed a seafood focused Greek/Modern Australian menu, which is currently evolving with input from head chef Spyros Vrakas (ex Press Club, Hellenic Republic). There’s a distinct focus on fresh, local produce, with the back page of the menu proudly stating the provenance of the produce used in the kitchen. It’s simple food that’s designed to please, with a focused range of small and large plates, along with burgers and salads.
We loved the haloumi chips with sriracha salt and aoli – a basic medley of chewy and crunchy, salty and spicy that worked fantastically. We also really enjoyed the perfectly cooked calamari, but felt that the octopus could have done with a bit less char. The burgers on the menu offered interesting twists over what’s usually found in Melbourne, eschewing the “American” favourites for something a bit different. We were drawn to the cheeseburger, which uses double cheese, one of which is a Merino gold cheese that’s been melted and turned into a sauce. The bun was on the sweet side and the proportion of ingredients were a bit off but the high quality of the ingredients was evident, as it was with everything else on the menu.
Coffee uses St Ali beans, and the sleek, modern espresso machine is something you won’t be able to take your eyes off – it’s currently 1 of only 6 in Australia. There’s a focused range of craft beer and cider on tap from breweries in Moorabbin, Beechworth and the Ottways and a nice wine selection too.
We spoke to Peter and he told us that the plan is for some more sophisticated dishes that show off Vrakas’ skills to appear on the menu over the coming months, along with a continued drive to support producers who practice sustainable principles, with a focus on ethical animal treatment and fishing practices. Baked goods are currently brought in from an outside supplier, but these too will soon be made on site.
It’s clear to tell that Saint Barry is in a transitional period and that some of the dishes are still being experimented with and tweaked. All of the elements are in place for something special and we’re looking forward to returning once all of the changes have been made.
Saint Barry
595 Whitehorse Road
Surrey Hills
Victoria 3127
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9836 0411
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.saintbarry.com.au/
Open
Wed – Sun: 11:00am to 9:00pm