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MELBOURNE | Spring and Summer opened without much fanfare in the second half of 2016, and since then has built a reputation amongst those in the know for serving up some of the most interesting Asian food in town. It had been on our list of places to visit for a while, and when we were recently invited, it spurred us into action and we finally visited. The St Kilda restaurant is run by chef Peevasut “Golf” Laovanich and his partner Jessica Suwanasilp – Golf runs the kitchen and Jessica front of house. It’s a small, narrow venue that seats 50, with a bar and small tables and stools at the front, and some bigger tables out the back towards the kitchen. Jessica designed the space herself, and the former Irish pub is now light and calm, with white walls, light wood, plants, and soft lighting.
Notions of fusion food, or the use of “Asian food” as a catch-all descriptor can ring alarm bells for those looking for an authentic dining experience, but those who visit Spring and Summer need not worry. Thai-born Golf spent three years working with The Lucas Group at Chin Chin, Kong BBQ and Hawker Hall, which allowed him to hone his skills and learn more about various Asian cuisines, the influences of which he fuses with the food of his own heritage. The result is a menu full of interesting sounding dishes that take bits and pieces from Thailand, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia.
To start, the BBQ corn with gochujang Korean chilli paste and smoked cheddar is a delicious combination of sweet, hot and smoky, while the kingfish sashimi sees delicate slices of fish covered in coconut cream and a spicy green nam jim sauce. Even the simple wok-tossed edamame with furikake hits all the right notes, with the wok char flavour combining beautifully with the salt and spice of the furikake.
Moving onto the more substantial dishes, the wagyu beef pad see ew, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, sees interestingly rolled rice noodles tossed with sweet and tender beef and vegetables. It pairs well with the spicy baby pork ribs marinated in hot sauce with a trio of pickles. Tempura soft shell crab is a simple, crispy delight and is served with a very fragrant coconut curry sauce. If you’re still hungry, the wok fried pipis with basil and chilli jam and very moreish and feature the same addictive wok char as the edamame.
Spice isn’t something that Golf shies away from, and whenever it is used in a dish its presence is clear, but always at a level that works in harmony with the other elements of the dish. In fact harmony is a good way to describe the food at Spring and Summer – despite the large number of influences, techniques, textures and ingredients going on across the menu, everything works harmoniously.
The dessert menu is small and rotates regularly, and as fans of milk tea we couldn’t go past the Thai tea purin and toasted baguette. The Thai tea purin has a pudding-like texture to it, and isn’t as sweet as Thai tea usually is. Placed atop the buttery, sugary mini baguette it creates a delicious treat that excites the taste buds with a combination of sweet, salty and fat.
The drinks menu features an assortment of cocktails which feature various nods to the ingredients of Asia. There’s the refreshing ‘Grandma’s Vacation’, which features Botanica gin, elderflower liqueur, basil, cucumber, and lime, or the ‘Spring & Summer Martini’ with lychee & coconut infused quinoa vodka, lychee liqueur, and dry vermouth just to name a few. There’s also a small selection of wine, sake, tap beer and Japanese craft beer.
Jessica and Golf are passionate about what they’re doing, and everything about the restaurant from the food and drinks, to the decor and genuine hospitality, is a reflection of themselves. We left the restaurant with full stomachs, and not a single criticism. No matter the season of the year, Spring and Summer will put a smile on your face.
Spring And Summer
192 Barkly Street
St Kilda
Victoria 3182
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9044 2684
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Tue – Sun: 5:30pm to 11:00pm