The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

The European

The European's menu is a roll-call of classics.
The European's menu is a roll-call of classics.Eddie Jim

Good Food hat15/20

European$$

The European deserves a spot high on every local’s list of must-visit Melbourne institutions for out-of-towners, but time has not stood still here. The dark, woody room continues to draw a powerful and prestigious clientele, the menu is a roll-call of classics with a fresh nod to modern palates. Steak tartare is plated prettily with charred onion, caperberries and an oozing golden yolk; a seafood soup is at first a display of its components – flathead, prawns, pipis, scallops, a saffron aioli – then a deeply flavoured bisque poured tableside for flourish. Even the use of blueberries in a seasonally adaptive bombe Alaska is a lively touch. A slab of snowy-fleshed steamed barramundi with crab-stuffed zucchini flowers continues the theme. There’s excellent fresh pasta too, maybe the sweet rabbit agnolotti with tarragon, asparagus and fresh ricotta, and a menu section dedicated to nose-to-tail eating, from the beast’s marrow to chateaubriand. Service is fast-paced, knowledgeable and with easy smiles; it’s a highlight. The European is on song. 

And … Siglo, one of the city’s best cocktail bars, is on the roof.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Back streets of Paris.
Best bit The bistro classics.
Worst bit Not all tables are created equal.

Continue this series

Hush hour: 20 of Melbourne’s best restaurants for quiet conversation (and great food)
Up next
Tomato and olives at Ides.

Ides

Ides the pop-up becomes Ides the Smith Street restaurant.

Twice-cooked chicken wings

Sezar

Middle Eastern cuisine meets eastern Europe and the funky food culture of Melbourne at this laneway eatery.

Previous
The brioche dessert with a puck of frozen marshmallow that hides kumquat marmalade and Davidson plum.

Review: Jam and bread is magicked into an angelic dessert at Amaru

Clinton McIver's calm, Armadale fine diner is a study in intention sparked successfully into action, reviews Dani Valent.

See all stories

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement