Grossi Florentino, Melbourne

For Tim's birthday this year, his choice for dinner was a Melbourne institution, Grossi Florentino, which serves an Italian inspired menu.  We went to Grossi Florentino Upstairs, the swish fine dining section:

Service is done the old fashioned way - you are referred to as "sir" or "madam", as the case may be, and you are waited on very attentively.  There is a stool for your handbag, and crumbs are vacuumed off the white linen tablecloth between courses with what looks like a gold cigarette case.

The side plate at Grossi Florentino reflects parts of the 1933 murals painted on the walls of the restaurant:

Soon after being seated, we were served with a couple of amuse bouche - the first being salmon:

and the second, being almost too pretty to eat, clams: 

We were also served bread with a choice of butter, balsamic butter or oil (the balsamic butter was dreamy):

At Tim's option, we went a la carte - 3 courses for $140.

For entrée, Tim chose the risotto con gamberi (prawns, saffron, zucchini):

while I went for the mud crab (mandarin, radish, bunya nut, buckwheat) - primarily because I was curious what they did with the bunya nut - it is not a strong flavour so I didn't really notice it in the dish:

Again, it was such a pretty dish.

For main, Tim went with a special - slow cooked wagyu:

I went for the John Dory - kale, macadamia, saffron and celeriac:

The kale is the green swishes on the plate.  The little splodges on top of the fish are nduja, a spreadable salami.  This dish was very light and enjoyable - I was happy with my choice, and a light meal helps you to manage three courses.

Before dessert, we were served a palate cleanser in the form of coffee sorbet on milk foam:

For dessert, I couldn't go past the chocolate soufflé - I have never had a soufflé that I didn't make myself before, and I really enjoyed it, particularly with the lashings of chocolate sauce: 

Tim's dessert was the showpiece - the Sfera alla Fragole, a magical dome with fermented strawberries, meringue, yoghurt sorbet and marscapone:

With coffee, we were served another magical dome:

This one was filled with sweets:

What a terrific dinner!  We loved our Grossi Florentino experience.

Grossi Florentino

80 Bourke St

Melbourne VIC 3000

Ph: (03) 9662 1811