The Botanical - An Iconic Restaurant Melbourne Australia Has To Offer

By Sia Nasios

It was a quiet Saturday night along the streets of Melbourne when my sister and I went to The Botanical, an iconic restaurant in South Yarra. The occasion was her birthday so this was a special treat. It is difficult taking her out to a restaurant as she is an incredibly fussy eater and a vegetarian.

Luckily for me she was willing to give the only vegetarian dish on the menu a go, it was the Pea & Ricotta Gnudi with Spring Herbs, Snow Pea Tendrils & Flowering Zucchini. Being a lover of seafood I ordered the Scallops with Truffles and White Asparagus.

A side order of mashed potatoes was ordered just in case.

I love trying different types of wines and have a love of any sweet red. I asked our waiter for his opinion and he recommended the 2004 Pepper Tree Reserve Merlot, Wrattonbully. It sounded wonderful so I said yes. It was very light and sweet. I was happy. A plate of oil with a squirt of vinegar was perfect with the lovely bread we were given. I love vinegar so it was another plus.

Our waiter then asked us if we would like some water. Thinking we were just going to have our glasses filled, we were surprised to find a bottle of Italian water on our table at a cost of $12. eam. The burst of green colour was brilliant. The cake was sublime and it was such a fantastic fYipes.

The Botanical is long in dimension and light and airy. The high ceiling is painted white and the floor is a light honey coloured timber.

We sat near the kitchen where you can clearly see the chefs cooking up a feast. I loved the glass cabinet which stretched half the length of the restaurant on the opposite side of the kitchen that was elegantly filled with wine.

We were having a wonderful conversation as we waited and waited and waited for our meal to arrive. I noticed that the people on either side of us who were seated after us were enjoying their meals before us. We waited almost one hour.

The Botanical Restaurant - Melbourne The manager came over to apologize for our wait and said our dinner was complimentary. I thought and rightly so as I am writing a review on this restaurant tonight which he didn't know about and I really didn't want to write anything derogatory. This is one of the reasons why I thoroughly enjoy eating out at fine restaurants. The manners of the staff are impeccable. It is always a strong reason for me to return.

The food can be great but if the staff are rude and uppity I won't be back I don't care how iconic the restaurant or how brilliant the chef is. I was extremely happy and surprised to find my sister loved her meal. It was a bit fancier than she is used to but she thoroughly enjoyed it. The mashed potatoes were just like mamma makes.

I though I might give them a miss as I hate to be disappointed but I was very impressed. It might be a side dish which most restaurants don't care about putting the quality into it but the love was there and it truly impressed me.

My scallops were juicy and delicious. I have never had truffles before but I loved the smokey flavour they had. The white asparagus was tender and cooked to perfection.

Once the meal was finished we were full to the brim but I never say no to dessert. Especially this dessert. It was 24crt gold leaf Valrhona chocolate nemesis with warm brandied cherries & pistachio sauce. I love trying different types of wines and looking down the list I came across the Normandin Mercier Vieille Fine Champagne 15 Years. It was listed under the cognacs.

Now I am not a wine connoisseur but it looked impressive to me so I ordered it. I like to think that I am worldly but this brought me down ten notches. It was pure alcohol and it was incredibly strong. I had two sips and put it to the side. The Nemesis came on a large square platter. Our neighbours ooh'd and ahh'd at it but were not game to try it.

In one corner was a small saucepan still warm with cherries cooked in brandy. In the other corner was a bowl of hazelnut ice cream. The other corner had s small jug of smooth pistachio sauce. Finally in the last corner was the chocolate nemesis. A square piece or rich yet light chocolate cake with a square piece of 24 carat gold leaf draped across the centre.

I loved the warm cherries in the pan. It is such a delightful touch. I loved the ice cream. It had a lovely crunch to it. Was it honeycomb pieces or was it hazelnut bits on top?

I loved pouring the light green smooth, creamy pistachio sauce over the ice creeling to eat 24 carat gold leaf. I felt like Marie Antoinette with her head still on. It was overly indulgent. It was divine. It was sublime. I say let them eat cake!

This is The Botanical.

My name is Sia and my website is called Melbourne in Luxury It has the facts on the best Melbourne Australia has to offer including information on the best restaurants that are available in this beautiful city.