A quick glass of wine is a perfectly good plan. At Bar Adri, the kitchen might convince you to reconsider.
Now open at 109 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, the wine bar comes from chef Mattia Aloisio, whose experience includes The Grand Hotel in Richmond, Osteria Ilaria and neighbourhood favourite Lasagna Lab. Here, he’s returning to creative à la carte cooking, with Italian, French and Spanish influences meeting Australian produce.
Joining him for the kitchen’s launch is Tommy Barreault, formerly head chef at Tipo 00 for six years. The pair met while working next door to each other at Osteria Ilaria and Tipo, making this something of a reunion over the pans.
The opening menu gives you plenty of reasons to stay. Potato croquettes bring together roasted taleggio, brown butter and saltbush, while charred Skull Island prawns come with Tasmanian mountain pepper sugo and burnt chilli. Sydney rock oysters can arrive natural, dressed with cucumber and salmon roe, or baked with leek fondue and champagne zabaione.
Larger plates may include cordon bleu with potato terrine and veal jus, or gnocchi with zucchini, pistachio and ricotta salata. Focaccia, croquettes, gnocchi and pastry are made in house, with all seafood sourced from Australian waters.
Mattia’s wife, Adriana Aloisio, leads the dining room and has designed a wine list spanning Italian, French and Australian producers, with 14 rotating pours by the glass. Her approach is refreshingly direct: “There’s no need to spend a fortune to enjoy something special.”
Soft lighting, rich walnut timber and reflective finishes set the scene inside, with covered footpath seating for those who prefer to watch Fitzroy Street go by.
Start with a glass and the croquettes. Keep your dinner plans flexible.
Bar Adri
109 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Wednesday to Friday, 5pm until late
Saturday and Sunday, noon until late
Visit Bar Adri
Image supplied. Photography: Kit Edwards.