Stoke Bar and Kitchen

The first time I heard of Stokehouse, was when the St Kilda restaurant of 25 years lived up to its name and was engulfed by flames in January 2014. There was an outpouring of love for the venue that had me intrigued. In a city of so many restaurants, it seemed that one was something special

When Stokehouse reopened in the CBD there was quite a lot of excitement in the foodie community and a number of print reviews extolling the quality of the food. All this love pushed Stokehouse way up there on my list of ‘Places to Eat’ and after this visit to their new venue downstairs the urgency is even more present. 

A few weeks ago the downstairs area of Stokehouse CBD was transformed into a classy little hangout – Stoke Bar and Kitchen. The offering is substantial and affordable bar food with a tidy little wine list and some fantastic cocktails. I was invited to a launch event showcasing the new menu, so be prepared for some #foodporn 

On arrival we had a mini version of their signature cocktail – a beautifully balanced and perfectly refreshing drink featuring chilli, cucumber, tequila and lime.

And some munchies:

Beef tartare, tomato, dehydrated egg yolk and rye 

A lovely balance of flavours with a light crispy texture from the dehydrated egg yolk

Salt cod and speck croquettes, romesco sauce (3 for $12)

The flavours were pretty subtle, and could have done with a bit more punch but deep fried mash is never a bad thing

A mini version of the Stoke burger (the full version is $18 with fries)

Now, as a food blogger I’ve had my fair share of sliders. Often they are a little dry and underwhelming but this one was fantastic with creamy béchamel sauce and a melt-in-your-mouth patty. 

Brussel sprouts, cotechino sausage and smoked almonds ($9)

Lovely charred sprouts, with smoky flavours from the sausage

Roast caulliflower, cheddar, panko crumbs ($12)

Such a simple dish but done so well. Healthy comfort food

Roasted Beetroot Risotto with horseradish, walnut and sorrel

A lovely, fresh and quite light version of a risotto. Visually stunning too.

Smashed pav with coconut ice cream and mandarin

i ate three of these. I would have eaten more but I was a bit full from my multiple serves of cauliflower. I’m looking forward to coming back for a giant serve of it.

All this feasting was wrapped up with a sample of their night-starting espresso martini

There is a significant wine list by the glass (17 wines!!) with everything except the Champagne from Australia and quite a few of them local. We sipped on the 2014 Pizzini Prosecco at this event which was lovely and zesty, exactly what you want after a day at work.

This is a great little spot with really tasty food, great booze, friendly staff and an elegant, cosy vibe. A great new addition to the CBD.

Disclosure: I dined as a guest of Stoke Bar and Kitchen. All opinions and ideas remain my own.