The Star Hotel — Gastrology

The historic, corner-facing venue at 160 Clarendon St, South Melbourne recently re-launched in October as a modern Australian pub, dining and entertainment destination.

With interior accents of lux bronze and copper fittings and exposed pipes, indoor floor-to-ceiling palms, suspended booths and a vertical garden, The Star Hotel showcases a unique rustic, industrial design style.

Yellow fin tuna ceviche on soba noodle salad

Head Chef Danny Callen (previously of St Kilda's The Post) brings with him a fresh and contemporary take on Australian pub food to develop enticing lunch, dinner and late supper menus of hassle-free and moreish grazing plates and meals

Ancient Grain salad with pomegranate fresh herbs

Goats cheese stuffed tempura fried zucchini flowers on micro herb salad

Our favourite starter, the tempura zucchini flowers stuffed with goats cheese and served atop micro herb salad were excellent. The batter encasing the zucchini flowers was ethereally light and crisp while the stuffing was rich and flavoursome. The dish was a delight to eat.

Crispy skin Barramundi with flavours of spring salad

Seared on the outside and wonderfully moist on the inside, the barramundi was lovely. The salad was a wonderfully fresh accompaniment.

Eskimo pie - M&Ms cookies with vanilla ice cream

A duo of desserts concluded our evening on a sweet note.

Dark chocolate fondant, cherry compote, caramel ice cream, hazelnut tuille

The dark chocolate fondant was well made with a rich chocolate centre and a slightly crisp cake exterior, this dessert would delight any chocolate lover.