Spring and Summer

Opening their doors on the first day of spring, Spring and Summer is the newest pan-Asian restaurant to hit the heart of St Kilda. Hosting an eclectic mix of Thai, Japanese and Korean cuisines, the name, Spring and Summer, represents a ‘good feeling all year round’ and is sure to become a key player in St Kilda’s developing restaurant precinct. 

Head chef Golf (aka Wok Master) is a veteran in Melbourne’s dining scene having most recently worked under The Lucas Group (Chin Chin, Kong BBQ and Hawker Hall) for the last three years. Golf has gained extensive experience perfecting a mix of Thai, Korean, Japanese, Singaporean and Malaysian flavours and felt it was the right time to go out on his own to pursue his dream of running his own kitchen.

Sous chef Eryk Lawes joined Golf in his new venture having met while they both worked at Kong BBQ. He most recently came from Percy’s Aeroplane in Kew, a popular haunt for locals.

Well known for perfecting his ‘balance of flavours’, Golf has created a fun and punchy menu that brings together the freshest taste of Asian cuisine. The menu changes seasonally and is designed to combine a selection of 3- 4 dishes to create the perfect balance in flavours, a key component of Asian cuisine.

To start, we adored the king fish sashimi. The thick slices of very fresh king fish were served with heady green nam-jim and coconut cream. The dish was notable for the quality of the fish and the interplay between the tartness and spiciness of the nam-jim and the richness of the coconut cream. It was a simple but well executed dish.

The larger plates demonstrated strong Thai influences. We loved the interesting selection which was a departure from the mundane items usually found. The Deep Fried Barramundi with sweet and sour nam-jim, green nam-jim, mixed greens and herbs was an absolutely beautiful dish to share. The Wagyu Beef Pad Ee Sew on the other hand was a warm hearty dish paired with a side of Poached Spinach with black sesame sauce. We loved its wonderfully intense flavours which were brought out by skilful wok stir-frying.  The king prawn, mushroom and glass noodle clay pot was yet another winner.  

To finish the pandan coconut ice cream, sweet potato chips, yellow bean concluded our evening on a sweet note. 

Keeping with the ‘good feeling all year round’ theme, the cocktails are sophisticated with ingredients that invoke those warm summer feels. The Full Moon Party with Spiced Rum, 1800 Coconut Tequila, pineapple juice and coconut cream is the house version of a Pina Colada while the Miss Nippon with Hendricks Gin, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, matcha and lime juice uses Matcha in the best possible way. Craft beers and a tight selection of curated wines are also available.

Designed by Golf himself, the intimate venue is modern and inviting, and is certainly worth a visit.  

Location: 192 Barkly Street, St Kilda
Phone: 03 9044 2684
Link: http://www.springandsummer.com.au/