My Rating: 4.5
I never thought to find an Italian steakhouse in a hotel. What a hidden gem! Delicious food, excellent customer service and centrally located restaurant.
🔆LOCATION🔆
Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse is situated on the first floor of Novotel/Ibis Hotel on Little Lonsdale Street, between Elizabeth and Queen Street. It is only a short 6 minutes’ walk from Melbourne Central.
For a restaurant hotel, we were quite impressed with the spacious dining area. There are 3 separate area’s including the main section which has the large open kitchen, walled section with another dining space and a curtain drawn for private large functions.
🔆SERVICE🔆
The customer service at Pretty Boy is impressive. Exactly what you will find at a fine dining restaurant which you wouldn’t even expect in a restaurant hotel. The only thing that I would really comment is staff speeding through the menu highlighting each section. Could have easily slowed down and introduce or highlight food items otherwise could have just left us to view and return to assist us with any questions.
Throughout the night, our waiter was very attentive, asking us how our meal was, if needed a top up on drinks, and general nice short conversation here and there which is very rare these days from waiters.
In my reservations I had indicated it was a birthday celebration, and the waiter had good attention to detail as post our meals, he advised us that management has offered us complimentary drinks in which my friend was very excited and ask if wine would be included as he was enjoying his red wine so much, the waiter smiled and said he will try his best and see if he could make it happened. He disappeared quickly and came back within minutes and advised with a happy smile that he has arranged that. As I don’t drink alcohol, he offered a special house mocktail which I readily accepted. Upon leaving the restaurant our waiter offered to help us take photos and even gave us a drink card each for Floyd’s Wine Bar which is on the second floor of Novotel Hotel.
🔆MENU/PRICE🔆
ENTREE:
Kingfish Crudo, tomato essence, black garlic mayonnaise, capers, olives, $17.00
San Danielle prosciutto, roasted fig, ricotta salata, vino cotto, mizuna, $17.00
MAIN:
Chef's Top Cut Kobe Scotch Fillet 350gram, $95.00
(Sauce options with steak includes: red wine, mushroom, green peppercorn, truffle butter, horseradish cream, Sicilian salsa)
Nonna’s Favourite Pasta, $33.00
(Gnocchi, black truffle, porcini, portobello ragu)
SALAD: Radicchio, green bean, cherry tomato, balsamic, $9.00
DESSERT: Summer Berry tart, ricotta, grappa, $17.00
🔆VERDICT🔆
The Kingfish Crudo was nicely presented and tasted delicious. The fish was well marinated and full of flavour.
The prosciutto however was a little disappointing, flavours was not balanced enough. The mizuna mustard leaves were not enough to lighten the heaviness of the roasted figs which were quite sweet.
Gnocchi was a small soft pillow of goodness, light and fluffy. It’s the first time I’d seen gnocchi in such small pieces which I think is brilliant, so much easier to consume and enjoy. The dish was well cooked and had just the right amount of black truffle to give it the flavour. The mushroom and sauce complemented well. I’d definitely return just to order the Gnocchi black truffle. Simply delicious! A standout dish.
The Kobe scotch fillet (350grams) yes was expensive, however with TheFork 50% promotion, it was a no brainer to indulge! We ordered it medium rare and it came out perfectly cooked and well seared. It was easy cutting along the marble grain of the meat. The meat was tender and very tasty. The shredded cabbage, parsley and parmesan salad that was on the plate with the scotch fillet was refreshing and complemented well with the meat. We had option to order a sauce for the scotch fillet and we opt for the truffle butter. But to be honest, sauce is not needed at all, as the meat itself was quite enjoyable alone.
Our salad of Radicchio, green beans and cherry tomato was quite a small serving which was disappointing. It was an OK salad, nothing to really mention.
I was already feeling quite full when my friend said that we should order dessert. Normally I would always jump at wanting to have dessert, but on this particular night I wasn’t sure if I could fit it in. The summer berry tart was very colourful and they kitchen staff had “Happy Birthday” written in chocolate which was a surprise for my friend. The berry sauce was a little too overpowering but still quite tasty. We requested without grappa (as I cant take alcohol) and they added a scoop of berry sorbet which was tasty and refreshing. Balanced well with the lightness of the tart.
Note: at time of posting this review, I had revisited Pretty Boy just for the black truffle Gnocchi! Same quality and consistency. Delicious! =)
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