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Grill Americano

Glitzy room for Patrick Bateman cosplay.

Inside the midnight blue dining room.
1 / 9Inside the midnight blue dining room.Supplied
Rib-eye.
2 / 9Rib-eye.Supplied
Elegance is ubiquitous.
3 / 9Elegance is ubiquitous. Supplied
Peach semifreddo.
4 / 9Peach semifreddo.Peter Dillon
Sit up at the bar for a steak sandwich.
5 / 9Sit up at the bar for a steak sandwich.Luis Enrique Ascui
Dishes from the chef’s choice menu.
6 / 9Dishes from the chef’s choice menu.Amy Hemmings
The Americano cocktail.
7 / 9The Americano cocktail.Supplied
Bistecca alla fiorentina.
8 / 9Bistecca alla fiorentina.Supplied
Grilled calamari on olive tapenade.
9 / 9Grilled calamari on olive tapenade.Adrian Lander

14.5/20

Italian$$$$

What’s going on behind those pleated linen curtains on Flinders Lane? A few nights out on the company dime no doubt, hand-in-hand with debauchery, dates, and dinners on dad’s credit card. Tying it together are twin themes of extravagance and midnight blue, from the scallop-edged velour booths to the brutalist bathroom sink.

Saffron-charged rock lobster tagliolini is tossed tableside then turned out onto individual plates, and big-ticket steaks come pleasantly charred, free of sides but occasionally teamed with foie gras. A giardiniera martini is brash and invigorating, like drinking pickle brine straight from the jar in the fridge.

Well-dressed waitstaff threaten to outnumber diners and – once flagged down – run a first-class charm offensive, whether translating the top-tier wine list or scooping a TikTok-famous tiramisu out of a large dish. Not here to capture content? Tackle the towering vanilla meringue cake instead.

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Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/vic-good-food-guide/grill-americano-20240220-p5f6fh.html