Hobart restaurants: The Belvedere is a glamorous spot to dine while on a city mini-break
The notes of Moonlight Serenade may have faded but the glamour and style of Hobart’s one-time favourite dance hall are still alive and well at this inner-city hotel’s restaurant, writes Alix Davis
Food and Wine
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It was the 1940s. The war was over, the boys were back in town and the music of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Count Basie was all anyone wanted to dance to. And if you wanted to dance, the Belvedere Ballroom on Argyle St was where it was at. The notes of Moonlight Serenade have long since faded but the glamour and style of Hobart’s favourite dance hall are still alive at the Vibe Hotel’s Belvedere restaurant.
Here, a screen of shimmering chains is laser etched with an enormous photograph from the time – beautifully coiffured women in furs share a drink with men in naval uniform – and the promise of a night on the dancefloor is just out of sight. Sadly I am neither perfectly coiffured nor wearing a fur the evening we dine at the Belvedere but I can certainly appreciate those who were.
The hotel lobby is a flurry of activity when we arrive – full of locals enjoying a happy hour drink at the bar, guests relaxing with a coffee in front of the open fire and hotel staff assisting with check-ins, directions and general bonhomie. We have an early start in the morning so have elected to stay overnight and head up to our room to freshen up before dinner.
Large format photography of a beach near Bruny Island’s Adventure Bay decorates the hallways of the hotel – all of it taken by the owners and hinting at their very local loyalties.
All the rooms are stylishly appointed, including O&M organic toiletries and our one-bedroom suite even has a fireplace. Along with a stunning view over the waterfront. I’d be happy to curl up by the fire and gaze at the Derwent all night, but growling tummies send us downstairs for dinner.
Oyster lovers pay attention! Belvedere, in conjunction with the Tasmanian Oyster Company, has an oyster happy hour from 4-6pm on Fridays and Saturdays where you can enjoy freshly shucked local oysters for just $2. We’re not here for those briny beauties, but there are plenty of other local delights on the menu – all served with a little European flair thanks to Slovakian chef Matej Bajak.
We begin with a shared plate of Cape Grim beef croquettes ($22) and are rewarded with a plate of four crisp croquettes of tender, shredded beef and oozing cheese atop a smokey, harissa-scented salsa-style sauce. It’s a tasty and satisfying starter and no one has to fight over that awkward third piece.
My husband has been thinking about a steak all day and opts for a classic steak frites of Cape Grim Porterhouse served with shoestring fries ($50). The 300g steak is well marbled and cooked to medium as requested, while the fries are crisp and fluffy in all the right places. There’s a little jus for pouring over and a generous side dish of mustard.
Bajak says he’s careful about offering Italian dishes on the menu, given all the outstanding
Italian restaurants Hobart is currently home to, but I can’t resist the housemade cavatelli ($30) – saffron-infused nubbins of semolina pasta that have a slightly gnocchi-like quality. The pasta is served with chunks of salmon and prawns in a creamy sauce that’s also flecked with crisp-tender pieces of asparagus. A fresh cos lettuce salad ($12) comes with a punchy parmesan dressing and a bowl of bright seasonal greens ($12) is topped with a flavourful mushroom XO. Everything is wonderfully fresh and the portions are generous.
The wine list is well-priced and predominantly Tasmanian, with a few Old World entries to round it out.
Though the fire and couch in our room beckons, so does the rhubarb and custard pie ($20) on the dessert menu. Rosy rhubarb fills a wonderfully short pie shell and a puddle of crème anglaise is quickly commandeered by my custard-loving husband (please refer to last week’s column) while I take on the ruby-hued berry compote. It’s a sweet finish to a great meal, as is the knowledge that a kingsize bed and fireplace with a view waits for us upstairs and our mid-city minibreak is complete.
BELVEDERE
Vibe Hotel
36 Argyle St, Hobart
Opening hours: 7 days 6.30am-10.30am, 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-9pm
On the menu:
Cape Grim beef croquettes, $22; Cape Grim porterhouse, $50; saffron cavatelli, $30; rhubarb & custard pie, $20
Just wrapped with this cosy new cafe
With its cheerful vibes, mellow soundtrack and a menu that comfortably covers brekkie, brunch and lunch, this is an ideal venue for either a solo meal or a get-together with friends
Little laneway eatery is a delight
Devonport’s Pam’s Bottles & Cups is a terrific little wine bar whose focus is more about “food with booze” rather than “booze with food”, writes Alix Davis