Persimmon - NGV - Melbourne - review

Name: Persimmon at the National Gallery of Victoria

Address: Ground Level, NGV
180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
8620 2434

Food: ModOz
Average price: Entrée - $14-16, Main - $23-35, Dessert - $14-16.

Complimentary: One brioche and one sourdough roll with butter. Warm and lovely.

We ordered:
Entree: Compression of rabbit and smoked ham hock, orange, soused carrots, medjool dates - $17

Mr.M liked this.

Salad of heirloom tomatoes, garlic croutes, buffalo mozzarella, basil - $15

Classic flavours. The only thing that detracted slightly was the basil which was ice cold, and I am not particularly partial to icy temperatures. But otherwise a nice dish.

Main: Broccoli risotto, pine nuts, truffle, goats curd, grana padana - $26

Perfectly cooked risotto. The flavours went well and I especially liked the addition of the crunchy pinenuts and cool goats curd.

John Dory, crab fritters, shredded lettuce, crushed peas, sauce vierge - $28

Mr.M thoroughly enjoyed the crab fritters.

Dessert: Strawberries and cream - $14

This is what I imagine a care bear would taste like, should you ever eat one; it's rainbows and ribbons and everything delightful. The gorgeous vanilla fluffiness of the cream was the perfect pillow for the macerated strawberries and candyfloss meringues. I truly enjoyed eating this dish. The only component that didn't float my boat was the dehydrated capsicum which I found was too peppery for the delicate, sweet dessert.

Peanut butter parfait, bananas, bitter chocolate - $14

Mr.M just can't help himself when he spies an old favourite, and this dessert is truly one of his favourites. This time around the previously singular present has been split into two fork-friendly parcels with that gorgeous chocolate sorbet in the centre. Lovely as always.

Cost: $114 for two entrees, two mains and two desserts.


Service: Perfect. Food comes out at a great pace, waiters are knowledgeable and our water always filled.

Atmosphere: Lively but very relaxed. The interior is a mixture of black, red and white with a modern minimal feel. There are textures of plastic, steel and leather with one slate wall surrounded by panoramic windows that allowed us to view landscaped Grollo Equiset gardens. There are leather and fabric booths with red leather chairs, or small black veneer tables with Perspex chairs. The window seats are lovely as the booth seating is very comfy and the view of the gardens is really calming. It can get a little noisy when full but the tables are well spaced so you never feel cramped or listened in on. The dark interior helps to frame the gorgeous outside surroundings.

Parking: Ample. Street parking is generally limited as car spots are generally taken - they are metered except for Sundays - although a tram runs along St Kilda rd, and Flinders station is not far down the road. There are side streets you might get lucky with. There is also underground gallery parking which is $12 for non-members.

Website:http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/visit/places-to-eat/persimmon

Hours: Daily 11am to 4pm (except Tuesdays).

Would I return: Yes - we can always rely on Persimmon to deliver on flavour, presentation and service.

Mr.M: Persimmon food is art on a plate. One of the hidden treasures of the CBD. We go there every time we pass through the city for lunch. I just wish they were open for dinner so that more reviewers could take notice and we could visit more often. After lunch you can take a lovely stroll through the adjoining gardens. I will be back soon!