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Grossi Florentino

A chorus of buonaseras greets guests as they ascend the stairs to Grossi Florentino’s dining rooms, where Melbourne’s great and good have feasted beneath the murals and chandeliers for decades. It would be easy to dismiss Guy Grossi’s cooking as comfort food for cashed-up captains of industry if not for the flashes of inspiration that enliven his classic Italian menu. A cloche over pine needle-smoked quail releases scented smoke to whet the appetite for the beautifully tender, fragrant meat. Lamb loin comes Roman-style, doused in pan juices, with golden, crusted potatoes. On a good day, service unfolds like a fine-tuned symphony as diners are cosseted with Christofle cutlery, gleaming silverware and reams of fine linen. Such distinguished dining warrants a splendid finish and the Valrhona chocolate soufflé with malt ice-cream and chocolate sauce rises to the occasion.