146 Flinders Street
Melbourne Vic 3001

Last week my ladies and I had a date with the Dutchess and what a fine lady she is. Located above the popular Duke of Wellington Hotel, she is beautiful and classy but not in the English high society sense, more in a suave New Yorker kind of way. With the lighting dimmer set low, just shy of being turned off, sit in a cosy semi-circle leather booth and enjoy the DJ playing popular tunes in the background. With a great view of both Russel and Flinders Streets, it oozes style and upper classes refinement making it the perfect spot for a special night out (hint hint gentlemen, your ladies will be very impressed with this place).

The menu is designed for the carnivores amongst us. Sher wagyu, angus, rib eye, eye fillet, scotch fillet, you name it, they got it. The best quality cuts of meat which are sure to satisfy the harshest of food critics. If you don’t feel like a steak, why not try something from their raw bar which includes everything from oysters to beef tartare to cured salmon and even tomato tartare for good measure. Like your food cooked? They got you covered with fried chicken wings, lamb ribs, bbq octopus and for something a little bit different, crayfish mac & cheese.

Between our party of four we enjoyed three beautifully cooked tender steaks, a wagyu beef burger and a variety of sides. There really isn’t anything more to say about the steaks other than they were of the high standard we expected and definitely didn’t disappoint. The burger was also good, although a little on the sloppy side. Served in what was best be described as a pool of hand cut truffle fries, the beef was a bit dry and drowning in melted cheese. I definitely wouldn’t say its the worst burger I’ve had, but it was nowhere near the best.

In terms of sides, they were all impressive. The chat potatoes with sour cream and chives were packed full of flavour. The potatoes were soft with a crispy shell and lathered in sour cream – give me more! The Waldorf salad was also deelish. Slithers of apple, caramelised walnuts, lots of leaves and a tasty dressing equals a salad everyone wants to be friends with.

I make no secret of my love for dessert and the offering here had my mouth-watering before I even decided on a main. With Ferrero Roche and Violet Crumble inspired deserts which can only be described as heaven-sent, and humble choc tops available in a variety tasty flavours. This is one time where it’s essential to leave some space for dessert.

Other than being a quality eatery, Dutchess doubles as an intimate bar. With a wine list that goes on for days and a variety of delicious cocktails on offer, what more could you want? Oh, I know, half price cocktails after 11pm baby! I know, awesome! You can thank me later.

My apologies for the lack of photos. My camera was not loving the lack of light and despite taking a stack of snaps, very few could be salvaged for the blog. So I guess that means you’ll just have to take my word for how good Dutchess is.