Mr. Wolf

Location: 15 Inkerman Street, St. Kilda

Melinda has had a “cooking crush” on Karen Martini for some time and this was our first opportunity to taste her food for real. It was a memorable evening and not just because of the food. The company also added a new dimension. This week we were joined by Sydney-siders, the Borgese family (Tiff is one of Lauren’s best buddies) and a gaggle of kiwi chicks lead by our friend Sue Geare (visiting from Auckland on a four day shopping safari). So our review panel expanded considerably this week with Anthony, Oliver, Dylan, Tiff, Sue, Nickie, Michelle 1, Michelle 2, Deidre and Ikuko, joining the Huggins clan to give their views.

Mr. Wolf is a pretty cool spot, combining a family diner in one half (full to the brim with patrons under 10 when we arrived at 7.30 pm) and a bar with a cellar function room, next door. Given the size of our group, we were shown to the downstairs cellar. A three course set menu had been ordered. Being removed from our fellow diners was a blessing given the volume of the conversation – mostly from our kiwi shoppers who were making the most of their weekend away.

Starters
We started our feast with a lovely selection of antipasto (very nicely accompanied by proseco and birra). Large platters of cured meats were shortly followed by generous dishes of pickled vegetables and mixed olives. The tiny ligurian olives were sweet and just irresistible. No 1 pizzas then made their entrance and wow – what a combination. The base was covered with black olive paste and salt with a large dollop of ricotta infused with rosemary, served in the centre. The contrast of the salty olives and the smooth ricotta created a taste sensation (the Huggins children are not usually olive eaters but this one they could not resist). Our last starter was far more popular with the adults than kids – eggplant chips – long fingers of eggplant lightly crumbed and fried, served with a light mayonnaise. Yum!!

Mains
Three styles of pizza and two sensational salads were the fare for mains. The incredibly thin and crisp base was a great starting point and the toppings were sensational.
Good old margherita – tomato, buffalo mozzarella, parmigiano, oregano and basil. Very popular with the kids – they disappeared quickly.
Calabrese – hot salami, peppers, chilli, olives, tomato, mozzarella and parmigiano. Loved by the adults – too hot for the kids, so lingered on the table a little longer.
Funghi – porcini and roast garlic paste, roast mushrooms, thyme and mozzarella. Loved by most of the adults and voted as the best mushroom pizza ever! (I would drive the 25 minutes to St Kilda just for this). Did not go down well with the kids.
Karen Martini does wonderful salads and these did not disappoint. Shredded cabbage with parmigiano, radish, peas, parsley, mint and a lemon juice dressing was divine. So was the combination of chopped cos lettuce, spring onions, mint, cucumber and creamy feta.

Desserts
Servings of three different choices arrived for us to share. Chocolate mousse – served in a glass with a generous sprinkle of cocoa and a cigar of dark chocolate. This contrasted well with the most delicious panacotta served with strawberry jelly and fresh strawberries. Then there was the gelato – rich chocolate and a very tart lemon. What a combination. Zambuccas and coffee followed. (A noticeable increase in volume followed).

Service
Friendly on arrival and while we enjoyed a pre dinner drink at the bar, the service became hot and cold once we moved down stairs. At times we needed to check the progress of the next course.

Value for money
The freshness of the ingredients, quality of food and generous servings made the $50 per head for the set menu, good value. Drink prices were on par with other Melbourne restaurants and seem better value than many Sydney locations.

Rating
Adults – 8/10
Kids – 6/10 (the kids only liked the margherita pizza and got a bit bored away from the main scene and atmosphere upstairs). Next time with a smaller group, we’d enjoy the streetscape upstairs.