Our first meal in Melbourne as official Victorians was Alt Pasta; a contemporary Asian-European restaurant in the CBD. We had been anticipating this meal for months since watching Culinary Wars on Netflix.
Food
Started with fresh warm bread and truffle butter, with a complimentary Welcome Prosecco to Melbourne. We can tell we’re already off to an amazing start in this new city.
This is the bite we’d come back for — wagyu tartare, duck fat brioche, charcoal mayo, and pesto for $13 each.
Where do we even begin? The moment this dish hit the table, it commanded our attention. A delicate piece of brioche, pan-fried in duck fat, served as the golden, crispy foundation — the perfect crunch to contrast the buttery tenderness of the finely diced wagyu tartare.
At first glance, you’d expect it to be overwhelmingly rich given the ingredient list. But it’s anything but. The balance was masterful. The charcoal mayo and pesto aren’t just garnishes — they’re a light, airy emulsion that binds the tartare while lifting the entire bite with herbaceous depth and subtle smokiness.
And then, the final flourish: a dusting of cured egg yolk. It added a salty, umami punch that lingers just long enough to make us crave the next bite. Complex, luxurious, and unexpectedly refined — this dish was a standout.
Where do we even begin? The moment this dish hit the table, it commanded our attention. A delicate piece of brioche, pan-fried in duck fat, served as the golden, crispy foundation — the perfect crunch to contrast the buttery tenderness of the finely diced wagyu tartare.
At first glance, you’d expect it to be overwhelmingly rich given the ingredient list. But it’s anything but. The balance was masterful. The charcoal mayo and pesto aren’t just garnishes — they’re a light, airy emulsion that binds the tartare while lifting the entire bite with herbaceous depth and subtle smokiness.
And then, the final flourish: a dusting of cured egg yolk. It added a salty, umami punch that lingers just long enough to make us crave the next bite. Complex, luxurious, and unexpectedly refined — this dish was a standout.
A bold retake on a classic that makes you do a double take — lobster tart, lemon curd, smoked yoghurt, and saffron for $13 each.
Following the stellar wagyu tartare was no easy feat, yet this lobster tart delivered a different kind of magic — one that evokes nostalgia, yet surprises with its elegance. One bite and you’re instantly reminded of a timeless favorite: the Lobster Roll.
But this isn’t just a rehash. It’s a re-imagination. The crisp tart shell acts as a delicate yet sturdy stage for the sweet, briny lobster, whose freshness is accentuated by savory, brothy gelée cubes that melt into every mouthful. The lemon curd cleverly mimics the classic squeeze of citrus — bright and zesty — but adds a creamy texture that ties everything together. The smoked yogurt and saffron linger softly in the background, adding depth without distraction.
It’s a dish that pays homage to the familiar, while confidently carving its own identity — refined, innovative, and memorable.
Following the stellar wagyu tartare was no easy feat, yet this lobster tart delivered a different kind of magic — one that evokes nostalgia, yet surprises with its elegance. One bite and you’re instantly reminded of a timeless favorite: the Lobster Roll.
But this isn’t just a rehash. It’s a re-imagination. The crisp tart shell acts as a delicate yet sturdy stage for the sweet, briny lobster, whose freshness is accentuated by savory, brothy gelée cubes that melt into every mouthful. The lemon curd cleverly mimics the classic squeeze of citrus — bright and zesty — but adds a creamy texture that ties everything together. The smoked yogurt and saffron linger softly in the background, adding depth without distraction.
It’s a dish that pays homage to the familiar, while confidently carving its own identity — refined, innovative, and memorable.
This was meant to be scallop, yuzu ponzu, Jerusalem artichoke, celery puree $26 but as you can see, it was a cauliflower. We didn’t even realise it was different until editing this blog post now.
The scallops was really good but there was nothing special about this dish – just good quality produce.
The scallops was really good but there was nothing special about this dish – just good quality produce.
If there is duck on the menu, we’re eating it. This was the paccheri, duck ragu, rosemary crumble, black olive powder for $48.
The ragu style dampened the duck’s shine by giving the bite an overall dry-meaty texture. The pasta was cooked al dente. Overall a good dish, but not memorable.
The ragu style dampened the duck’s shine by giving the bite an overall dry-meaty texture. The pasta was cooked al dente. Overall a good dish, but not memorable.
This was the other favourite dish: mafaldine, moreton bay bug, nduja, tomato, basil pesto for $54.
The sauce was savoury and sweet, hidden in the mafaldine pockets. The bay bug was cooked to perfection – tender and sweet, with the balanced earthy flavours of basil. We would return for this dish.
The sauce was savoury and sweet, hidden in the mafaldine pockets. The bay bug was cooked to perfection – tender and sweet, with the balanced earthy flavours of basil. We would return for this dish.
Service
The service was fantastic: very friendly and welcoming with the fun vibes and free food/drinks. And the pacing was on point for the rest of the night.
Review
Alt Pasta did meet our expectations of a fusion European restaurant, especially seeing all the small culinary techniques and details in the dishes. We can see how the black Chef won in Culinary Wars. We would return for the starters and the moreton bay bug.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
