Donovans
Contemporary$$$
A dining institution that blends memory with enduring hospitality.
Every table holds a memory at Donovans. For now-owner Nick Parkhouse, it was table 10 where he proposed to his wife, years before he ever worked there. Ninety per cent of the menu has never changed – and can’t. When the old-fashioned chicken pie was dropped in the ’90s, letters of outrage flooded in.
The ravioli, created by founder Kevin Donovan, features a sweet crab filling and a ’70s-esque creamy butter sauce with a hint of citrus that enhances, rather than overwhelms. Parkhouse added the crayfish, taut and tangy, and head chef Ash Bradshaw’s contribution - tender Fremantle octopus - is accessorised with warm sugo and preserved lemon, a nod to his Greek background.
Of course, there’s still the showstopping bombe Alaska: a dramatic display of toasted meringue hiding chocolate hazelnut ice-cream, all drenched in rich, warm chocolate sauce.
Best for: Special occasion dining that pulls focus on the ocean and all its riches.
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Where to dine in St Kilda, Balaclava, Windsor, Prahran and surrounds