Chris Lucas, a Melbourne hospitality industry veteran, created this extravagant eatery on Flinders Lane (Chin Chin, Yakimono, Society). The opulent blue banquettes and white-jacketed waiters at this 145-seat, high-ceiling restaurant are designed to enclose you from the moment you enter.
It is a paragon of modern sophistication, serving delicacies from Northern Italy steakhouse style and taking its name from the Americano cocktail, which is made with cacao nib vermouth and served with chocolate-dipped mandarins.
The handmade, custom-built wood-fired oven from Naples and the Josper charcoal grill are the stars of the open kitchen, visible to guests from the staggering 14-meter marble bar.
Head Chef Douglas Keyte (previously of Brisbane’s Hellenika) created an impressive menu that pays homage to classic Italian cooking techniques while maintaining a strong sense of ancient hospitality. You will have some very refined touches placed on the table.
On the Cicchetti menu, you’ll find dishes like the aged Parmigiano Reggiano with organic Piedmontese chestnut honey (for $22.5) and the velvety chicken croquettes (for $16.5). Focaccia with green olive butter and your choice of several high-quality Italian salumi can be yours for just $11.5.
Simone Giorgianni, a native of Sicily, makes the restaurant’s signature spaghetti dish from scratch daily. Some of the best dishes are the spicy pig sausage rigatoni ($36.5) and the saffron tagliolini with scampi ($44.5). Steaks seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, and rosemary are rarely turned down. Their main meat dish is a t-bone weighing about 1.2 kg and costing $165.
Michaela Kang (Bread Club) is responsible for a dessert menu you absolutely must taste. She has made a contemporary take on tiramisu ($21.5) and an intriguing trifle ($17.5).
The wine cellar houses over 2,000 bottles worldwide, and a Coravin system will help you enjoy every drop. The Italian influence and slight alterations found in signature drinks are, on the other hand, a significant draw. Try one of the house bellinis like the smoked negroni or the white peach and elderflower one.