Lamaro's

Exquisite is just one of the words that I'd use to describe South Melbourne's hidden treasure Lamaro's. Tucked away on Cecil Street, Lamaro's dining room is the place to go to if you're after fine dining with a local touch - there won't be a glimmer of pretentiousness or snobbery whilst your being served up your French champagne and oysters - just a friendly smile and a 'how else can we help'.

Lamaro's menu is Modern Australian scattered with international influences, offering the likes of red duck curry and seared yellowfin tuna in their formal dining room, and pork belly kim chi Baos and Soft Shell Carb Sliders in their more casual bar. Opting for the more formal dining room menu, we couldn't go past kicking off our meal with a serve of oysters, which were so plump juicy we ordered a second serve.

The whole deep fried baby snapper with coconut caramel sauce and Asian salad was nothing short of exquisite. Coming out as a whole fish, the way it was prepared made it surprisingly easy to navigate - and it certainly wasn't just a pretty face, whilst deep fried - the fish was still fresh and juicy, and the tangy Asian salad was the perfect accompaniment.

Offering the option of a formal dining room, a bar with a more casual menu, and even a scattering of outdoor seating, Lamaro's has you covered for any occasion.

Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Venue: 4/5
Total: 13.5/15
Verdict: love - get around to trying it soon