The Banff
145 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
03 9525 3899
Bar Food, Pizza, Pub Food
$$
Food
- Crispy Prosciutto Pizza
- Roast Vegetable Salad
- with Pulled Lamb
- Penne Beef Bolognaise
- Nachos
The Good
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the Crispy Prosciutto Pizza. The thin base was generously topped with an abundance of fresh rocket. Hiding underneath was a cheesy combination of tomato-base and saganaki. The savoury flavours perfectly complemented by the strips of prosciutto that were roasted to a perfect crisp.
We also enjoyed the Roast Vegetable Salad. Loaded with an abundance of leafy greens, this was accompanied by soft and wholesome chunks of capsicum and eggplant. The quinoa within added a nice variation of texture, while the tender pulled lamb provided a sense of heartiness. While we found that the lamb could’ve been more flavoursome, and the white wine dressing more tangy, it was a healthy and satisfying salad nonetheless.
The Mediocre
We found the Penne Beef Bolognaise rather pedestrian. Served in a paper bag, the pasta was baked to a nice softness and well-coated in the bolognaise sauce. Unfortunately, the flavours of the sauce were rather muted and didn’t quite provide the richness that we were looking for, making for a rather bland experience.
The Nachos also failed to excite. Loaded with the same, rather bland bolognaise sauce as above, we felt that the dish irrevocably required much more to be palatable. There wasn’t an abundance of cheese like we hoped a good nachos would, nor did the cheese exhibit much flavour nor aroma. The guac and sour cream did help a little, but overall this starter definitely felt lacking.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
The Banff excels as a homely, local eatery that offers very reasonably priced comfort food. While we found most dishes serviceable, nothing was spectacular nor outstanding by any means. The low prices and friendly service definitely makes this a cheap-eats winner though.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
For a cheap gathering with family or friends, this will do the job just fine.
Penguineats would like to thank The Banff for inviting us.