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Lesa image

Lesa

Restaurant

🫤 I went here the other night for a significant birthday with my partner. We had the tasting menu. The meals were lovely but for the eight small dishes we had there was a 25 minute wait between them. It took 3 hours and considering I was pregnant I couldn't just drink a bottle or two of wine in betwe... People often mention menu, wine,


Address

level 1/122 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Contact

+61 3 9935 9838

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (61 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

Permanently closed.

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: menu (10) wine (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Terry M. 4 years ago on Google • 49 reviews
    This is without a doubt the best place we've eaten in within the last two years. The ability of the chef to balance the flavours at Lesa is frankly some kind of witchcraft. We had the 4 course set menu and it was sublime. Each meal was beautiful, flavorful and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is amazing, the staff attentive without becoming intrusive. One of the nicest nights out ever.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kavita B. 5 years ago on Google • 23 reviews
    A very delicious meal. It's extremely filling especially with the bread and macadamia cream which is yummy. Good ambience and the music was not loud. The downside - white asparagus wasn't special. I will say that the seating was a little odd. I was there with a girl friend and we were seated at a 6 seater table with 2 other ladies at the other end and my friend and I commented we both felt like we'd been sat at the looser single women table. Why not seat some couples there and see how much they enjoy it?
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Jane 4 years ago on Google • 4 reviews
    I went here the other night for a significant birthday with my partner. We had the tasting menu. The meals were lovely but for the eight small dishes we had there was a 25 minute wait between them. It took 3 hours and considering I was pregnant I couldn't just drink a bottle or two of wine in between. I just sipped my soda water looking over my shoulder every time a dish came out. I actually cried twice, which is a first. I couldn't really enjoy the meals due to my frustration. Unfortunately as soon as the dessert was finished we just wanted to get out of there. The bill was $300 for two and i was disappointed. Nice staff though.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Piggy E. 4 years ago on Google • 677 reviews
    Amazing food and wine here! Had the $88 four course menu. But of course before all that jazz we HAD to have the potato 🥔 bread to start. It is a MUST GET at Lesa. First course we got the sweet morsels of spammer crab 🦀 with sweet peas. Second was this amazing cold smoked snapper 🐠 with pistachios. The “main” was semolina pasta for me and roasted lamb for her. The semolina pasta was slightly salty for my liking but the crunchy asparagus and turnip greens made up for it. The lamb was beautifully seasoned and cooked and it had an amazing Smokey flavour. We also had different dessert: I had the kombu chocolate ball thing which was sweet and savory at the same time, a very unique dessert. She had the salted brown sugar custard w berries, which was super delish. Love how the menu sounded deceivingly simple but everything was innovative at the same time. The service was friendly and laidback, and the wine selection is very very good.

  • 5/5 Michael Y. 5 years ago on Google • 144 reviews
    Doesn't fill the hole that The Town Mouse left. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. New structured set menu with individual serves lends to a more casual relaxed atmosphere. Food was impeccable. Will definitely become a regular haunt.

  • 5/5 Chris T. 4 years ago on Google • 137 reviews
    This place is so impeccable and so relaxed. We stayed for hours and loved every bit of the degu and matching wines. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • 2/5 Matthew W. 5 years ago on Google • 128 reviews
    For a restaurant of this supposed calibre, serving room temperature water on a 35 degree day is pretty poor form. It was a nice touch to be given a refreshing drink though for my partner. The food was good, but definitely not great. The majority of dishes were underwhelming, with the potato flatbread being the highlight.

  • 5/5 Mark E. 4 years ago on Google • 65 reviews
    Beautiful little restaurant above Russel Street’s Embla wine bar. Inside you are treated to a four course menu with options for vegetarian, fish, and red meat tastes along with a stellar wine list. I ask the waiter to pair my meal with a few glasses of wine across the evening and all were spot on! Food was delicious, well presented, and just the right amount to leave satisfied but not painfully full. 5 stars.

  • 4/5 Hailey K. 4 years ago on Google • 54 reviews
    Loved the cherries with coconut sorbet - so refreshing and all components went very well together with the purple shiso giving it a nice crispy texture. Fermented potato flatbread is very good too. Koji aged lamb was good and very rich in flavour - but personally the funnel on the side wasn’t quite enough to compliment the richness of the lamb. Spanner crab is a very pretty dish with the way fig leaves laid over the creme fraiche, but there was nothing really special apart from the look with the taste almost a bit too blend. Poached snapper was probably my least favourite - didn’t really like the combination but this is more of a personal preference. It appears to be a consistent comment that the wait between each course seems to be a bit longer than it needs to be - and I found the same (30 Jan)

  • 4/5 Independent Melbourne R. 4 years ago on Google • 39 reviews
    We have been twice to this beautifully curated space above Embla. We had the four course menu each time. The staff service was impeccable and very knowledgable about the menu. However, on our last visit, our table wasn't quite ready although we arrived on time, and we were left standing awkwardly next to the counter of the hot kitchen and in the way of everyone. Not the best start to an evening. The food is delicious and presented beautifully. However, the portions are small (yes, even for fine dining) and on both occasions, left us feeling a little hungry still.

  • 5/5 Conan C. 4 years ago on Google • 27 reviews
    Tasting menu with matched wine brilliant! Every course delicious and the staff more than happy to talk outside the script that goes with the food and wine. We try a fancy dining experience only once a year or two. Consider this place great value.

  • 5/5 Janidu P. 4 years ago on Google • 25 reviews
    Amazing food coupled with amazing food.

  • 5/5 darnell m. 4 years ago on Google
    Quality, finesse and flavour at amazing value. Only $88 for a 4 course menu, not huge servings but more enjoyable than a normal degustation torture test elsewhere. Wonderful service from a professional team who know their food and wine. The dessert was a knockout, go for the salted brown sugar custard with preserved red summer fruits, irresistible.


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