Pure South

Ph: (03) 9699 4600; Ground Level, 2/3 Southgate Ave, Southbank 3006 www.puresouth.com.au

Contemporary, $$ +, ** for Food
Open Sun-Fri noon-3pm; 7 days 6pm-late; Licensed; AE DC MC V EFT, No bookings, Outside seats, Private room
Chef Andrew Roscouet (7-11-07) Owner Philip & Tony Kennedy, Peter Leary (7-11-07)

Mietta's Review
All the produce comes from Tassie but the inspiration is from Melbourne. This Southgate restaurant that was Blake's has been reborn as Pure South. It still has the paved terrace outside that shares a river view with the window tables inside. But the cooking has become more classically based ad the produce is superb. Serves are large and prices, what you would expect - mains around $30. Very good Tasmanian wine list.

Other published opinions

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 13/20 "Pure South celebrates all things Tasmanian short of having a cardboard cut-out of Ricky Ponting greet you at the door. At Southgate's river level adjacent to the Yarra footbridge, the restaurant is also pure Southbank, a great spot to watch the action on the promenade"

The Age Dani Valent, 23-10-2006 "Pure South has a lot of things going for it. Its mission - to source produce from Tasmania, King Island and Flinders Island - is both worthy and rewarding. It makes me think of strong relationships with suppliers and clean, focused food and wine that's more-or-less local. The restaurant's location might be Southgate's best: it's where Blake's used to be, on ground level at the foot of the pedestrian bridge at the western end of Flinders Street Station. Wicker chairs at the deck tables come with promenade buzz. Inside, bare timber tables, high-backed leather chairs, a sleek gas fire feature, and a stunning photo of Wagyu cattle being mustered through shallows give the dining room a calm but characterful air."

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 15/20, 1 Hat "Pure South has a prime position at Southbank, but this is no under-performing tourist haunt. A stylish Euro ambience of dark wood and bright linen brings in a well-heeled crowd, with generously spaced tables adding to the sense of gentility. But it's the ingredients - drawn from the Bass Strait islands and Tasmania - that are the real stars, ably backed by an extensive and sophisticated wine list."

The Age Good Food Guide 2005 score 14/20 "CONCEPT restaurants have a poor reputation, but Pure South may be the defining exception. On the promenade at Southgate, this smartly designed space (formerly Blakes), awash with natural light, focuses on the produce of Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands."

Gourmet Traveller 2005 Restaurant Guide "Pure South takes the path of greater resistance, and proves itself a modern restaurant of real worth and style."

Herald Sun CityStyle Best of Melbourne 04 Best steak "Pure South sources its beef directly from King Island, Flinders Island and Tasmania."

Herald Sun Stephen Downes score 18/20, 10/7/04 "Brilliant produce exemplarily cooked. The service fine, even if I could quibble about not having probes for the cray legs and appearing not to have pliers with which to crack them. (They were found.) The wine list is a treasure. Low prices, and there are 10 wines by the glass."

The Age, Agenda, 16/5/04,Roslyn Grundy,'Longing for Tassie but can't handle the ferry? Pure South is a surprisingly new restaurant built around the concept of Tasmanian produce.Chef Neale White has some smart tricks up his sleeve ans he performs them on rather excellent beef,lobster and other seafoood from down south.'

The Age, Epicure, 4/5/04,John Lethlean,Score 14.50/20,'Without any of the concept restaurants's cliches,Pure South aims for a known target and strikes.Impressively.'

Herald Sun, Weekend, 17/4/04,Bob Hart,'Pure South has both a handsome riverside bar and a theme:all food is sourced from Bass Strait islands or Tassie...dishes were expertly executed and delicious..Splendid.'