Aløft Hobart Restaurant Review

In the back corner of Aløft – the sleekly stylish eyrie above Brooke Street Pier – there’s an impressive shelf of cookbooks, arranged by colour. You’ll find a wide array of cooks and chefs represented here – everyone from family-friendly Margaret Fulton to Fäviken’s Magnus Nilsson. Of course, they are all worth reading, but one title in particular jumps out: Danielle Alvarez’s Always Add Lemon. Why? Because sunny, citrus flavours punctuate many of the dishes here, each one slightly different and all eliciting a gasp of delight.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in November, Aløft is run by a confident and polished team that knows exactly what it’s doing. Each dish is plated with care in the open kitchen and delivered to the efficient waitstaff in a timely fashion, but the chefs are affable and relaxed, taking time to chat as they go and eager to accommodate dietary requirements despite the set menu.

An overhead of refined plates of dressed oysters and other dishes from Aloft, Hobart

We begin with a Tasmanian oyster topped with a pink nasturtium flower mignonette that acts as both a palate cleanser and a hint of what’s to come. The smaller dishes are quite hands-on; tender lamb ribs drizzled with house-made gochujang delight as grown-up finger food with meat that slides right off the bone, while a wallaby tartare with lemony sunflower seed cream sits atop a fat finger of kennebec potato gratin that’s devoured in three bites. Match your meal with the all-Tasmanian wine pairing or go your own way with a choice from the extensive list.

While the menu changes regularly, one of the dishes that’s stood the test of time is the crisp chilli eggplant – fried spears that come tossed in a hot and sour-inspired caramel and are wonderfully moreish. Vietnamese flavours come to the fore in a Southern bluefin tuna sashimi and apple salad dressed with a nước chấm that delivers a welcome umami funk. Although there is a strong Asian influence throughout the menu, there are also dishes that reflect its Tasmanian setting. Jerusalem artichokes from the Midland’s Bothwell are served with charred romanesco on miso and macadamia cream and Scottsdale pork fillet, topped with a Northern Thai-inspired nahm jim jaew, that gets its Tassie vibe from Marion Bay and Coal River greens tossed in a lime and tofu dressing.

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Provenance

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Aløft exemplifies Tasmania’s vibe of laidback luxury. The food, service and atmosphere are second to none, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously, with sunny staff with dialled hospitality chops. The discerning diners of Hobart are certainly glad Aløft is firm in its place and look forward to another decade of fine dining.

Chef(s)

Christian Ryan, Cam Brunton

Price Guide

$$$

Bookings

Essential

Opening Hours

Dinner Tues-Sat

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