This was a lovely restaurant that we had visited with my brother and his wife on a cold cold Victorian winter's night! My mother had the kids (from both sides of the family)... and so it was a great chance to get out and have a nice couples night out with NO kids!

The little ones are adorable and all of that... but you do need time out from them... or you go crazy! So, we've made it a habit that one night in our Australia visits to my brother's family... we have a night out with my mum watching the kids.

Interestingly enough, Torquay (which is a town close to Geelong and outside of Melbourne) has quite a number of really great places to eat at in spite of it's relatively small size. Some of them are pretty damn decent... especially when you are being shown around by my sister in law... who really knows her stuff when it comes to food and wines! I have one very lucky brother....

The Space

The restuarant is quite easy to find... and quite close to the town centre, or at least the local supermarket area... or at least, I think so... being in an unfamiliar town at night! Anyway, there is no shortage of parking spaces, and there are quite a number of nice looking restaurants in the close vicinity as well.

The Stoop has a nice ambience indoors... it is cosy and warm, with nice ambient lighting that isn't harsh... and a warm wood decor.

Seating spacing is good... with tables well spaced and ample room for diners to stay well apart. No need to overhear other people's dinner conversations... or to smell their food!

The Menu

There is a wide variety of mains and smaller dishes that cater to all dietary preferences. Of course, there are the usual meat based dishes... but there are some pretty interesting vegetarian selections as well. In fact, everything sounds pretty decent in the menu! You would be hard pressed to go wrong here...

There are a larger selection of burgers for some reason... but I was here for dinner and so burgers wasn't on the radar... besides, in the Netherlands, it is really hard to get a really good cut of meat (lamb/beef or anything...) so, I was definitely going to make the most of out of being in Australia!

On the drinks menu, there are a great selection of locally produced drinks... beers, wines, ciders and sparkling stuff! It's a great chance to taste something local and then stock up on it if you enjoyed it... sadly, the shipping to Europe is a touch on the expensive side...

The Food

This was the starter that my wife and I ordered. A plate of seared scallops with black pudding, cauliflower puree and apples. What can I say... it was pretty stunning! A great mix of flavours, and the main event of the scallops was just moist and tender... quickly seared, not overcooked at all!

I took a Wagyu steak from the specials menu on the board (so not on the menu that I photographed earlier). Served with a parsnip puree and grilled parsnips and asparagus... rounded out with an amazing sauce. No complaints, the meat was nice a tender... it gets my saliva going just thinking about it again!

I coupled this dish with a Flying Brick Pear Cider. This is one of the best ciders that I've ever tasted in my life... and I do go out of my way to try quite a few of them! Locally produced... but unfindable on the other side of the world. Sigh....

It's hard to believe... but my wife ordered the Brussels Sprouts dish! Crispy and served with lentils, tofum chilli and cabbage topped with horseradish and lentil dressing... it was actually pretty damn awesome! However, also incredibly filling! I would have loved it as a side dish... for a complete main dish... it was a bit too much!

For dessert, my wife ordered the Chocolate Chip Cookie with Peanut butter ice cream, served with Rum and Chocolate Ganache. Super lekker... and super rich and filling!

I opted for the much more refreshing Coconut Caramel! A lighter, but still sweet dessert! I can't turn down caramels or creme brulee... so if I see it on the menu..., that is definitely what I will be ordering!

The Experience

The atmosphere of The Stoop was warm and cosy. The ambience of the lighting and decor made for a really nice comfortable feeling... and the staff were incredibly friendly and accomodating (we had a pram with a newborn in it...).

The food was stunning... and the price was much less than what you would be paying in the capital cities (Australia has undergone a serious hike in cost of living since we have been away). So, superb quality at a decent price...

.. this is definitely a place that we will be coming back to... the next time we happen to be in Torquay! On the other hand, there were so many other interesting places around here as well! Spoilt for choice!

Opening Times

Monday 11am–2:30pm
Tuesday 11am–2:30pm
Wednesday 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–9pm
Thursday 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–9pm
Friday 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–9pm
Saturday 9am–2:30pm, 5:30–9pm
Sunday 9am–2:30pm

Contact Details

Address: 1 Cliff St, Torquay VIC 3228, Australia
Phone: +61 3 5261 6006
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://thestooptorquay.com.au/

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