25 Aug Saint Lucia, Windsor

It’s always exciting to try something different in a food-filled city like Melbourne. Named after a scenic island in the Caribbean, Saint Lucia’s menu draws its inspiration from Caribbean, Cuban and South American cuisines. Having good drinks as their other focus means there’s also a large selection of cocktails, tequila, rum and wine.

Fried plantains, paprika salt, chipotle mayo ($7)

Kingfish ceviche cured in lime and coconut milk served w fresh cucumber + coriander ($18)

The restaurant itself is small and friendly, and feels almost like you’re making yourself at home in someone else’s lounge. Dinner gets off to a good start with shards of fried plantains seasoned with paprika salt, and coming with chipotle mayo. A good dish, whether you’re after an appetiser, or just some drink nibbles. For protein, the fresh, tangy and zesty kingfish ceviche is cured in lime and coconut milk, truly awakening the tastebuds.

Jambalaya – rice with vegetables, spices, chicken, pipis, chorizo, shrimp and chilli paste ($18)

Jambalaya is Creole comfort food at its best. Much, much more than just hot wet rice, this delicious rice dish is flavoured by tasty spices, filled with vegetables, juicy chicken, pipis, chorizo, and comes with a punchy shrimp and chilli paste.

Smokey roasted cauliflower seasoned w smokey paprika and creole remoulade sauce ($8)

Grilled cuban corn on the cob w herb butter (3 for $7)

Mac & cheese served piping hot in the skillet w a spicy, crunchy topping ($8)

Jerk salmon – pan-fried salmon fillet marinated in house jerk sauce ($18)

Roasted cauliflower is seasoned with smokey paprika and creole remoulade, and the grilled Cuban corn with herb butter is suitably juicy. Mac and cheese is served piping hot from the skillet, coming with a crunchy topping. It’s not bad, but not quite cheesy enough for our liking. Jerk salmon is a standout. It’s tangy, spicy, sour and sweet, a combination that may sound a bit confusing, but is instead more of an exciting flavour experience.

La roche flambe – Dark ginger cake, hot caramel, blood orange mousse, ginger soil, candied nuts ($14)

La roche flambe – Dark ginger cake, hot caramel, blood orange mousse, ginger soil, candied nuts ($14)

For desserts we try the new La roche flambe, aka “the flaming rock”, modelled after a volcano. A conical dark ginger cake contains hot caramel and a lava-like blood orange mousse, the base of the ginger cake soaking up some of the Grand Marnier-heavy liquid contents. It’s surrounded by candied nuts and ginger soil, and a bit of a flaming spectacle rounds out the volcano comparison. The alcohol is certainly strong in this one, but there’s a non-alcoholic version available too.

It’s a bit sad that there isn’t more Caribbean food to be found in these parts, but thankfully we can have a good taste of it here at Saint Lucia.

Saint Lucia
78 Chapel St
Windsor, VIC, 3181
(03) 9530 2085
saintluciawindsor.com.au