Ilona Staller - Balaclava

On a cold blustery winter evening we stepped into Ilona Staller and were not disappointed. We took the easy path and had the chefs selection menu with matched wines. Each course was packed full of flavor and the sommelier on hand to tell us why he chose each wine. A great night out.

I went with a girlfriend on a busy Thursday evening. Service was perfect for the location, the right balance of friendly with efficiency. The food was delicious. We ate so much that we could only manage petit fours for dessert, but they were delicious too. highly recommended.

This restaurant is always reliable for consistency. They have a limited menu, allowing them to excel with every dish. I enjoy steaks here, because every one is of top quality and cooked just the way I want it. My friends also had praise for the chef's ability to prepare meat. The place is comfortable and great for a leisurely meal, served by friendly, competent staff. Ask for a Bee Sting prior to your courses. It's a very tasty morsel to get you started. The wine list's interesting to explore, with quality wines, most from small producers. They have a Beechworth pino, which is very, very good. Prices are in the mid to fine dining range, but you get top value for what you pay. Ilona Staller delivers.

Just a lovely Sunday lunch today. 14 of us . Food delicious. Wine matched perfectly. The icing on the cake was the delightful, polite and attentive service in a laid back and tastefully decorated environment.

A whole bunch of us took advantage of their $28 steak + shiraz Tuesday night special to celebrate my birthday. It was great, the steaks lived up to the recommendations I'd heard. Crisp friendly service, great atmosphere, not too noisy so yes, we could actually enjoy the conversation for a change. The real unsung surprise were the desserts... oh my... they were great. They had just that day added some new desserts onto the menu and got the timing wrong with mine, no problem, "sorry for the wait, yours is for free". The only downside is like most restaurants in Melbourne they skin you on the drinks, nevertheless I'd whole heartedly recommend this restaurant for both couples or a table of friends.