The beachside suburb of Hampton isn’t exactly a gastronomic wonderland, but restaurateurs Alastair and Marie Dobbs are doing their best to rectify that. Their new endeavour, the small, attractively appointed Os Kitchen and Wine Bar, boasts a short Italian-influenced menu and a large, well-rounded selection of wines. The name translates to ‘mouth’, which like that menu is certainly to the point, and it’s already proving a hit with the locals.
Head chef Rachel Ginty, formerly of Ciccolina, is responsible for the menu, which features house-made pastas in light, fresh sauces and a small selection of heavier mains. There’s also a huge meat slicer shining behind the counter, on which Os’ store of local and imported cured meats are prepared for tasting platters ($18). Most other ingredients are locally sourced, including bread supplied by La Madre of Geelong.
The wine selection is of a high calibre, the list being broadly grouped by flavour qualities – aromatic and crisp vs. textural and structured whites, for example. Prices are reasonable, with most sitting between $39 and $98 a bottle and 16 wines available by the glass. Both new and old world vintages are well-represented, and a strip of bar-style seating is available for patrons who wish to drop in for a drink without the dinner.
The service at Os is of the highly attentive, slightly old-fashioned variety, which can’t be faulted for courtesy but may seem a little overbearing to diners used to spreading their own napkins and doling out their own wine. Such minor quibbles aside, Os Kitchen and Wine Bar is no doubt a welcome addition to the southside culinary scene. Bookings are recommended on weekends.