Captain Baxter is slinging lunch, dinner and drinks at the St Kilda Sea Baths. Everything about the beachside restaurant and bar has had a facelift, from the menu to the decor — and with the latter taking inspiration from 20s-style tropical beach bungalows, it's vying to become your next hangout any time of the year.
Inside, Captain Baxter is light and bright. Thanks to a new retractable roof, on a sunny day, the venue means that literally. Another fresh addition is a new vantage over the beach because pairing your food and beverages with a view is part of the appeal.
With Timothy Martin (ex-The European and Taxi Dining Room) and Adrian Hawkins (ex-Est and Bistrode Sydney) joining St Kilda Venues' group executive chef Matt Dawson, Captain Baxter's menu highlights seafood in a big way — think prawn and ginger dumplings, hiramasa kingfish and grilled swordfish with 'nduja xo, charred garlic and pickled celery.
Among the standouts that didn't come from the ocean are duck sausages, lamb shoulder with crying tiger sauce and whipped tofu with mushroom xo and cassava, recognising the venue's other big influence: Asian-style cuisine.
And, it wouldn't be a beachside spot without cocktails, such as the blood orange coconut margarita or The Captain — whiskey, apple liqueur, pomegranate molasses, lemon and apple. An extensive wine list is also available, focusing on quality drops from across Australia, although there are a few foreign beauties in there too.