Last Updated on June 17, 2024
Unwinding at The Soak
Situated in a grand building just a stone’s throw from Victoria train and coach station, The Soak restaurant and bar offers a great escape from the clatter and hum of the city. This conveniently situated venue is perfect for lunch or dinner, making it an ideal spot to unwind. Whether you’re arriving after a weary journey, looking to relax after work, or craving a leisurely weekend brunch. With the added pleasure of live music on Thursdays, DJs, and exciting cocktail masterclasses, The Soak delivers on all fronts.
The entrance to The Soak is framed by a large floral arrangement. Step inside and you’ll discover a spacious interior boasting dramatic high ceilings and large arched windows, with a large central, oval-shaped bar which creates a focal point. The decor blends historic charm with plush modern touches. With contemporary artwork, pillars, mirrored panels, and walls painted a soft sage green. Teal velvet horseshoe banquettes provide comfortable social seating booths, and floral decorations and hanging globe lights create a more intimate feel.
We started with a cool bottle of Stella Artois beer and a mocktail – Virgin Wild Berry, a refreshing but not too sweet fruity mix. The drinks menu has a good selection of cocktails, wines beers and soft drinks.
The menu is divided into two quite different sections. One offers The Soak signature dishes with everything from steaks to burgers, pasta, fish and chips and salads. The other is a Ping Pong menu, offering a variety of modern Chinese dim sum, including steamed buns, rice and noodles dishes.
We decided to mix things up a bit by ordering from both menus, we started with a selection of dishes to share from the Ping Pong menu. The black prawn dumplings were a highlight – think juicy king prawns in a garlicky butter wrapped in squid ink pastry.
Fabulous chicken skewers were marinated in a smoky orange sauce, with juicy chunks of chicken infused with umami and sweet orange flavours. Chicken and cashew nut dumplings, with a hint of chilli and hoisin sauce, provided light and flavourful mouthfuls that left us wanting more.
Next, I opted for the Soak Burger. A good quality meat patty, topped with crispy slices of bacon, oozing melted cheese, sweet pickled red onions, roquette and tomato, all nestled in a brioche bun served with crisp homemade fries and all the trimmings. My companion enjoyed a generous bowl of Chicken Katsu Curry, a classic dish with slices of breaded succulent chicken with edamame beans, seaweed, and crispy shallots in a rich curry sauce.
The Soak offers several tempting options for dessert, including cheesecake, dark chocolate truffle tranche, Belgium chocolate and raspberry torte, sorbets, and ice creams. If you’re feeling a bit more indulgent, you could opt for one of their dessert cocktails. Since we had eaten so well already we decided to share a portion of mochi balls – soft rice pastry balls filled with passion fruit and mango ice cream – which I adore.
It was the perfect ending to our meal, especially when paired with a strong black coffee. The Soak offers an excellent dining experience with a diverse menu. From savoury starters to tempting desserts, there’s something for every palate.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxed meal, a pre-train bite, or a celebration with friends, The Soak delivers satisfying dishes in a super convenient location in Victoria.
