Jacqui Felgate reviews a restaurant where you’re encouraged to dine in a robe

Press PLAY below to hear Jacqui’s review in full

If you’re looking for the ultimate day out, have I got news for you!

Head to Fingal and Alba Thermal Springs for an experience you won’t forget in a hurry. It’s a huge, sprawling complex with the most amazing array of pools and thermal springs. Even on a freezing winter day, it was the perfect relaxing escape. You don your robe and slippers and after you’re truly soaked and relax, head to Thyme, Alba’s restaurant.

Melbourne food icon Karen Martini hits all the right notes here. Also, any restaurant that encourages you to wear your slippers and robe to lunch is a winner for me! You can choose to stay healthy and zen with an array of poke bowls, salads, mocktails and smoothies or go all out like we did. The food really is just as magical as the springs.

The wine list features all of your peninsula faves, Trofeo, Ocean Eight, Montalto and Rare Hare. Beers and ciders and from St Andrews and Main Ridge. We started with some mocktails I had an amazing apple “smartini”.

First up was the house ocean trout gravlax with egg, cucumber, caviar pearls and capers. Perfection. Spanner crab on a house crumpet with whipped cod roe was so light and fluffy – divine. The special, which was chicken liver parfait, was one of the best parfaits I’ve ever had. And the day just got better with a 10 out of 10 dish — life doesn’t get much better than the crumbed fish sandwich with iceberg, cos, shiso, nori tartare and lime. Crispy, tasty fish encased in beautiful soft white bread with the most Moorish sauce… I would go back for this dish alone.

But there’s so much more to Thyme and Alba. You can also book your own private area called the terrace and have cheese and wine while bathing. And there’s an outdoor bar too for when summer hits. Make a day of it and take your girlfriends, your partner, your mum- or just take yourself. You’ve earned it.

Pro tip: Get the fish sandwich.    

Thyme at Alba Thermal Springs
282 Browns Road, Fingal
albathermalsprings.com.au

See Jacqui’s past reviews HERE.