The stage is set at ANY, where a considered menu is delivered with flair.
There are two distinct choices at ANY: take a seat in the compact dining room and order à la carte, or pull up a stool at the counter and go for the chef’s menu. While the dining room is fine, for those who come to really eat, to savour and be engaged, then the counter is the pick.
A pairing of Jerusalem artichoke and wattleseed butter is earthy and rich, and given extra oomph with shavings of fresh black truffle.
Here service is personal, with cooks serving at the pass, and from the first to last plate there’s a sense that chef Josh Gray is in his element. There’s the opener of sweet crab and shallot, with a light sauce of chicken fat and chestnut that balances texture and mouthfeel. A pairing of Jerusalem artichoke and wattleseed butter is earthy and rich, and given extra oomph with shavings of fresh black truffle. Lamb with black barley and burnt pumpkin is refined yet homely, with bread served warm to mop up – a sign that the team has considered how best to enjoy a meal here, then executed.
Speaking of making the most of it, drinks under bar manager Benny Chou shine, so lean into the experience and nab a spot at the front bar pre- or post-meal to round out your night. The name might be generic, but the experience is anything but.
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