Ester is an Australian restaurant, located in Chippendale, and was awarded two Chefs Hat consistently over the past few years. We finally put time aside to dine here, choosing from the a la carte menu.
Food
We started with the roasted oyster for $9 each. These were rich and decadent, enhanced by the velvety chicken fat butter, and balanced by the squeeze of lemon.
This was the fermented potato bread, kefir, salmon roe for $25 and infamous on Instagram for being one of the dishes Ester is known for. The fermented potato bread had a delightful tang, perfectly complemented by the creamy kefir. The burst of briny salmon roe added a luxurious finish and umami touch to every bite.
The coral trout was delicate and fresh, beautifully paired with sweet ama ebi and the bright citrus zing of sunrise lime. Overall a light dish for $42.
This is the iconic blood sausage sanga for $14 and a true ‘fancy’ representation for the Aussie snag. It was an absolute knockout, tasting richer, juicier and packed with deep smokey flavour that lingered beautifully on the tongue. The bread was also so fluffy and soft, and the tang of the onions balanced the bite.
This was the Sommerlad chicken dumplings, smoky broth for $32. It was so delicious and comforting. The dumplings were tender and flavorful, floating in a deeply rich and smoky broth that added the perfect touch of warmth and depth.
For mains, we got the Half duck, burnt honey, fennel pollen for $90.
The half duck was perfectly cooked, its crispy skin glazed with burnt honey that added a deep, caramelized richness. A hint of fennel pollen brought a fragrant, almost ethereal finish that made each bite unforgettable.
The half duck was perfectly cooked, its crispy skin glazed with burnt honey that added a deep, caramelized richness. A hint of fennel pollen brought a fragrant, almost ethereal finish that made each bite unforgettable.
This was the Ester salad for $20. Nothing special but needed to balance the duck.
For dessert, we got the crepe brûlée, lemon caramel for $22. The structure was very unique. We didn’t expect a “canoli” style brulee. It had the hard caramelized outer layer and the smoothest filling – sweet, tangy and perfect.
Service
The service was good, but not “fine dining” level. The Chefs Hats were probably awarded for the food and friendliness. You should definitely lower expectations if you plan to come here based on the chat rating.
The dishes came out at a good pace.
The dishes came out at a good pace.
Review
Everything was great and we had a lovely night, but there was nothing that wow’ed us. We might return for the Aussie snag but that would be it. The ambience was moody and dim, perfect for date night.
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
Thanks for reading. Happy eating!
