Ante, Sydney NSW: Restaurant Review

Ante

Sake, vinyl and playfully precise plates converge at Newtown’s coolest wine bar.

SYDNEY

Address

146 King St, Newtown

This cool, timber-lined rice wine and record bar on a busy Newtown strip has plenty of polish, but it’s the grittier edges that make things interesting. Chef Jemma Whiteman’s menu riffs on Japanese flavours with playful precision: tagliatelle with fermented shiitake has hit the counter at every service since day one for good reason – it’s wildly delicious – and the fried potato mochi, rolled in “everything” bagel seasoning and wrapped in nori, is all chewy umami. There’s soul on the turntables and funk in the food, as seen in the whipped bottarga, scooped with charred lettuce leaves instead of carbs; raw, translucent slivers of silver trevally with punchy kosho and persimmon dressing; and a zingy seasonal sorbet with kasu cream and sake jelly, which is like a traditional trifle with a Tokyo postcode. The service is warm, the vibe is cool, and there’s no better place to match small producer sakes with big-flavoured dishes.

Chef(s)

Jemma Whiteman

Price Guide

Bookings

Not taken

Wheelchair Access

Yes

Opening Hours

Lunch Sat-Sun; Dinner Thu-Sun

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

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