Ante

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A cooler-than-cool sake bar with open concept kitchen cooking up some seriously good bites, Ante is walk-in only and worth waiting in line for. You might want to try a sake flight, or you might wish to part-take in some original, creative and absolutely delicious cocktails to start the night. 


Using interesting ingredients with a Japanese slant, such as lemongrass infused Shochu, sake, rum and red shiso in the Enmore Road Sunset, or coffee infused shochu, Hoshiko, Cynar and walnut liqueur in the Ante Correctto, the cocktails at Ante will not disappoint and are not easily found anywhere else, so drink up. 

Beef tartare, $26

The beef tartare at Ante is more like delicious beef mince, with smoky almond, capers and shaving of golden bottarga on top. It is tart, refreshing and light.

Bonito Rillette, $24

Topped with shiso and rhubarb boshi, the bonito rillette is served with gorgeously crisply bread that perfectly balances the savouriness of the fish. Moreish and beautifully flavoured, generously scooping mouthfuls of fish flake is a real joy.


Prawn casarecce, $32

I am a lover of a good pasta, and this may be one of the best pasta dishes I have ever tried. So simple yet so wonderfully rich, the prawn casarecce is perfectly cooked with kanzuri and the clementine is an inspired touch - nothing quite like a zesty citrus to lift a dish.  

Crispy rice, $27

The crispy rice reminded me of a famous Shanghai breakfast dish, which is humble but always hits the spot. Here, it is served with red pepper butter and katsuobushi, which gives it a warm, 


Silken tofu, $18

The hazelnut furikake is absolutely magical. The texture is almost impossible to describe - it is crumbly, crunchy, and beautifully sweet-salty. The corn and the silky tofu make the contrasting texture even more interesting. I would happily eat this by the spoonful all night long.  

Chocolate, aged red rice, crème fraiche, $12

Finally, a little sweet something to "close the stomach", as the Elizabethans believed. Rich and thick just like a chocolate brownie, but with an even better texture because it's filled with rice. The gem-like raspberries is a nice tart contrast. 

Score: 5/5
Cost: approx $125pp 
Address:  146 King St, Newtown NSW 

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