“Tucked in the back of Lonsdale Street’s Branx Building is a wine bar with a cool vibe, an extensive and impressive wine list, and a compact menu with interesting food that complements the top drops on offer,” says dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
Romanée Wine Bar in Braddon has a niche place in the market and in charge is sommelier Chester Mok, who has strong credentials in the hospitality industry and deep knowledge of wines from Australia and around the world.
Early on a gorgeous warm evening, we settled in at a table in Romanée’s cosy outdoor courtyard. There was no rush, and Chester took time to chat about wines and answer questions.
He promises something for everyone from his extensive cellar and doesn’t skip a beat in recommending labels that take customers out of their comfort zones.
Romanée offers wine by the glass and keeps matters interesting by changing the menu weekly. The bar also offers an intriguing bespoke cocktail list that includes a maple bacon old-fashioned and a lemongrass and ginger martini (both $20). The refreshing martini was a stunning mixture of gin, lemongrass, ginger liqueur and vermouth.
Sharing is the name of the game, and we delighted in the broad bean hummus, well balanced and a lovely texture. It arrived with Turkish bread and crispy polenta. We applauded the sumac.
Decadent was the baked Raclette ($21 and also from the snacks section of the menu) – melted Swiss cheese served with drizzles of quality honey and sunflower seeds for a bit of crunch. The fresh rosemary and leaves from colourful, edible flowers augmented the dish.
The prawns were plump and perfect ($18.50 for three). The tempura was light, the fresh lime was zesty punch and the chilli mayo creamy and smooth.
Cured kingfish was next ($24) and it was sensational with pepper berry, radish and buddha’s hand – a citrus fruit, segmented into finger-like sections, featuring a lovely, lemon-like floral aroma.
We shared both dishes from the main section, adoring the duck ($32). The breast was succulent and seared to perfection. It married well with tangy orange jus and roasted carrot puree. The tender Wagyu beef was also wonderfully seared and elevated with burnt butter and garlic ($35).
Our visit was topped off with a house-made trio of chocolate ($16) which I still crave – Chardonnay salted honeycomb, Riverina strawberry and couverture and chocolate lemongrass mousse truffle.
Wines we explored included a 2019 Chenin Black from Goon Tycoons (Margaret River, $65 a bottle), a Swinging Bridge 009 Gamay (Orange, $70) and a Dawning Day Skin Shady (Southern Highlands, $72). We appreciated Chester’s support in selecting these top drops.
The wine bar is named in honour of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, an estate in Burgundy, France, widely considered among the world’s greatest wine producers.
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