A little smoke goes a long way, but restraint is one of chef Ben Williamson’s triumphs at wood-fired-only Agnes. While the menu leans unapologetically meaty and the flavour of the grill put to excellent use with the protein, the brilliant ingredients never taste like they’ve narrowly escaped a house fire. Instead, stewed leeks and almonds have a fine, clean, acidic balance, perfect with spectacularly tender lamb sweetbreads or slivers of grilled ox heart lifted by gorgeously rounded miso hollandaise. Other dishes, meanwhile – a betel-leaf roll filled with prawn and pork mince; sweet clams with frothy potato velouté and house-made hot sauce; a dessert that successfully teams charred lemon with white chocolate – barely whisper “smoke”. The renovated warehouse embraces the feudal firepit spirit, with the black furniture, double-height ceiling and flickering firelight giving off Game of Thrones vibes – albeit with less slaughter and more great wine that embraces old-world classicism and new-world experimentation.
This review was written independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way. To learn more about the process, head over here.
Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Guide
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national guide.
