The interior may be all concrete and sharp corners, but the essence of Franklin couldn’t be further from its industrial setting. With specialist local producers on board, eyes peeled for wild ingredients and – among other tools – a woodfired Scotch oven, Analiese Gregory assembles flavours of exquisite delicacy. A single skewer of char-grilled oyster mushrooms dressed with a frothy wakame sabayon lingers memorably, as does a chicken liver parfait sweetened with preserved quince and served on yeast crisps. The juicy pop of pickled currants and the crunch of smoked macadamias roll perfectly against sea-salty, smoky octopus, and a whole flathead built for sharing is served with a wickedly rich sea urchin butter. Sommelier Forbes Appleby’s wine list, meanwhile, is as impressive as ever: clear, concise and reliably on the pulse. Gregory’s crisp potato with brown butter mousse and salted caramel remains a signature dish with good reason, and neatly encompasses her creative approach driven by flavour and finesse.
Gourmet Traveller’s restaurant guide gives a yearly snapshot at the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 50. The wine star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
Adam Gibson
