Annata has been quietly making a statement in Crows Nest since its doors first swung open in mid-2015. Situated midway along the ever-expanding Willoughby Road dining strip, it offers a different and slightly more upscale experience than most of its neighbours. Right from the word go the idea was to introduce a casual fine-dining experience where both the level and execution of the food and beverage offerings pushed locals beyond anything they had seen before in the neighbourhood. An ambitious undertaking in a conservative suburb. Seven years on and the restaurant has changed hands once but retains the high standards it has always aspired to.
The seasonal menu is concise and aims to highlight the best locally available produce; both à la carte and tasting menus are offered, so you can choose your own culinary adventure based on what you’re hankering for. The first plate to hit the table is tempura zucchini flowers with ricotta and burnt honey. Fresh, light, crunchy and sweet. Add an Ortiz anchovy for a salty hit.
A crudo of yellowfin tuna is served with caper dressing and baby red peppers and garnished with crisp fried curry leaves. The sweetness of the capsicum really brings this dish alive and the crunch of the leaves adds real satisfaction to the mouthful.
Cape Grim beef tartare is topped with a layer of green tomato mostarda and an elaborate crown of crunchy onion rings. It is a cracking dish again with very clever use of sweetness to direct your dining pleasure but kept in check by the horseradish and mustard seeds and of course, the crunch and tang of onion rings to clean it up. The type of dishes that we have become accustomed to seeing on ‘mod-Oz’ menus but in each, a unique flourish or two that really set them apart and delight our senses.
For mains go for the wild kingfish. Sitting atop a pumpkin spätzle, the skin is crisped and seasoned, and garnished with black garlic and pickled turnip. Each mouthful is a journey of complementary textures and flavours; the full spectrum from purée to crunch as well as explosions of umami and acid create such harmony here. Hanger steak is sourced from Tuwinga Farms in the Liverpool Range region of NSW. A rich and full-flavoured cut, this comes with Cippolini onion, shimeji mushrooms and a beef jus. The tender meat and fatty richness is balanced by a slight char from the grill – an immensely satisfying savoury flavour bomb.
The quality of the beef is evident, and while that may sound like stating the obvious, it is crucial. A side of grilled cauliflower blossom and roasted sesame is perhaps the only (slight) misstep, with a nearly-too-heavy smoky note to the fore. Finish your meal with a dessert of blood orange, whipped coconut, lime leaf. Served inside a frozen blood orange skin, it is equally gorgeous to look at and eat and will leave you deliciously refreshed.
The beverage offering at Annata has always been top-shelf; now however you will find a greater focus on wine than cocktails, although a smart list of signature and classics remains. The wine list has plenty to offer from all around the globe and the sommelier is very knowledgeable and happy to chat in as much or as little detail as you require - suggestions of wines to match our food are spot on. Staff are friendly and efficient, moving about the space with a minimum of fuss. Music is kept very low, almost an afterthought, but it suits the mood here; the place is busy and the warm chatter of diners provides the perfect soundtrack.
Annata has evolved in recent times to something a little simpler than its previous self, and this is in no way a criticism. As we all know too well the past couple of years have thrown up extraordinary challenges and we’ve all had to adapt to survive. Annata may have shed its fine-diner aspirations for more of a boojee-bistro vibe, but on this evidence it is a change that will keep them at the forefront of the Crows Nest scene.