Esters is truly leading the way when it comes gastronomy magic. The owner and the former master chief contestant, the hand pick staff will guide you through the most amazing creative smell tastes eye opening dishes. We had a 4 hour long lunch presented 12 dishes with wine pairing. We where guided through every dish which I have to say not one of the dishes was disappointing. The length this team goes to is simply amazing. New york times recently wrote "eaters is one of Australia's dinners rewriting the way we eat, must go to Sydney icon" agreed thank you
Wow!!!
The food was amazing!!!!! The pasta with the egg yolk on top that you mix in is to die for! Never had anything like it and boy I could have licked the plate! Excellent friendly service and would highly recommend!!! Loved it!!!
The staff are welcoming and know about the food and wine. We had the set menu.I loved all of it accept the desserts. The burnt lemon pav was really hard.Howver the lemon curd was delicious.The ice cream was probably a bit to salty but the rest of my table loved it.Will definitely go back
I've never been disappointed with anything I've eaten at this restaurant, and I've been there five or six times over the last few years. Staff are always welcoming, knowledgeable and very helpful. There's always a nice relaxed vibe, lunch or dinner. It has a really interesting wine list, and if you're not deeply into wine, the staff know the wines well. I eat out a lot, and I think the dishes that come out of this kitchen are up there with the best in Sydney.
You should come here if you like food that makes you want to cry with joy. If that's not your thing, it's probably not your vibe. Standouts were the fermented potato bread, oysters, blood sausage sanga, rump cap, fish collar and leftover sourdough ice cream - also everything else. I did not know food could taste this good and it's ruined other restaurants for me - in the best way.
We’ve been to Ester twice and loved it both times. Friendly staff and fantastic food. The left over sour dough ice cream was amazing and unbelievably cheap for such an amazing dessert. Love it !!
Amazingggg Food, Seafood!!! Wow! Service Great, Atmosphere n music � Perfect. Highly Highly recommend���
This is hands down the best restaurant i have been to. Food was outstanding and staff were just incredible...thanks so much for the experience
Great and original food, excellent value, very interesting wine list!
Amazing delicious food and attentive staff. Would definitely recommend
My favourite restaurant in sydney. The favourite are always on the menu and the oysters are to die for. Friendly service and they remember you! 👌🏻
The most amazing lunch I've had in a long time. Every course was a gastronomic delight. The wine chosen was sublime, and the waitstaff were all so well informed, which made our choices (ending in a four hour lunch) really easy to select. I didn't want to leave.....I live interstate, but please God, bring me back one day soon.
Gorgeous food. So different to everywhere else. Fabulous friendly service. Can't recommend it highly enough. We will be back!
Cannot fault the food and service at this place. Good for small or large groups and drinks list is quite impressive.
Absolutely delicious food, great service and bright yet rustic interior. I definitely recommend the shell fish platter or any of their seafood dishes if you love fresh, well prepared and cooked seafood. Their coffee tart is also fragrant and creamy. Delicious.
Without a doubt the best dining experience I’ve ever had. From start to finish everything was perfect. The bread, the corn, the prawns through to the sourdough ice cream and burnt pav we couldn’t find fault. Brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed food backed up by impeccable service. 10/10 would recommend.
My husband and I came here for dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It’s been on my list for a while and we finally got to try it.
Friendly staff and waiting time for food was perfect and the tables being a bit close wasn’t too bad.
The dinner started out great with their expensive but tasty potato bread with trout roe. Love the chewy texture of the bread! We also had their fried corn and blood sausage sanga which were both tasty and unique.
Then it went downhill, the roasted cauliflower we had was a good side but their grilled wagyu was cold when we were eating it. I don’t know if it was supposed to be served like that or if they forgot to bring it to us until the cauliflower was ready but either way, as it was cold we can taste too much of the fat which felt heavy and too rich in the mouth. Very disappointed with this dish.
Still, we really enjoyed the starters and I’m glad we got to finally this restaurant!
We were assured that we must order some of the seafood, as they do it so well here. I chose the King Prawns ($48) over the special of scarlet prawns, and I had absolutely zero reason to regret that choice. Butterflied, grilled over a wood fire, and absolutely swimming in briny fermented shrimp butter, each bite was a mouthful of seafood heaven. The prawns were unbelievably sweet and delicate despite their size, practically melting in the mouth with the occasional salty pop from the fried capers.
Thoroughly enjoyed every dish that we ordered other than the Three Milk dessert, which was a miss.
We ordered the potato bread which was so good, the texture was just unique. The blood sausage was also good, as the bread was similar to a bao bun, however my fav dish would be the fried corn, which was juicy and moist, and the grilled waygu - thinly sliced Wagyu rolled up and grilled. We paired this with the lettuce, which was such a good idea as the dishes were starting to feel abit heavy, and the lettuce cut through that.
For dessert, we ordered the Three Milk - the cream had a very distinct pasteurised milk flavour- with a hint of acquired sourness, but this was balanced out when eaten with the sweet strawberry gum and pastry , however by the end, there was too much cream left over. The sour dough ice cream would probably have been a better choice.
The Morton bay bug also looked amazing.
Highly highly recommended pre-booking the rib eye steak. It was cooked to perfection and literally the best steak I’ve ever had. The beef XO sauce that came with it was also a standout. The service was amazing as well. Very attentive and answered any questions we had. Our booking was at 7.30 but we wanted to go in at 7 and they were more than happy to accomodate.
Rustic and modern. We were seated at the bar and received attentive service. All the dishes were simple but delicious. Had a good night here.
Incredibly impressed with this restaurant. Professional service and great, innovative food. Bar has a good variety of drinks. One of the best in sydney. Prices are on the more expensive end but not fine dining expensive.
The last time I ate at Ester was in 2014 and I am so glad I returned. It was as good as I had remembered it, if not better.
The service was excellent, the food divine, especially the roasted rock oysters with sake (pictured) and the scarlet prawns which was served with pasta and the prawns’ fried legs on the side.
The standout dish was, however, the potato pasta (pictured). It’s unique and unbelievably good. It is only served during the day) and the silky pasta is made with potato flour which covers a small mound of potato purée. It all sits in a potato dashi broth. It’s topped with an egg and pepperleaf. You puncture the egg yolk and mix it altogether. It’s a umami flavour sensation. I can’t wait to eat it again. #ester
We loved the experience and their service. Food was prepared with love. The ambiance is romantic and rustic at the same time. Definitely worth a visit
Easily one of the best restaurants in Australia. Service is always 5 star and the iconic potato bread, prawns and fried corn are 10/10 everytime, Average meal for 4/5 dishes should be circa $150 which is great value for the portion/quality of the food.
🍷 contemporary australian fine dine
🍞 potato bread, kefir cream, trout roe
🌽 fried corn, fermented chili, parmesan
🦐 king prawns, fermented shrimp paste butter
🥖 malted sourdough, cultured butter
🥦 cauliflower, almond cream, mint
🏚: Ester Restaurant
📍: Chippendale, Sydney
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📝: So excited to have tried this amazing restaurant out. Chef Mat Lindsay highlights on dishes cooked with a wood-fired oven from the best local produce that Sydney and its surrounds have to offer.
❤️: The menu changes all year round with the season to ensure the freshest produce, but you can always expect signatures like the baked cauliflower with almond cream and mint, or buttery roasted king prawns.
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This is a really good restaurant with dishes designed to share. For entrees, the fried corn and potato bread were really good. For mains, the hanger steak was flavourful and nicely cooked. We accompanied this by the cauliflower dish which was grilled and tasted great too.
Definitely stay for dessert because I really liked the lord lamington and the sourdough icecream which was unique, nice and not too sweet. Service was great and do book beforehand to secure a table.
Spent the last of my birthday celebrations at Ester, and what a treat from my sister and brother-in-law. Everything was faultless for me, but the highlights were the potato bread with kefir cream and trout roe, the prawns with fermented shrimp butter, fried corn with fermented chilli, and the bread for the blood sausage sanga was so good like a bao bun cut into the shape of white sliced bread. The dessert highlights were the ricotta cheesecake, leftover sourdough ice cream, and coconut sorbet. Loved it.
We have had Ester on our ‘to visit’ list for a while now. The birthday of our foodie friend @where_do_i_eat_pete gave us good reason to make a booking and head there to celebrate. In the back streets of Chippendale, this restaurant has made a name for itself, serving up high quality food with a chilled vibe. It’s brilliant menu of wood fires cooking led to it being named Best New Restaurant in the 2015 SMH Good Food Awards. We can certainly see why.
Was in town for an awards night and arrived early. Ester was the perfect place to have a quick drink and a few appetisers. I wish I could’ve stayed longer.
I always having set meal. Every time very good & friendly service.
Sourdough bread and butter is great! Your hunger steak always so juicy and tender.
Amazing!!
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We came here to celebrate one of our friend’s birthday (belatedly) however it was worth the wait to come here.
It’s a wonderfully cosy restaurant and the service is brilliant. Any questions we had of them they answered cheerfully and they were quite quick in the delivery of the dishes. There was an option to dine a la carte or have the set menu. We chose to have the a la carte menu as not all the dishes on the set one suited all of us and gave us more freedom to pick and choose.
There were so many wonderful dishes we had but the highlights were the Potato Bread which was served with a kefir cream and trout roe. It was pillowy soft tasty bread that went with well the accompaniments. The Local Oyster Mushrooms were meaty in taste and rich in flavour. The Hasselback Dutch Cream Potatoes were crunchy bundles of goodness. The Half Roasted Chicken was juicy and delicious. Lamb Neck was tender and melt in the mouth. Great seasoning of the dish.
We shared a few desserts between us. Three Milks had interesting textures and flavours and not how I imagined the dish in a good way! Left over Sourdough Ice Cream was also superb. Could’ve eaten a tub of it if they that out!
Do yourself a favour and reserve a table here as one of the best meals I’ve had in Sydney for a while.
Wow. This place did not disappoint at all. I've never walked out of a restaurant feeling so happy and satisfied like I did at Ester.
Decided to opt for a la carte instead of the set menu and chose the: potato bread, sanga sausage, cured Bonito, king prawn, cauliflower, burnt pavlova and the leftover sourdough ice cream.
Despite the king prawn being a little on the pricey side it was sooo worth it, the fermented shrimp butter was to die for. I could not get enough of the flavour.
My favourite dessert had to be the burnt pavlova over the sourdough ice cream as the bread crumbs on the sourdough were too bitter and kind of tarnished the great flavour of the ice cream.
Overall, loved every single dish. Respectable service and had a bill that did not break the bank.
Will definitely be recommending this restaurant to all my friends.
Have been here twice now and can pretty much recommend anything on the menu. Favorites include the potato bread and the prawns. Always a pleasure to be back!
Easter was truly one of the best dining experiences I’ve had Sydney. Each dish was beautifully presented and was a different surprise of flavour. the grilled oysters got me craving for more... Was one of the beat displays of modern Australian crusine, full of fresh seasonal ingredients that complimented each other very perfectly. I will definitely be back for more in the future.
Visited for lunch on Saturday afternoon, thoroughly enjoyed my experience here.
The atmosphere was great and the food was on point. The bonito - it wasn't really my thing (but that's my personal preference) however all the other dishes including the lamb was beautiful.
Walked in just after noon, and managed to get seats at the bar. Service was amazing, friendly and chatty. We ordered 4 dishes and dessert for the two of us and we left the place very satisfied. My favourites were the blood sausage and the cure bonito! Burnt pavlova was divine as well. Highly recommend this place.
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Had the set menu on our 4th anniversary dinner at Ester on Apr 24th. It was $92 pp + $13 for King prawns + $6 for yuzu sorbet.
Awesome value for money!
Summary:
- the rhubarb mocktail and the ginger ale mocktail were good but lacking sweetness. The bartender gave us a shot of sweetened ginger cider syrup to customise the sweetness of the drinks which was fantastic!
- roasted oysters were warm and delish
- potato bread was moreish and dense and fluffy inside, great unique roe + cream spread. Good carb filler at the start. The portion size isn't too large so you don't get full fast
- fried artichoke was bloody amazing, well seasoned and thin batter, huge chunk of fried artichoke that's fresh and juicy and paired with a egg butter emulsion that is just out of this world, best dip, if you spread it on bread it's even better than normal butter too
- raw kingfish with mandarin was fantastic, 2 slices each person - the slices were unusually thick! Never had sashimi kingfish sliced that thick. Very fresh and well seasoned dressing, nori and cucumber on the side complemented the flavours. Yum! Good value
- blood sausage sanga - bread has no crust and is super dense and fluffy. Blood sanga not a standout, typical blood sanga for ya. I would have liked a bit more caramelised onion topping on the sangas.
- smoked quail egg was nice but not mind blowing, it tasted like any smoked food - interesting but very fleeting, only had 1 egg pp.
- king prawn with shrimp butter, with complementary slices of bread. YUM! I love prawn, my partner doesn't appreciate the strong Crustacea smell and flavour, so lucky me i got to polish his prawn too. The prawns are juicy and sliced open and swimming in melted butter emulsion with concentrated shrimp flavour, almost like they extracted the juice from prawn heads and mixed it with butter to make a clear sauce. Absolutely yum, dunk the bread to soak up that juice. So amazing. But be warned you would only truly appreciate it if you like pungent prawn-y smell and flavours.
- hanger steak - they did not ask us how we like our steak done, they just served it medium rare with a very pink middle - which was exactly how we like it - amazing steak. Amazing rich, umami bomb sauce, let the steak soak up allllllll that seasoned umami soup it is sitting in! Onions taste like cocktail onions, so the acidity cuts through the rich umami.
- cauliflower head with mint and almonds - cooked perfectly, I believe it was roasted then finished on the grill - fantastic veg accompaniment.
- gem cos - I felt was over dressed with balsamic.
- mandarin sorbet - extremely strong mandarin flavoured sorbet that has the bitter after-taste, it is suspended in a clear yuzu juice. Visually appealing and indeed interesting and nice, but even the small portion size is way too much, if the portion size was a 50 cent piece I would have enjoyed it more. Bitter after taste was too overpowering. Perhaps it is not mandarin season...
- burnt pav with white chocolate and lemon - let me start by saying I HATE pavlova. It's too sweet, has an unpleasant mouthfeel, especially those store bought from Woollies or Coles. But the Ester Pav is AMAZING! Visually it looks like a S'more roasted marshmallow with ice cream. But the mouthfeel is WOW- it's a chewy dense moist pavlova - these guys know how to create a magical pavlova! White choc cream on pavlova is just so dreamy I could have this again and I don't have a sweet tooth!
- to finish, sourdough ice cream - fantastic, but only one serving to share between 2 people.
Imagine a vanilla ice cream that is not too sweet and tastes like the inside of a bread- it is wheaty in flavour with a hint of yeast. It sounds odd but it tastes delightful. They've also sprinkled sourdough crumbs on top - yum.
Thank you Ester.
I had the degustation menu in Quay 10 months prior and Quay fails next to Ester in value, quality, experience and portion.
Ester does not play too much with gastronomy.
Ester uses quality ingredients and allows them to shine through with the right flavour combination and good execution in preparation and presentation.
So much love for the Ester staff!
Loved this restaurant! The service was fantastic and every dish was delicious in its own right. My favourite dishes were the blood sausage and potato bread. Will definitely be back!
Eat the potato bread and your life's problems will disappear.
This place is very special and jumps in the mix with other modern Australian restaurants in Sydney. Great wine selection and very nice wait staff.
Some flavours can be a little intense, but I love where they are headed.
Food was good. Service was good. Price was good.
Very fine dining experience in an affordable price range.
Definitely a return on the list. Like all other good restaurants - traffic is a bit tricky.
I loved this place.I had the tasting menu and were particularly blown away by the prawns. Unbelievable. I'll be back, most likely over and over again.
Mitha Komala | @mithakomala
+5
One of the best restaurants and bars ever 😍✨
MUST ORDER: bread with caviar & jelly, egg pasta, shrimps, quail, and ALL OF THEIR DESSERTS (esp leftover sourdough icecream).
Food comes around 15 mins. Amazing and friendly service!
Ester is a trendy restaurant with rustic interior. Pictured are roasted oysters with horseradish emulsion, Moreton Bay bug with salt & pepper sauce (cooked to perfection with just the right amount of spiciness) and quail with salted egg yolk, cauliflower with almond & mint.
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Tucked away in the back streets of Chippendale, Ester carried both a relaxed and serious atmosphere. The relaxed atmosphere came from its concrete walls and warehouse feel – none of the stiff white table cloth setting. The serious atmosphere came from watching their staff including the chefs and bartender work their magic – you could just tell that they were serious about getting the food right.
The set menu was excellent value for $88, and took the difficult decision of choosing from my dining companion and me. By the time the larger plates were served, I was absolutely stuffed but pushed on nonetheless.
The meal began with one of my favourite courses of any meal, the bread. You get a massive slice of the sourdough with some cultured butter, and I could just tell, as a carb lover, that it would be satisfying. Dark brown in colour, with a strong crust on the outside but super fluffy on the inside. The only downside was that it was absolutely huge and I was torn between finishing the whole slice and saving my stomach for the rest of the meal – ultimately eating the whole slice and hoping for the best won out.
This was followed by several smaller plates. My favourite was the roasted rock oyster (1 each) with sake and pepperberry sauce. The oyster was extremely juicy and flavoursome. The raw kingfish, sashimi style was also nice.
The interesting dishes for me though were the corn fritters and the blood sausage sanga (sandwich). The corn fritter was different to other corn fritters I have had and looked more like fried fish, but the server had me sold as soon as he told me it had fermented chilli. The corn was served as if you sliced down one side of your cob of corn, cooked this, and then layered on parmesan cream and fermented chilli on top.
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For the full review, visit imhangry.net/2018/12/29/ester-chippendale/
Fantastic night at Ester - five star service from arrival to departure, everything that arrived at the table was great, interesting beautifully prepared dishes. The flathead, at $50 not cheap, but worth it. Melt in your mouth good. Ditto the char siu pork neck, I licked the bowel. The iceberg salad with Green Goddess dressing was a blast from my past, the roasted pea salad, the quality of the wine list, the 'vibe' ... Ester is a winner
A very solid 4 and probably one of the better restaurants we’ve visited this year.
Every dish definitely was oozing finesse and we could definitely see the extra steps that were taken. Honestly we’d be quite happy just having the same dishes - they were all hits!
Maybe a potential candidate for a 5, we’ll be back to see if they deserve that consistency point :)
Staff were great and super friendly! Managed to get a table at the bar as a walk in on a Monday but I think this was mostly luck. Moreton bay bug and the fried Jerusalem artichoke were the highlights.
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+3 standard starting pts for location, food, and service.
+1 An incredibly well curated food experience
+1 Amazing ingredients, artistic execution.
-0.5 flathead wing was overcooked and bitter
Set menu $88 pp. Breakdown:
Highlights:
1. Roasted Rock Oysters: sweet, buttery, do yourself a favour and get two or three.
2. Jerusalem Artichoke: egg butter was the star, I didn’t think butter could be richer, but boy was I wrong. The little gem of an artichoke was like a potato from heaven, satisfying without starchy grainy-ness, subtle artichoke flavour enhances by the char and seasoning.
3. Blood Sausage Sanga: I really appreciated the bread! I guess I was foolish to expect a typical white bread, but it was steamed and reminiscent of an asian steamed bread/bao. As was the whole dish though more subtly so. It was a wonderful surprise.
4. Burnt Pav: perfection. Cream for richness, delicate almond and egg white flavour, texture from the crisp outside, tartness from the lemon curd, complexity from the browning
The Good:
5. Bread and butter! Sourdough had great bounce and was satisfying. Cultured butter had it’s thunder stolen from it by the egg butter as the artichokes came at the same time. The only “starter” dish that didn’t hit the highlights.
6. King Prawns: Sucker-punches you in the face with ocean flavour. Koji was the highlight, seaweed with some sweetness, it was so aromatic. Really intense though, so I understand its standalone placement on the set menu running order.
The so-so:
Cauliflower, gem cos, steak trio. All good main fare. Almonds under the cauliflower were wonderfully aromatic, and you can taste the pure richness of the shitake sauce under the steak. Onions were nice and tart without the raw sharp bite. Gem cos was oh so refreshing.
The bad:
Overcooked fish :( flesh was dry, and the bitter charred top made it worse. Sauce would have allowed natural sweetness to show.
Drinks:
Soda is not sweet, a pleasant point of difference.
Ambience:
Comfortable, unpretentious, perfect for a good conversation.
As a Melburnian visiting this place, I had high expectations and it did not disappoint! I tried an ‘orange’ wine, the viognier which was good paired with everything we had. The highlights were probably the potato bread, king prawns and sourdough ice cream though everything was good.
Helen | Grab Your Fork
+5
Potato bread with kefir cream is a long-running menu favourite, and with good reason. The puffy and blistered potato bread bun, dusted with sea salt and singed at the very edges, is reason enough to celebrate. It's splitting open the bread, watching the steam escape, and then slathering on as much kefir cream, dashi jelly and trout roe as you can. There's the soft bun, the cool hit of umami, a slight tang to the kefir cream and then those little pops of brine.
We had the tasting menu and ordered king prawns on the side. Thoroughly enjoyed all of the dishes from Ester! The king prawns are a must! You know you truly enjoyed a restaurant when you are already planning a next visit before you walked out of their door :)
Everything on their menu is so yummy!!! Been here twice and have not been disappointed. They change the menu often and some things that I wanted to try again weren’t there. But The potato bread and oysters are always on the menu and is a must try! For dessert the leftover sourdough was my favourite, literally can’t find it anywhere.
Sydney Food Enthusiast
+5
Last night was my second visit to Ester and it did not disappoint. The service was extremely attentive - I love it when the waiters recommend their favourite dishes!
We tried the potato galette, the fermented potato bread, lamb, the twice cooked quail, and the burnt pav and sourdough ice cream were must get dishes for dessert!
Absolutely phenomenal. Came for a late dinner and had snacks mains and one dessert. The standouts are really hard to name because they were all so tasty. Blood sausage sanga was amazing, and the kingfish collar head and belly is such a good idea. All meat tastes better when you're scraping it off the bones with your teeth and this was no exception. Also, what the hell was with that sourdough icecream?? I took a bite and giggled because it was so good. Aside from the food, we felt very well looked after by the floor staff. Thank you to the lovely waitress for recommending a take home bag when I looked to embarrassed to ask for one, and to the waiter who recommended the pinot, nice one! The third glass was the killer. All in all just a great night, 100% coming back.
Here, although flying solo, I felt comfortable, seated at the bar nestled between the chefs slaving in the kitchen and a couple struggling to decide what deliciousness to choose from the menu. Keeping my decision process simple, I selected the $88 tasting and asked Nick at the bar to keep the drinks coming. What arrived mostly delighted me, from the earthy Jerusalem artichoke with a heavenly egg butter to the silky savouriness of the potato pasta. One dish floored me. The blood sausage sanga is deserving of its revered place on the menu with that oh so satisfying primal snappy bite of meat underpinned by the softest, pillowy, fluffy, steamed white bread you’ve ever had in your life.
Dessert was less memorable, a lovely whole mandarin sorbet but accompanied by an overly sweet pear caramel custard that felt a little afterthought-y.
Service was excellent. This is a restaurant for all occasions. Make one up if you have to. Just don’t miss it.
I was excited to try Ester, I’d heard very good things and the menu looked good. The space is excellent and service attentive. The food was all delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal (I’ve uploaded photos separately) - I’ve not given it 5, only because I wasn’t “wowed”... I’d give it 4.5 if the app allowed half marks.
Really wonderful restaurant. Went with my fiancee on Chinese NYE and the service was perfect (we were a little fussy aswell). They took great care of us and were very attentive with my fiancees no corriander request. All the dishes were unique, creative and delicious. The food was not pretentious at all, i felt they put more effort into making the food look real and taste delicious than making it look arty etc. We had the $88 set menu which for that price and with the amount of food and variety it was VERY good value.
Favourite dish would be the potato bread as it was so tasty and unique. Its a restaurant for some one who just wants to eat tasty food and not have a $400 bill at the end of the night. We spent $200 with drinks.
Would highly recommend this and would put it on par with the best restaurants Sydney has to offer. Great stuff Ester! will be back!!!!
Lily The Frugal Foodie
+3.5
It would be a lie to say I wasn't looking forward to Ester. The dishes sounded interesting and the reviews were all so positive. Did it live up to my expectations? The food was good but not wow like the impression I'd been given.
We booked ahead of time and got seats at the bar. I really liked this as I liked to watch the drinks being made. The folks were so very friendly and service was exceptional.
We ordered several dishes including the fermented potato bread, roasted oysters, tuna, blood sausage sanga, potato pasta and the prawns in miso butter. My overall impression was that the foods were very rich and heavily seasoned. I really struggled to continue to eat at some points because of the amount of salt. I found myself wanting plain bread or something not flavored to help eat it all.
Out of the savory dishes my favorites were the potato pasta and the prawns. For dessert, the left over sourdough icecream was really good, loved the texture. For us, the custard tart was not great.
The food was amazing and the ingredients were very fresh. Love the atmosphere for a Friday night out. Staff was very friendly but was too busy that missed an order.
Knowing that the menu will be updated frequently, I’d definitely come back for more surprises.
Ester
17th December, 2017
Malt sourdough bread
(The signature house bread with enough flavour to be enjoyed on its own, but ideally substantial to soak up all the delicious broths and sauces from the various dishes)
Calamari and lardo on a stick
(Rich, smokey, delicious flavours)
Eggplant, wattleseed, enoki mushrooms
(The eggplant is so soft it just becomes liquid in the mouth, the enoki provides a chewy contrast, and everything was just laid back in a delicious broth bath)
Grouper, sea succulents, burnt shallots
(Perfectly set seared grouper in a deliciously rich shallot broth)
King prawns, fermented prawn butter, capers
(Intensely strong flavours, the creamy prawn roe contrasted with the just-right chewiness of the prawn meat and the crunchiness of the fried capers, every last drop of the sauce needs to be mopped up obsessively with bread and savoured)
Hanger steak, onion, anchovy
(Full of charred meat flavour)
Sourdough ice cream, black sesame
(Delicious!)
This place needs no introduction. It became one of the hottest restaurants in Sydney shortly after it opened in 2013. Then in 2015, it was awarded best new restaurant by SMH Good Food. Currently, it’s a 2-hatted restaurant. All forms of online food media and Sydney’s best chefs have always raved about Ester. I would say this is currently my favourite restaurant in Sydney.
Good food and wine. Atmosphere was relaxed but can be busy and noisy. Good service and attention to detail. Best dish was raw beef on crisps. Not cheap but good for Sunday lunch.
Have been to Ester twice now and will happily go again and again. Food is exceptional, knowing how to highlight certain ingredients and the menu changes continues to delight. Service is amazing, the setting is cosy, minimal and elegant, perfect for dates, celebrations, or a lovely Friday night out. Wine selection is also stunning, and their Instagram game is also on point 👌🏻
It has taken us a while to get around to visiting Ester, but now that we have experienced their famous wood fired oven firsthand we finally understand the hype as every item we had off their menu was pitch perfect in terms of flavour and execution. We got to watch the kitchen in full swing from our seats at the bar and decided to start off our dinner with their Roasted Rock Oysters with a delicious horseradish emulsion which brought out the freshness of the bivalves. The delicately smoky flavour of the dish cemented my view that oysters are best enjoyed lightly roasted so that they are halfway cooked.
ester is top game contemporary dining. It's not over the top, exuberant cooking, but rather cooking that truly celebrates ingredients for what they are and showcases them at their very best, in ways that make you want to come to try again and again. The menu is a mix of small and larger plates designed to share. Each dish is a combination of two or three main ingredients that read simply on paper, but transform into clever, refined dishes on the table. Make sure you try the insanely delicious desserts and top-notch potato bread.
Visited at lunch time on Sunday. It got busier while we were served. Better to book in advance. We had set menu which contains 8-9 course. Food was sophisticate and delicate, not too much high-end style. Kind staff and nice service made us perfectly enjoy meals while the restaurant seems bistro rather than fine-dining.
Nested in a small alleyway in Chippendale, Ester serves seasonal local produce with some that are prepared in the old fashioned way using a wood fire oven while at the same time embracing modern flavours. . Fried Chickpeas (Complimentary). While waiting for our food to arrive, we were offered some fried chickpeas to snack on. The rosemary gave the chickpeas some nice flavour, but overall they were a bit oily.
The first dinner with my baby D, his favourite restaurant in Sydney. We had the unforgettable roasted duck on our first dinner. Really amazing food!
Nothing to complain about this place. Delicious food, friendly staff and a fine selection of wine. Speaking of the food, raw beef is an amazing surprise. The sweet potato chips that served with the raw beef just made everything perfect! I think it is my favourite dish from tonight. All the other dishes are fantastic too! Amazing combination of flavours, orange with kingfish, blood sausage with milk bread and potato pasta with anchovy soup. I think I'll go back and try everything on the menu!
This was nice and reasonable priced restaurant. i loved the entree dishes, the main were good but not as memorable. i would recommend the oysters and the king fish entree. the blood sausage was a very interesting dish, not one of my favorites but definitely worth a try.
this was a great spot for a date, the lightening was just perfect and the atmosphere is amazing and the staff are lovely.
Everything was absolutely beautiful! The stand out dish was the Cauliflower. I usually don't eat cauliflower but this was exceptional. The desserts were amazing as well. Would definitely reccommed!
Wow, just YUM and so cosy. We loved this restaurant... book ahead as seats are limited although they have a few seats for walk-ins. We were a group of 5 so we booked a Thursday evening table for 7:30 PM (so no 2 hour seating limits).
Loved the menu and we got bits of everything - cauliflower, huge prawns with miso butter, potato bread, steak on the bone, chicken, steak tartare. Everything was so yummy and immaculate. The leftover sourdough ice cream was delicious too although we were mixed on the 3 milks dessert (a 'savoury' dessert).
The wine list is mostly organic stuff so not the usual stuff you'd expect although the riesling was very food. The waiters are very good at guiding diners through the menus and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening.
Wow... what an amazing experience. I made a last minute booking for my wife's bday and managed to get a table by the bar. The restaurant is small and snug but packed full of seats. The each dish that came out was creative and a work of art. I usually find that restaurants that get too creative generally don't taste too good, but Ester totally smashed it out of the ball park.
Must try: blood sausage sando, kingfish, and oysters.
The drinks were a tad bit expensive.
Went there for accompanied friends and the food were so nice, unfortunately, some highly recommended menus were not available at that time, however, the friendly and nice services also splendid! Love all of it and will visit again as soon as possible!
Lovely food, good value and nice wine recommendations from the waiter. I took 1.5 stars off because the bread was missing the salmon roe. This was one of the dishes I was looking most forward to. I thought perhaps they'd run out of the ingredient but later saw pictures on Instagram from the same night with the roe so I am not sure why ours was missing such a crucial element. Really disappointed by this.
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This was my second visit to Ester and I haven't been there in nearly two years. We went for dinner on a Monday night and the restaurant filled up pretty quickly. We had a look over the menu and it was quickly decided that we would order the dry aged grass fed sirloin on the bone for main so we decided the rest of the dishes based around this. We ordered two king prawns in fermented shrimp butter and capers that was served as our entrée, it was perfectly cooked with the prawns dripping in the butter. We also order the Galette which is thin slices of potato layered on top of each other and served in smoked whey (cream) and Kombu that had a crispy top layer. The Galette was another great dish but after two dishes that had a lot of butter and cream the meal was starting to feel a bit rich. We looked through the rest of the menu and were hoping for a side of green vegetables or something to break through the richness but unfortunately there wasn't any and we had to settle for the Cos, pumpkin seed and praline. The lettuce was ok and I did enjoy the pumpkin seeds but it didn't really do the trick and for $16, I probably wouldn't order it again. Finally it was time for the Sirloin on the bone which was served with a scoop of butter on the top, the steak was cooked rare, juicy and tender with a nice charred flavour. I enjoyed each of the dishes but found by the end of the meal it was so heavy that it needed some other dishes that didn't contain butter or rich flavours to provide some relief.
Had the banquet and there was so much food! We struggled to eat everything between 2 people, was good value for our money. Was great to try different items from the menu, definitely great variety.
Favourite courses was the prawns with a Vegemite like sauce and the squid ink dumplings had a great texture.
Didn't know what to expect for dessert - leftover sourdough ice cream and 3 milks but it was delicious! I love dessert and these desserts did not disappoint. Not too sweet but interesting subtle flavour combos.
Would come again!
I was there for a pop-up event. As far as I remember is a chef from Tasmania or alike...? Anyways, food is above average, one dish is definitely recommended but not recorded in my picture is the smoked pig head!! Sounds a bit odd but is a star!!
so I had my go on the degustation menu and my word was it great. not only would you dine satisfied but filled. service was friendly, atmosphere was vibrant yet intimate and warm and the blood sausage sangas were a true ripper
To celebrate a birthday, we came here for a nice fine dining experience in ordering the set 8 course meal. Each course was quickly delivered and spaced out accordingly between the entrees, main and dessert. Though there were some misses for us, - the cauliflower, kangaroo jerky we found majority to be delicious especially the potato bread, pasta, flank steak and sourdough ice cream. The service was also impeccable and accomodating with lovely waiters and staff. At $82 per person the set menu is definitely the way to go if you would like to experience a host of very different courses and not be disappointed!
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Ester is extremely low key in atmosphere and hype, and hidden away in one of the emptier streets of Chippendale. Even during the quieter end of service there is a welcoming warmth to reassure that you're in good company. Like Ester's styling, the food is simple and no-fuss, each dish boldly plated in its simplest form, no blurring or brightening with herbs or flowers that don't add. Nothing could in fact add. Ester's food is simple but in no way basic, with complexity and thought in every single dish.
The Potato bread has a rounded rock-like appearance, but is spongy and soft and screaming to be lathered in the creamy rich milk kefir and dashi jelly. Butter doesn't stand a chance. The horseradish emulsion give the oysters a velvety, creamy tang, yet slightly messy to handle from generous toppings. The leaf salad appears basic, yet hidden below the depth of green lie the creamy, nutty praline which take it beyond your standard leaf salad. There are spices in amongst the toasted seed clusters which are coated in this creamy dressing. The king prawn lives up to name, and the fleshy prawn is laid across a large plate coated in a gorgeous golden-brown, umami-rich butter and finger lime. Despite the richness the sweet flesh of the prawn still stands out.
The whole flounder takes up a similar approach with herb oil to soften the flavours in the reduction. The riberries give it this warm bright burst of cardamon. The almond sauce in the cauliflower has a similar texture to the praline in the leaf salad. It's creamy and the whole dish is wintery and warming, with the mint only subtle. We finished with the Sunday-only Canele and the Three Milks. The Caneles are small in stature and have a deep brown dense outer shell. The Three milks show different textures and consistencies, and the strawberry gum gave a beautiful fragrant berry and somewhat light gingery flavour. Its a clean dish to finish on to cut the heavy menu.
Staff were attentive and keen to explain dishes and some ingredients during our visit. Dining toward the end of service and witnessing the lead up to close, we didn't feel rushed at any point. The menu is a little heavy, rustic and rich, and so a fantastic pick for the blistering nights during winter. I cant say too much more regarding service as for me my visit to Ester was really for the food.
Awesome quality food. The corn was amazing - roasted/charred and creamy - Im salivating thinking back of it. King prawns are also a must try!
Look forward to coming back.
Loved the Ambience and the service.
Best to reserve before going to secure a table.
Loved the food despite the limited menu.
Menu changes from time to time which allows new/fresh dishes to try each time.
There was a live, moving caterpillar on our cheddar pie (on the salad leaves)! But other than that, the food was great. The staff were very friendly.
Delicious! Too hard to pick dishes so we went with the set menu. Couldn't pick a favourite dish as they were all so good. Such great flavour combos and contrast between textures! If I had to choose, the squid ink ball was incredible, as was the three milk dessert - so well balanced, not too rich or sweet. Wine list was different but the choice we made was great.
Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. They allowed time to digest and chat between courses. Be aware you do have to stick to the alloyed time if you have the first sitting. We were made well aware of this by staff though!
Great night out and highly recommended
Short walk from Central station, the place is hidden amongst a quiet street within Chippendale. The potato bread with dashi jelly entree and prawns mains were the highlight dishes of the evening. We dipped the bread in the sauce for the prawns. Cauliflower and salt baked marron were average. Overall a nice dining experience.
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My best friend was visiting from London and he wanted me to take him to one of my favourite restaurants in Sydney. This wasn't exactly the easiest task for me as there's so many favourites but one that stood out for me is Ester. Because my friend left it so late, the only online booking was a table at 10pm on a Saturday. I called to check if they had any earlier times available and they were happy to accommodate the 4 of us on a smaller than usual table as it was the last table for the time we were after. 5 days prior to our reservation I emailed a request for them to change us to a bigger table if they had availability. When we arrived, they informed us that they were able to get us a bigger table. I was super happy and was a big highlight for me! We had 6 dishes between the 4 of us and the restaurant gave us a complimentary dish which had cauliflower, almond sauce & mint. All dishes were packed full of flavour and well balanced! I didn't get to eat dessert this time round but have tried their desserts here before and I enjoyed it. Service was exceptional and vibe was great.
Been wanting to try Ester for a while, got the chance to last week. Booking is essential cause it is always busy. Got the bar seating but its enough space, one of the waiter serving us looks like one of the guy from swedish house mafia 😁. We ordered the squid ink dumpling, the tongue (which is really tender n delicious), kingfish, king prawn and the sirloin.. for desserts we got the roast pineapple, which i found the taste is unique and nice. overall score kinda tells that all the foods here are good.. a defo come back for this place..
After all the hype and difficulties trying to get into this place I popped in for a quiet weekday lunch. I had the kingfish and clams, which were executed well though the serving size was a little stingy for the price. I counted ten little clams. Overall the food was good but there's better value for money and more exciting dishes around the corner at Kensington Street Social.
we ordered the squid dumplings (which when it came out didn't look that appetizing but boy was it good!), the prawns (well cooked & seasoned beautifully)
, steak with picked carrots & black garlic cream (the combination of everything together was superb) and raddichio salad (extremely well balanced)
finished off with burnt pav (balanced so well) and leftover sourdough ice cream (so good!)
service was good, polite and efficient. though if they were friendlier, it would push the rating to a 5. the setting itself is also really nice and not too noisy either - great first date place!
we were well full, and dinner ended up $55 each for 2 of us. I was initially considering the degustation for $75 but the couple next to us seemed like they were struggling to finish.
probably one of the best meals I've had in Australia! definitely will come back if I'm ever in Sydney again
This restaurant was amazing! The food was exquisite and the service was superb. I highly recommend the raw kingfish - one of my favourites from tonight! Can't recomment enough!
One of my favourite places in Sydney. They were able to contact me via email and text to find a booking and then accommodate to a no wheat egg dairy and nut diet. They sat me through the menu and explained what I could have and what could be changed. I couldn't have the set menu but was able to still have about 7 dishes. The sausage sanga, chicken tomahawk & brussel sprouts were my highlights. Definitely can't wait to get there again soon!
Ester had been on our to-eat list for some time now. When it was recently ranked no. 5 on AFR’s top 100 restaurants in 2016, and the only top 5 restaurant in Sydney that we hadn’t yet tried, we made it our mission to dine there soon. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to secure a last minute reservation on a Friday night.
Don't Believe The Hype
+3.5
I left with mixed feelings, some dishes were fantastic e.g Crispy squid dumplings but then much of the menu wasn't too exciting. The food was done well but there just wasn't a 'hook' for me that will get me going back.
Service 4/5
Menu and Food 3.5/5
Venue 3.5/5
Drinks 3.5/5
Value 3.5/5
Delicious food, good wine selection, great service, and fairly good value. Bone marrow dish especially yummy. Table sizing is a bit small, but fits in with that relaxed surryhills hip style atmosphere.
The Foodie Mookie crew has interstate guests arriving who are on a budget but want to go somewhere special. Ester immediately springs to mind with its casual environment, stellar menu and very reasonable pricing. Mookie makes the booking, we have been multiple times previously, so the staff recognise the name – always nice. We meet our guests for the later seating and have to stand an wait for a little while (there is not much by way of waiting space) but the table is soon available. This is the fifth time we have dined at the formidable, wood-fired Ester and again we are not disappointed. (Note: the photos below are from Ester at lunchtime which had much nicer lighting!)
Randomness_of_existence
+4.5
Ester is a restaurant that lives up to it's reputation.
Came here with a large group of friends for a birthday lunch and was delighted to see what was on the set menu.
All the dishes were outstanding. I particularly love the blood sausages, which I was hesitant to eat at first, so glad I did! The squid empanadas was so tasty and so was the burnt butter prawns. Just a note, save some bread so you can dip them into the sauce from the prawns. It is to die for! I was surprised with the cauliflower dish, the grilled flavours with the taste from the dressing was a great combination. Very well cooked!
For the amount of people in our group, the staff was very friendly, patient and attentive. Will definitely come back another time for the new menu.
Read alot of good reviews about this place. But for me and my friends we thought it was okay.
We had the set menu. I think my favourite would be the kingfish, that was yummy.
Some people raves on about the bone marrow dish but i didn't like it that much as it was too fatty tasting for me.
I guess it depends on your taste buds but definitely worth checking out.
Crab was deliciously juicy. Highlights of the night baked oysters, cauliflower, crab, and dessert. Service was a bit rushed which put a slight damper on the night, waiters should spend a bit more time explaining what's in the dish to enhance the experience. Overall good food, good wine and pretty good value for money!
Princess Greedy Guts
+4.5
Ester is a contemporary, modern & relaxed space with beautiful archways & tall stools at the bar for drinking & dining. Service is friendly, personable, professional & knowledgeble. The food showcases & eclectic mix of tastes that shape Sydney diners. Even simple bread is delicious with that light char taste from the woodfired oven giving it the crunchy crust. Food is designed to share & nothing is boring. The kimchi flavours accompanying the unctuous bone marrow provides balance to what can be an overly rich dish. The beef tartare is out of this world with those addictive house made chips. And dessert... order it all if you dare because you will not be able to choose a favourite. There is also an unusual wine list for the adventurous & a helpful knowledgeable sommelier at the handy. You may even spot a celebrity or two if your lucky.
Ester is a sensational spot to dine. I've been there several times - lunch and dinner and have never been disappointed. The share plates are good if you like to try a lot of different food without having to eat a whole dish to yourself. Highlights were the bone marrow and blood sausage sanga. Always ask if there are specials as they may have something different to try too and remember to book ahead! You can often wait for a free table, but it is much better to book and guarantee your seat. Ester is a wood-fired, rustic delight and most definitely on my favourites list.
Food was good , but not much variety. had a Seat on the bar stools which were very uncomfortable so suggest getting table seats. Place is cosy nice and small quite hidden restaurant. Enjoyed the squid dumplings and the bone marrow was delcious but very oily. Mains had mud crab this was cooked beautifully and so juciy and simply. Dessert had 3 milks looked pretty boring but it tasted amazing!!
Love this place and can't wait to head back. Had the set menu w my pops for my birthday. Food, service, wine were spot unpretentious but spot on. Acoustics worked well even though it's quite minimal. Great place if your hearing is not too great but your tastebuds are still intact.
@eatingupwiththehannashians
+4.5
You can easily come here and order the whole menu to share and expect to pay less than $100 each including cocktails (which is what we did when we came here), and there were 6 of us. The food here is incredible, fantastic service, fab dessert/drinks. Perfect for Friday night dining. The bread however is a tad too burnt for my liking but the butter they give you is AMAZE! LOVE THIS PLACE!
Its been a while since ive visited this place and im so glad the three milks dessert is still on the menu because i love it. I also highly recommend the beef tartare. Customer service is great but seems like the people that go there dont like people around them taking food photos as i had one lady who ive seen on tv beside me last night having a bitch to the waiter about food going cold. Not sure why it was a concern for her as she wasnt paying for my food ... she must have been upset i wasnt taking photos of her.
Overall a great restaurant experience. The highlight was dessert. I had the three milks which was absolutely heavenly. Ricotta, panna cotta and cream, with thick caramel and crunchy bits. My friend had the burnt pav which was also great but was not in the same category as the three milks. I had the spatchcock for the main which was delicious (but didn't blow my taste buds) and my friend the Blue Swimmer Crab but she was disappointed with it as there wasn't all that much on it. We had the cauliflower as a side dish which was nice but I expected more. For the starters, I had the blood sausage sanga which was really flavoursome and my friend the vegetarian dumplings which tasted fresh and yum. The wines were great. Regarding the service, the waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly but there was a long wait in between starters and mains. Despite this, I would definitely go back.
Sunday lunch. Had the set menu all the food was exceptionl, wine and The Somalia were fantastic relaxed calm atmosphere and great service thoroughly recommend it!
The burnt pav is to die for. It was my favourite thing on the menu. Everything else is delicious, it is, but the meals all had very intense strong flavours. Like the chef is trying to punch you in the mouth with flavour. So i recommend small bites to make the most of that. The atmosphere is great, the staff are fantastic and the portions are really good for this type of restaurant. Im glad we went but im not sure i would go back. Just because the food was too intense for me. I would however recommend going here at least once.
Ester to me is that cool friend who sits on the peripheral of your friendship circle. You’re aware of her presence and you know she’s awesome but fate and busy schedules have conspired such that neither of you ever ended up having that brunch date. 2016 is all about doing the things you always say ‘you wish’ you could be doing, so a series of Whatsapp messages with Jeff and Sarah landed me a pre-birthday celebratory lunch with them. Mom and her childhood friend are in town so we squeeze more people in because more is always merrier when it comes to food.
Ester is a restaurant that has been on my wish list for a little while now. I finally had the chance to visit with my family and it lived up to its expectations. With a wood-fired oven as the focal point of its kitchen, the flavours of the food really shines through. For ease of ordering, we opted for the $72 set menu.
What a place. The minute you walk in its got that 'this is going to be good' feel. The waitresses are spot on and the service is incredible. The food is amazing. We had the steak tartare to start, calamari dumplings and the black sausage. Followed by the chicken, prawns and cauliflower. All mouth-wateringly delicious. Dessert, well wow, the choc and liquorice tart, the salted caramel ice cream, pavlova and the three milks. Everything was amazing. It is quite dear so make sure you're prepared.
been hearing tons of great things about this place before I finally went here. and yes! The food is simple but super tasty and delicious. Got the Crab Toast, it was crazy yummy, so good, mind blowing! Mooloolaba prawns were freshly caught at 2am on the day we had them. Bone Marrow with chilli and toast is definitely a must! Cauliflower with almond and mint is everyone's favourite! I love it, its the champion! Flank steak was tasty but a bit too raw for my liking so I didnt really enjoy chewing it. Overall, this place is the place to go for yummy dishes without being too fancy or pricey. and perfect place for a date night❤️
The type of restaurants that I will highly recommend with both quantity and quality. The 1kg T bone was served so tender and delicious, and I can say it is enough for 3ppl to share. The king prawns and beef tartare were also terrific.
A fabulous dining experience. The set menu worked so well, but probably too much food. The setting is great, in particular for solo diners. The prawns in burnt butter with capers was the stand out dish of the night.
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Tucked into a quiet corner with well lit, hipster ambience, I walked into this place with a friend who highly recommended it after trying their set menu. I was not disappointed, in fact our meal consisted of 6 entrees and no mains for $110 for two. Of note, they had around 15 entrees compared to the 4 mains on offer.
Each dish was superb, though a tad on the salty side making me reach for the ester pineapple soda to quench the thirst. Overall, a place I would recommend to colleagues and friends :)
In order of recommendation:
1. bone marrow- beautifully textured and seasoned with chilli paste, with bread to balance the richness
2. deep fried cuttlefish dumplings- unexpectedly black, but surprising texture hidden beneath a crusty layer topped with salt. maybe cut back on the salt on this
3. calamari salad- their green and yellow sauce really complimented the thinly sliced calamari pieces mixed in with various other vegetable textures
4. prawns- easily manouvred out of their shells, their succulent meat was complimented by the balasamic zest and lemon squeeze
NOT recommended
- pippies: the vinagrette and pepper sauce overwhelmed, and somehow marred than enhance the flavour of the pippies.
- raw kingfish: this is best left to the japanese sashimi masters. They tried marrying dried orange, mirin and some creamy sauce but I must say simple is best when eating raw fish since you're eating it for the fresh texture than the flavour of other combinations
SERVICE
They seem to have a balance of attentive and eye-avoiding waitresses, though the male waiter seems to be the most watchful and attentive. Our first waitress communicated beautifully, even suggesting and letting us know our prawn dish would come with 3 than 4 to share between two, so we went with 4 :). I had a hard time trying to adjust an order, and asking for the bill (it took us 3 goes) but we got there eventually.
Had the best night at Esters, super helpful waitstaff and great environment. More importantly,the food was delicious!!! Well sized and not too expensive for a special night out. I went with my vegetarian sister and was a bit sad that I didn't have someone to share meat dishes with, but I didn't feel like I missed out at all. The cauliflower and brocollini are both delicious, with the carrots the stand out dish of the night.
Yes. Yes. Yes. On point. Bone marrow is a must. I could have eaten it all night. Prawns nice and firm and the sauce is delicious when you dip some bread in it. Mmmm steak tartare was good. 1kg t-bone was great, I love the fact they didn't ask you how you want your steak cooked. It comes our medium rare. Hats off to the chef for sticking to his guns.. Respect!!! The mixed leaf salad dressing was amazing. Salted caramel semi Fredo the perfect sized dessert to end with.
Really awesome menu. Simple and delicious.
We had the prawns and oysters to start - the oysters are a must! The horseradish doesn't overpower and the flavour is amazing.
Flank steak and fish for mains, carrots on the side (from the entree menu).
I don't usually order desserts but the three milks dessert was a surprise at every mouthful. The only qualm I have is the price, it is very simple food but it is done really well, so we will be back!
Came here for a birthday dinner and can say I was pleasantly surprised. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Had a mix of starters and mains: would recommend the bone marrow, T bone (great for sharing, we were a group of 6 and as the waitress told us it definitely wow'd us all when it was placed on the table) & blood sausage. Food is reasonably priced for a 2 hatted restaurant
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Ester may very well be Sydney’s ‘it’ restaurant of the moment. I can see why. Hard to get into but they allow some seating at the bar. The waiters all seem to be various degree of hipster. The food has its own personality. They do offer a banquet option, but it’s not the fussy old-style degustation (which I happen to like). They’re hearty plates to share, combining a home-dining feel with something really upscale, as if you were pals with a really amazing cook who agreed to let you into his industrial kitchen.
So, the typical dishes were: bone marrow, with an awesome sauce and even the bread, charred from the grill tasted awesome.
The duck was crazily tasty and rich. Perfectly crispy skin. Very rich. Very more-ish. Not a delicate individual serving, yet not something you’d be able to cook at home.
Some yummy peas and corn (again with a charred, smoky, grilled theme) was particularly liked by our group of three; oh, and the wine list is really good. We had a very interesting orange wine, and a lovely, almost effervescent bio-dynamic white. It’s not a cheap wine list, but it’s a goody. Treat yourself.
We were far too full to have dessert, and it was kind of fun to be too full to try too many dishes. It’s impetus to come back again. Nice atmosphere. Great staff. They didn’t mind us packing up the extra pieces of duck to take home (how could we waste that, it was delicious on a salad the next day for lunch!).
Seems like Chippendale is the new Hippendale in Sydney, with new restaurants and a gallery and residents moving in. And Ester’s obviously led the way.
Simple furnishings, relaxed ambience, attentive service and most importantly - the food, every dish was delightful. Interesting flavour in squid ink dumplings, tasty rich bond marrow went well with the sourdough served as side, and well seasoned buttery king prawns (just a touch over cooked). For main, we had the fish head and flank steak, both nicely cooked. Such a pleasant dining experience overall.
One of my favourite joint in town ! So far I have never had a bad meal here (*touchwood).
The must have are the woodfire oven roasted oysters (simply sublime), the bone marrow (juicy goodness) and the squid ink dumplings. The other dishes we had that night was equally delicious ! Friendly and attentive service, excellent food , what more can you ask for from a place ?
Restaurants in this area of Sydney are hard to get to but once you are there it is very worthwhile. The food was fantastic and the service was just right . If you are a foodie then you must try the degustation menu and at $75 each it is worth it. Each dish was interesting and had a special twist which is why this is a dinning experience . The go to dish for me was the black sausage sambo and the warmed oysters .
The photos don't do the dishes justice so do yourself a favour and try it for yourself .
this place has combined the rustic concept of wood fired dishes with some interesting flavour combinations. there aren't many vegetarian options though, unless you want to eat the half head of woodfired cauliflower (with tahini, almonds and mint) all by yourself, which is what I did!
Ester was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The venue was inviting and cosy on a cold and windy night. We were immediately seated and settled in for an evening of wonderful food. The service throughout the entire night was actually flawless. We ordered about 5 dishes in total, and as we finished one we could tell the kitchen began preparing our next dish. This meant there was a comfortable pace of food steadily delivered to us. Not once did we ask "wonder when the food is getting here?". The wine menu is vast and varied with some interesting labels I've never had the pleasure of trying. However the best aspect of the night was the food. We combined a number of fish dishes with what was by far the best pork neck I've ever eaten.
The staff/service was top notch. Drinks were terrific. Food was amazing. I'm looking forward to my next visit.
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Ester is a not-so-secret favourite of mine. The unassuming industrial frontage with its concrete walls is home to a luxe interior where you will be promptly swept away into a magical journey of tantalising dishes and forbidden treats.
On our first visit, we opted for the degustation at $65pp. The menu for the night was mostly left to the decision of the chef, with particular requests taken into consideration. To start, we had the roasted oysters, chicken liver pate and baby carrots. Even though I do not usually like oysters, these were fresh with a punchy vinaigrette and only ever so slightly warmed. Pate was insanely rich and although delicious, is not something I would order based purely on the cruelty involved. Baby carrots were tender, sweet and paired perfectly with the Parmesan purée.
Next courses included the octopus and Ester's signature bone marrow with XO. The octopus was tender and full of flavour but the real highlight was the oozy marrow that you could practically slurp straight from the bone. Don't be fooled by the portion size, this is a very fatty dish and ridiculously filling.
At this stage I was just about done but alas there was more to come. Our mains of butter prawns and roast chicken were also cooked to perfection. Neither protein was overcooked by the slightest and both retained their juices and had the perfect amount of seasoning. Then there was the quarter head of roasted cauliflower. What an ingenious side to any main. We were also provided two other leaf salads but they were uninspiring and were mostly left untouched.
I must admit, I only ever go to Ester for their desserts, namely the salted caramel ice cream. What I didn't realise was that their pavlova was just as good. The sweet, bitter, savoury combinations leave you wanting more and even though I was near exploding at this stage, I still managed to devour every last spoonful. Unfortunately the 3 milks was not to my liking as I'm not a fan of goats milk, but this didn't stop the giant smile across my face when the night came to an end.
On our second visit, we learned from the mistakes of our first trip, which was eating WAY too much food. This time we chose to order selectively and had starters of blood sausage sanga, crispy squid dumplings and beef tartare. I wasn't blown away by the dumplings but the blood sausage was the best I've had thus far. Beef tartare with mustard leaf was fresh and fragrant and ticked all the right boxes.
For mains we were convinced to order their winter special of baked pork and beans. It sounded great but sadly was not enjoyed by the table. There was far too many beans and it tasted more like a Sunday brunch meal with toast.
Service at Ester is impeccable and unobtrusive. Prices are reasonable (more like a bargain) for the experience and quality of food and I certainly hope nothing changes as they are so far on point and blowing the others out of the water.
Excellent ambiance, attentive and friendly front of house staff, some really good food. There were a handful of misses but most were hits. Of special note are the prawns which comes with the most umami butter sauce. I would have licked the plate if I wasn't in polite company! The crispy squid dumplings and beef tartare also need a mention. Superb. And the wine was pretty good too.
When it comes to what a restaurant should be this place ticks everything.
Service - Friendly, observant, helpful, honest and just laid back enough.
Food - I don't know if I've eaten better in Sydney. Made me fall in love with cauliflower.
Drinks list - Accompanied by some pretty switched on staff this list goes from good to great. Wines suggested were all on point.
Never been happier with a dining experience.
Bianca: Branching out from all things burgers, I’ve tried to make the concerted effort to eat things that generally aren’t a piece of minced beef, sandwiched between two pieces of bread. Or so I had thought…. ‘Ester’ is one of those perennially busy Sydney restaurants and stepping in for a late Sunday lunch it’s easy to see why. With a wood-fired oven at the centre piece of the kitchen’s heart, you know the food is going to be somewhat stripped back, bringing things back to basics. Without that reliance on showy tricks and techniques, just good honest to goodness bold and strong flavours, letting the ingredients sometimes in their simplest form shine through.
This one is more than a neighbourhood gem. It is worth travelling for. Innovative food made for sharing, this is a great place to come with a few friends who enjoy more than the ordinary fare. Service is fine, may be a touch snobbish, which ordering the sparking water over tap will dissipate, if you care enough. The wine list is pretty good, you can pick a few proper drops as a single glass. The food as I mentioned before is good, interesting combinations, don't be shy and order things you never thought to order. I had the pig's tail, and it was fun!
Worth checking out, and if you have to wait for your table, go check out Frida for a cocktail first.
Attracted here for the vegetarian fare which wasn't shy (think ottolenghi rather than pumpkin risotto), the meat dishes were full of flavour too. Tapas style - which we did - or you can do a three course meal. Wine list is long but typically expensive, dinner was very reasonable tho. Staff are helpful and professional. Great dining experience.
Bone marrow!!! ❤️👌
This place came out with the goods!
Entree of some fantastic dumplings and blood sausage sangas. Mains we had the bone marrow which had a hint of chilli which was served with some crusty bread, the coli, king fish sashimi (special) and some epic dessert. Check out the pics! Definitely recommended!!
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Delicious and adventurous food at Ester, I tried the Bone Marrow with Chilli Paste ($17) that you spread on brown bread, tastes a bit like buttery beef with a kick of spice.. Really tasty, I use to eat bone marrow all the time anyway so no problems when I saw this on the menu - I ordered it straight away!!
The Beef Tartare ($22) mixed with oyster and horseradish was another good dish, I love eating raw food so anything raw I order - and I was not let down. The Chicken with Garlic Bread Sauce ($36) was also quite interesting, we loved it so much with the sauce, and how it was served with whole cloves of garlic which were easy to munch down as well. It's a great dish to share between two.
Next time I visit Ester, I'll make sure to try out their dessert range as I hear it's quite amazing. Great place to go for a special dinner out, however it's a little small inside though so expect it to be quite loud inside and a little tight with space. I'd probably recommend sitting at the bar next time, or at the table by the window which seems a little more spacious than on the regular tables in the middle.
Unexpectedly good! Service was great, staff were nice and attentive. Food was actually amazing. Ordered blood sausage, baked cauliflower, chicken and semi fredo. Only down side was we booked a table for 2 but in the end we were seated at the bar. Not a major issue though.
Food was amazing but noise level was unbelievable. Why do they need such pumping music? I like to have a conversation over dinner, not a screaming match!
Pretty much a flawless meal. Innovative, creative flavour combinations, great produce, wonderful wines, cool staff. May be a bit young & noisy for some, but I guess that's the market for which Ester aims
Caramelize your appetite as you butterfly the decadent share plates offered at this hidden treasure. Located in the back streets of Chippendale, the dim-lit restaurant and bar draws in great vibes and a very relaxed environment, making it perfect for small group dinners. Roast on the creamy bone marrow, which is served with crunchy rye toast, and easily spreadable to bring out its strong flavours. Refresh your palette with a small serving of beef tartare, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, which masks the pungent mustard spice. Smoke with the aromatic grilled calamari, cooked to the ideal bouncy texture, which is given a subtle sweet taste when complemented with the carrot garnish and ink sauce.
I had a great experience at ester. Would definitely go back. Simple and tasty food. Nice wine list, not cheap, but really good. Interesting dessert too
Earlier this year, I finally got the chance to try hatted restaurant, Ester, in Chippendale for dear vxdollface's birthday. . We are the first ones in the restaurant for a weekend lunch, though the place fills up quickly after. As a larger group, we have the banquet menu; this solves the problem of deciding on what to order.
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Outstanding. Each dish was designed to share, so that is just what we did. Their unorthodox menu described several unusual ingredients. I can honesty tell you that e ach mouthful was an absolute flavourful culinary delight! We were greeted by crunchy chickpeas with salt and rosemary on arrival. My favourite dish was the Corn / Rice / Dashi, which was actually corn puree, whole corn kernels, puffed rice , shavings of dashi (Japanese stock) and surprising delightful citrus bursts of fingerlime, my new favourite ingredient. The crispy squid dumplings were also delicious, and were actually crispy squid ink dumplings with pork and cuttlefish. Another amazing dish was the Prawns / Browned Butter / Capers, which were butterflied king prawns in browned butter with fried capers and a squeeze of lemon. YUM! The other dishes we tried were Jerusalem Artichoke / Parmesan / Sunflower, Duck Fat Potatoes, Greens / Fermented Chilli / Garlic, Whole Snapper / Saltbush / Vinegar, Beef Filet / Radish. When looking at the wine list we noticed only one Australian variety and discovered it is because all the wines are organic. We tried the Australian variety which was very nice. For dessert we were delighted by the Salted Carmel Semi-Freddo, and the Chocolate / Malt / Umeshu (Japanese liqueur). Ester is accredited with two hats from the Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide, and winner of the 2014 best new restaurant!
We were presented with a complimentary appetizer of fried chickpeas with rosemary; easy to polish off in under one minute thanks to its addictive quality. One of the smaller plates that we got were the prawns with capers and l
There is no mistake that Ester Restaurant and Bar was crowned the 2014 Best New Restaurant in Sydney by Sydney Morning Herald. Everything we had there was terrific! Three milks is the one that you must order when you are there!
Ester – “an organic compound” is an interesting restaurant located in the rapidly gentrification slum area of chippendale is a winner. The food is great, the service is great and the price guide is right. Like Cafe Paci, this is one to hit. Refined dining, family style – they’ll take you places with their woodfired procession. parabolic curves. round light fittings a look at the kitchen and the bar. walls have a creamy offwhite and distressed mottling/surface. Ramp up to the main space is located behind the seats there. Menu. Ala Carte or Banquet style (per the bottom) – $65 or $89 – which should result in an almost degust styled dining experience as the food and menu had that feel to them Bread $3 pp. There was possibly a bit much and they could have served this sooner with room temperature butter – our butter was right out of the fridge and quite hard to spread. Pate. A great eating pate and the accompaniments there made this a really enjoyable starter. There was a tangerine marmal
A lot of others have recommended ordering the bone marrow if it’s available on the menu, luckily for us it was and I have to agree it’s something everyone should try. The dish itself is served with toast which you spread the bone marrow and spicy XO sauce over, very distinct in texture and wonderfully flavoursome. Fried Chickpeas, Rosemary These complimentary little fried chickpeas with a hint of rosemary were dangerously addictive. Quite an interesting and tasty snack to keep us going in between the other dishes
Does My Bomb Look Big In This
+4.5
The austere minimalism of the room makes you concentrate on the subtlety of what's in the glass and on the plate. Against a limited colour palate – even the kitchen and floor teams wear alternating navy and dark grey – I find myself leaning in to capture a whisker of smoke from the exquisite Roasted Oysters ($4/each) . It’s wood-fire that links Mat Lindsay’s cooking to the new style emerging from high-end favourites like Bridge Room and The Woods : pared back, unfussy, fundamental. So it seems fitting to try it with unpasteurised, artisan sake – Terada Honke ‘Katori 90%’ ($11/glass) - by a brewer who’s returned to pre-modern methods. The Blood Sausage Sanga ($6/each) is so good, it’s causing me to have a Pavlovian response to Chippendale: my mouth waters and the steering wheel pulls toward the restaurant. Eat sharing style (you get to try more). Let someone play Father and adorn the sticky Pork Hock ($32) with the juice of blackened orange. Include a head of charred Cauliflow
Ester – opened last summer in the emerging dining neighborhood called Chippendale near several universities – focuses on sustainable and local ingredients. Its name is actually the word for an organic compound. The casual dining spot features a wood-fire oven, where many of the dishes are fired up and roasted. While of course there are several meat dishes, I was intrigued by the heavy vegetables that accentuate the menu, which is broken into four categories: snacks, small plates (mostly cold), wood fire (larger plates) and sides. Elegant Bar Food The décor, slightly like an urban cantina, feeds into the bar vibe. In fact, I ate at the large bar since I didn’t have a reservation. Ma
Salted Caramel Semi-freddo. Lovely meal at Ester last night. The staff are passionate about the food and very attentive. Highlights were the roast cauliflower and the absolutely divine salted caramel semi-freddo with black sesame. Great date venue, grab a cosy seat at the bar.
Amazing!. One of my favourite restaurants - been 4 times now. Love the interior, love the service, love the food, love the menu changes, love the wine list!
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Wood fired focused menu!. Simplistic rustic decor, that more than made up by the interesting and explosive flavours of the menu. For two people, we tried the chunky rabbit terrine made infinitely better with the hot mustard it came with, the fried crisp was a different base for the terrine but went well together. One of my favourite dishes by far was the bone marrow with xo sauce, and what i assume to be their delicious wood fired bread. Quivering fatty disks that glides ever so smoothly, i could've had a whole of plate of this to myself. The wood fired chicken with bread garlic sauce was tender, charred to perfection and full of flavour. Slighlty heavy handed on the salt though, did i mention the bread garlic sauce?? Wiped Clean. If you're not a vegetable fan, think again as the wood fired cauliflower is a huge serve, tender and charred on the outside, with a smooth velvety almond sauce, refreshed with some mint and the addictive crunch from the almonds. By now we were getting quite full, but had to try the three milk dessert, definitely original and different, i enjoyed it when the three milk components were eaten in one mouthful. The semifreddo was a delicious scoop of salted caramel ice-cream. With two glasses of wine, bill came to $133 for two ppl. Thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
Everything was Amazing!. I can't even pick a highlight because everything was so good. It was one of those meals where the first thing that arrived (oysters) was delicious and then everything that came afterwards was just that bit better again. Sublime.
There was nothing we didn't like at Ester. The food was seriously outstanding with service to match. A wonderful gastronomic evening.
Fantastic food the chicken is delicious steak cauliflower the bread is baked there amazing loved it. Great service gorgeous place
Consistently outstanding!
Ester promises you one of the best dining experiences in Sydney. Not only is the food incredible, the staff are amazing. I know the friendly staff was not a once off experience either because I called up for a booking on a seperate occasion and they went above and beyond to help me.
If you’re looking for a menu that excites the palate and a great overall experience. Look no further. I think Ester has set the bar!
Food quality was amazing. The chef is willing to experiment with new flavours and combinations which work remarkably well. Expensive but well worth the experience. I would recommend coming in a group to order more from the menu as it is designed to be shared.
*Superb and sexy dishes on the Saturday set menu*
Managed to secure a late Saturday dinner booking for 5 and boy oh boy, Ester did not disappoint.
Cozy, intimate venue with fantastic staff. The team adjusted some of the dishes to cater for 1 pregnant person which was very appreciated. Definitely book in for a date night or group dinner, well worth it.
Spent ~$200pp for the set menu with king prawns added, as well as a few cocktails.
Seemingly affordable fine dining without the unnecessary mark-up. Bravo!
Great place to treat yourself for a fancy dinner (without all the fuss of dressing too fancy). The restaurant has a pretty casual comfy feel and the interior is not too upscale to make you feel underdressed in jeans. Food and service is great, minus 1 star since we didn't enjoy the dessert. However! Highly recommend their savoury menu. Top pics would be the potato bread, blood sausage sanga and the roasted oyster.
We enjoyed the entrees the most for the set menu.
They also have a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks that won't break the bank.
Restaurant is not huge so def more for groups less than 3-4ppl.
Excellent meal, we got the set menu and it was great to get a range of dishes that we wouldn't usually order. The portions were fine, the meals were amazingly presented and they taste incredible. The fermented bread and steak tar tar were the highlights. They did forget my beer order which i had to chase up but Brad was a star, impeccable service from our order to the end. Saved the day after the annoying initial impression. Would highly recommend.
Best meal I had in Sydney. The grilled oyster, potato bread, pickled cucumber (really surprising and delicious) and king prawns were truly outstanding. If you just have one night here, this is the place to go.
Ester is the first name that comes to mind when I'm asked to recommend a restaurant in Sydney. A good meal is always guaranteed here - their menu has a couple of staples, and the rest of it is ever-changing, but no matter what I ordered, I could almost always get dishes with interesting and perfectly balanced flavours. My personal favourite is the king prawns with fermented shrimp butter - please give it a try if it happens to be on the menu - my mouth waters just to think about it.
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