Australian Gourmet Traveller - (04)April 2020 (1)

O

mniacomesloaded

withpreconceptions.

It’sthefirstofthree

restaurantstoopenin

theCapitolGranddevelopment,

thehigh-rise,high-endapartment

complexonthecorneronChapel

StreetandToorakRoad.That’s

theoneownedbyLarryKestelman,

thepropertydeveloperwho

decided,neverhavingdabbledin

hospitalitybefore,thatheshould

overseetheCGrestaurantshimself.

Thepotentialforanexpensive,

hubris-poweredcarcrashis thrilling.

Instead,Omniais a level-

headed,precision-pitchedlocal

thatpaysattentiontothedetails

andservessimpleyetnuanced

bistrofoodina roomkittedoutfor

comfortas muchasdazzle.Locals

havetakentoit withgusto,flocking

tothesizeableroomeachnight.

ChefStephenNairn’sfood

helps.Hehasa fine-dining

background(ElevenMadison

Park, Vuede Monde)andchannels

thoseskillsandtechniquesthrough

a bistrofiltertogreateffect.

Therearesnackslikea

crispbrik-pastrycigarfilledwith

oceantrout,house-smokedover

cherrywoodandmixedwitha

lemoncrèmefraîche,orzucchini

flowers,tempura-batteredand

servedwithagreen-olivetapenade,

salty with anchovies.Anda

intheJosperoven,peeled,

marinatedinsherryvinegarand

chilliflakesfora weekandthen

dehydrated.It’sa lotofwork,gone

ina flashandhighlysatisfying.

There’salsoa verygoodsteak

tartaremadecreamywitha smoked-

egg emulsion and served with salty

Omniatakestheartoffine

diningtoa bistrosetting,

writesMICHAEL HARDEN.

marinatedwhiteanchovylays

acrosstoastedbaguettethat’s

spreadwitha preserved-lemon

andolive-oilemulsion.

Nairn’sflavoursleantothe

clean-linedbuthe’snotafraidof

a littlesaltandfat.Themarinated

capsicumandGruyèrecustard

tart,forexample,startswitha

classicshortpastrythatcontains

custardblendedwithroasted

capsicum. That’stoppedwith

capsicum thathas been blasted

Clockwisefrom

topleft:Omnia’s

bar;yellowtail

kingfish,apple

andmakrutlime;

oceantrout

cigars;chef

StephenNairn;

liquid-centre

cheesecake

withblackberry

sorbet.

Pitch

perfect

40 GOURMET TRAVELLER