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. 

Fermented Potato Bread $22

Fermented potato bread is not something that comes across the menu often, and I'm glad we got it! The wood fired bread was airy and springy, and when pulled apart every inch was covered with air pockets. The best part was when you spread on the kefir cream, every pocket was filled with goodies. The trout roe added a surprise element when they pop in the mouth. We also liked the dashi jelly, an interesting and delicious paring.

Calamari & Lardo $16

This tentacled fellow was cooked to perfection, but the magic didn't stop there. By adding lard to this dish it made it unbeatable, the aroma of the lard gave the calamari so much flavour - dish of the night for me.

Kingfish Head $38

When this monster of a dish arrived at our table, we were speechless...It was humongous! The fish had a beautiful char on the outside, and the butter sauce was creamy. However, we found the flesh a bit mushy.    

Moreton Bay Bug $52

This bug tail was succulent, and the pepper sauce was packed with flavours. The only downside was that it would have been nice to have some bread on the side to mop up the sauce.

Choux with White Chocolate $15

The choux was nice and crispy, but comparing to some of the savory dishes that were really good the white chocolate filling was a bit standard and didn't live up to our expectations.

Three Milks $16

Each layer consists of a milk element. From the glossy sheep's milk yogurt that carried a hint of sourness, to the golden dulce de leche that was thick and rich, to the creamy panna cotta - no wonder where the name comes from. However, the dessert was quite heavy and we felt like we were having a fancy breakfast bowl of cereal.

Food: 8/10
Service: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

Highlight:

• Calamari & potato bread were both amazing

Lowlight:

• Three Milks' execution didn't live up to the creativity

Website: http://www.ester-restaurant.com.au/
Address: 46/52 Meagher St, Chippendale NSW 2008
Hours: Mon-Fri 6pm-late
             Sat 12pm-12am
             Sun 12pm-6pm