Ette has opened in Sydney CBD and we went to try out the new laneway restaurant and bar.
Meaning ‘small’, the venue focuses on a fast fine dining experience, serving small plates, three mains and two desserts.
The menu combines European culinary traditions with seasonal Australian produce.

You’d be forgiven for wondering if Sydney really needs another ‘small plates and good wine’ spot. As I made my way down to the recently opened Ette, discreetly tucked away on the ground floor of an unassuming office tower, I couldn’t help but wonder: would this one bring anything new to the table?

Ette is the creation of Adam Grimsley, a British-born chef whose cheffing portfolio includes some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, including two Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in the UK, Sydney’s Icebergs Dining Room & Bar and Jacksons on George. The menu is a product of Grimsley’s time spent in the UK and Sydney, blending European culinary traditions with seasonal Australian produce.

Inside Ette

As you step into the restaurant, you’ll pass a sleek bar overlooking the dining area, followed by a theatrical open kitchen, which offers a brief glimpse of the dishes being plated as you’re guided to your table. The interior is welcoming and unpretentious, with warm lamps on each table, dark red booths and matte menus.

the interior of Ette — The interior of Ette. (Credit: Steven Woodburn).

We were welcomed with complimentary house-made focaccia, which was both fluffy and salty, served with oils. It was the perfect combination to snack on as the waitress ran us through the menu, advising what and how much to order.

We opted for a variety of the snackettes, which cost $9.50 for one portion, meaning that you could mix and match plenty of different dishes without breaking the bank. Although the three mains are also fairly affordable (especially for the Sydney CBD) at only $39 each, we wanted to focus on the small plates and try a variety of different snackettes. We ordered:

Baked scallop with nduja, avocado and pineapple (which were the snack of the week)
Tuna tartare with Calabrian chilli and whipped avocado
Four oysters: two natural and two with lemon myrtle, finger lime and sea blight
Heirloom tomato, pickled watermelon and pine nut crostini
Charred lamb rib with baba ganoush, guindillas and pomegranate

All were washed down with glasses of Australian pinot noir and chardonnay, stored in the venue’s climate-controlled wine room.

Something worth noting: if you visit during the daily Happy Hour (3:30pm–5:30pm) you can find a pint of Heineken for just $10, as well as their Lemoncello Spritz and glasses of Bandini Prosecco and Mike Press Chardonnay, rosé and pinot noir, all $10 each too.

One pillar of Ette is that the service is swift. It matches the fast-paced rhythm of Sydney’s CBD, where post-work diners don’t want to spend 30 minutes waiting for one plate. The kitchen and the floor team worked like a well-oiled machine, and each dish sailed out of the kitchen incredibly quickly.

Baked scallops and oysters — The baked scallops and Sydney rock oysters. (Image our own).

Menu highlights

Our favourite dish was the tuna tartare, which was served in a seaweed-flavoured cone. Although the portion is small, the tuna was fresh and flavourful, and the crunchy texture of the cone complemented the soft and silky tuna. The whipped avocado made it even more refreshing, and I would highly recommend it as a pre-dinner snack.

Another standout was the charred lamb rib, so tender that it fell off the bone at the touch of a knife. The flavour of the lamb can be attributed to the lava rock grill, which grills the Ette meat over a natural flame, helping to deliver extra flavour. Paired with the sweetness of the pomegranate and the smokiness of the baba ghanoush, it creates an incredible flavour profile — my mouth’s watering just thinking about it.

The baked scallops were soft, buttery and spicy, thanks to the nduja and pineapple, and the tomato, watermelon and pine nut crostini were crunchy and sweet, with a hint of nuttiness.

As a girl who loves her oysters natural with just a hint of lemon, I appreciated the options of either natural oysters or those served with lemon myrtle, finger lime and sea blight. From Merimbula, the Sydney rock oysters were small and creamy; my favourite kind. The finger lime gave them a punch of zest, not too overpowering but almost like popping candy in your mouth.

Bypassing dessert — which was either vanilla panna cotta or gelato — we finished the evening with a drink from the creative bar manager, Claudio Matricini. I had the Ette Espresso, their take on an espresso martini. Served like the classic but with a thick layer of indulgent cream on top, Matricini encourages you to stir it in, making it the perfect sweet, post-dinner drink.

We also tried the South By Southwest. Combining Woodford Reserve and Laphroaig whisky, vermouth, Campari and orange, it’s a creative and fragrant twist on the classic Negroni and another perfect digestif cocktail.

The tuna tartare cone and heirloom tomato crostini

Cocktails at Ette — The tuna tartare cone and heirloom tomato crostini

Why Ette stands out

Yes, the food at Ette was delicious, and yes, the drinks were just as impressive. But that isn’t always enough to stand out in Sydney.

What sets Ette apart for me was the hospitality, which was both speedy and welcoming. Sometimes, these city locations can feel intimidating and pretentious, but Ette has an undeniably welcoming atmosphere, which is set by its laid-back interior and maintained by its friendly team.

The menu’s pricing also a key differentiator. From $10 pints and glasses of wine to $9.50 small plates, it’s a city venue where you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to have a good time. Granted, the portions are quite small; however, the quality is one hundred per cent there. As my partner said, small plates shouldn’t cost $25 — for under $10 a plate, you’re getting incredible produce and stunning flavours. It’s fine dining precision at an affordable price.

So, why should this small plates venue be next on your list to try? It’s fast, affordable and unpretentious in a city that is becoming increasingly expensive. If you’re craving delicious Aussie produce, or just want a quick sip and snack, head down to Bridge Street and tuck in.