Zev's Bistro

From the perspective of a Sydney diner, Zev’s Bistro on Ruthven Street over the course of two visits, is terrific. The look and feel of the place is very contemporary. Sydney is done with long meals and stuffy white tablecloths. We’re mad about Japanese tableware, menus offering three key ingredients, and share plates that allow us to dabble in more dishes. And that's exactly what owner/chef Kyle Zevenbergen has created here. Arriving in a beautifully imperfect piece of Japanese tableware (imported by Melbourne’s Made in Japan) a lunch special of Roasted Whiting ($35) comes with a quality glass of German Riesling that would set you back fifteen bucks in Sydney. The soupy mix of golden fish fillets, explosive pickled tomatoes, salted cucumbers and funky buttermilk is wet and cooling on a scorching hot Toowoomba day. It’s accentuated by an intriguing charry element created by burnt sourdough, making it unlike any fish dish I’ve had before. By contrast, ...read more