Caness will open in a converted Paddington grocer this April, with punchy small plates that dance between the Middle East and the Med. The team has a welcoming ethos, serving unfussy food in a warm, convivial setting.

It’s co-owned by two chefs, Erez Nahum (who heads up Surry Hills restaurant Shaffa) and Juan Colmenares. Plus, head chef Jeever Domingo has an impressive CV, having worked in kitchens like Opera Bar, The International, Morrison’s and Whalebridge.

Here, Domingo gives Broadsheet a peek at the evening’s menu.

Beef tartar with pimenton-harissa aioli, chives, capers and crispy shallots


“It’s a very classic French dish, but we’re taking Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence. We use a good-quality piece of filet, diced into small pieces. We season it with Middle Eastern spices, which is unusual for tartare. We use some harissa for a hit, fresh herbs, and a bit of anchovy essence. And we top it with crispy shoestring potatoes. It’s a different tartare, and it’s very flavourful.”

Seared tuna andaluz with a micro herb salad and finger lime “caviar”


“We use a high-grade tuna loin, season it well with salt, and sear the outside. So it’s semi-seared – brown and crusty on the outside, and raw on the inside. Then we slice it into two uniform slices, and that goes with a sauce from the southern region of Spain. It’s thicker than Gazpacho, and has a creamy, rich flavour. There’s a lot of umami, complementing the tuna. Then we dress it well and garnish it with micro herbs.”

Prawns saganaki with ouzo, cherry tomatoes, feta and mint


“This is going to be a popular dish. We use freshly caught tiger prawns with concasse tomatoes and capsicum for sweetness, which balances out the ouzo, which is an anise-flavoured spirit from Greece. And then we finish it with shaved fennel, feta cheese and a lot of herbs. It comes out really fresh, and it’s really good if you order a side of bread, to soak up all the sauce.”

Sloppy Yosef: minced lamb, roast onion and capsicum, Middle Eastern BBQ sauce and pickles


“This is a very interesting dish. It’s like a pulled lamb burger. We cook the lamb for three to four hours, which gives it a really rich flavour. We add pickles and tomato-based sauce that are made in-house. Everything’s made in-house, even the bread. It’s really good, really rich. It’s one of my favourites.”

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