Anason

Somer Sivrioglu, Efendy head chef and owner, is behind Anason, a vegetable, seafood and meze-driven Turkish bar at Barangaroo.

He’s calling it a modern meyhane, a traditional Turkish bar or restaurant. It’s a classic eatery concept recently reclaimed by young, experimental chefs, particularly in Istanbul. Sivrioglu, like a culinary godfather, asked four young, ambitious chefs to join and show off their ideas and cuisine.

Murat Buvan, from Melbourne’s Attica, brings tarhana (a fermented and dried mix of yoghurt, cracked wheat and vegetables)-encrusted bonito interspersed with red onion, sumac and radish salad.

Inal Erdener, former chef at Istanbul’s renowned Alancha, is responsible for Anason’s Turkish bao bun. Inside there’s smoked veal tongue, house-made pickles and muhammara, a harissa-like chili paste.

The restaurant’s centrepiece is the custom-built simit (a ring-shaped, sesame-sprinkled bread) oven. Anason serves it take away with Turkish coffee (specially made from Ministry of Coffee with Yemeni beans) and tea from a simit cart imported from Turkey.

Anason makes its own sausages, and imports boutique Turkish craft beers and Turkish wines. Designer George Livissianis (Cho Cho San, Longrain, Billy Kwong) has created a simple, vivid and open-air design that reflects meyhane culture and Sydney’s iconic waterfront.