Bar Suze

Bar Suze takes the stress out of dinner. It feels like a European bistro you can hang out at for hours; proving that great food and a relaxed experience are not mutually exclusive.

The talent behind Bar Suze begins with classically trained Swedish-born head chef Phil Stenvall and sous chef Brenton Hassan (ex-Johnny Fishbone) in the kitchen, alongside Gregory Bampton, a front-of-house alumnus of Pinbone and Acme, on the floor.

The menu brings flavours from Stenvall’s Swedish homeland together with Australian produce. The first half is the smorgasbord, a selection of small bites including smoked prawns with saffron aioli, and smoked mussels with ’nduja (best soaked up with crusty bread).

Some of the heartier dishes include the house-made ricotta gnocchi with honey bugs and bisque; steak with bordelaise sauce and vegetables; or a whole wood-smoked eggplant with brown butter, sour currants and sheep’s cheese.

Meals are best finished with an omelette suedoise – a Swedish take on the bombe Alaska, made with lingonberry sorbet, ginger ice-cream and meringue.

The tight wine list showcases Australian, Italian and French producers, with sour beers, farmhouse ales and a house-made “apple wine”, to round out the drinks menu.

Enjoy it all by candlelight with jazz accompaniments, in an appropriately Scandi-minimalist bolthole. The small space is dominated by a marble bar lined with simple black stools, and a few low tables dotted throughout.

The food menu changes weekly, sometimes daily, catering to both visitors and locals, who can dine a few times a week and experience something different each time.