Native Australia Degustation at NEL

The Sydney fine diner is kicking off 2025 with a 12-course degustation exploring the culinary riches of the Land Down Under.
Maxim Boon
Published on January 06, 2025

Overview

Sydney's degustation doyen, British-born chef Nelly Robinson, has often championed the flavours of his motherland, the UK, at both his Surry Hills fine diner NEL and his Glebe gastropub Winstons at The Nags Head. However, the annual return of his Native Australia menu embraces the culinary riches of the Land Down Under, which the visionary restaurateur has called home for more than a decade.

"This menu is a true celebration of the incredible native ingredients of this fine nation," Robinson says of the latest iteration of his multi-course antipodean-inspired feast. "As always, each menu curation at NEL is a passage of discovery and marrying of flavours. Our wonderful and attentive floor staff will play an integral part in taking our diners on this culinary journey."

Not only is the produce sourced for this menu Australian, but some of the cooking techniques employed are also Aussie-coded, such as a wildfire Murray cod, marinated and charred to perfection on the barbie before being served with a mushroom ana. Other highlights of the menu include a rich crab curry dressed with native thyme and oregano, and folded into a soft spinach taco.

Rounding out the meal, diners can tuck into a sweet treat shaped like Australia inspired by that most Aussie of biscuits, the Tim Tam. Flavoured with wattleseed and salted caramel, it's a prime example of the whimsy and wonder that have become the hallmark of NEL's degustation experiences.

For the first time, NEL is expanding its degustation format from 11 courses to 12 for $185 per person. Matching beverages, perfectly paired by NEL's sommelier, cost an additional $155 per person.

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