A Degustation Without the Drama
A Degustation Without the Drama: Surry Hills’ 40Res Launches HI-RES
There are wine bars, and then there’s that wine bar your friends won’t shut up about. In Surry Hills right now, that’s 40Res, the sort of place where you wander in for “just a glass” and somehow end up staying until they’re stacking the chairs, wondering whether you could get away with adopting the sommelier.
Tetsuya’s executive chef does it in Surry Hills
Since opening in March, 40Res has been quietly (and by quietly, I mean in the way a Taylor Swift album drops, suddenly and with consequences) becoming the local darling. It’s run by chef-owner Josh Raine formerly Executive Chef at the legendary Tetsuya’s and his partner Keliann Zellman, who used to work at Merivale and therefore knows a thing or two about keeping people in snacks and smiles.
And now? They’ve gone and launched HI-RES, a monthly degustation that’s a bit like seeing your favourite friend turn up to brunch in a ballgown. All the same warmth and good humour, just glammed up.
Degustation in Surry Hills on One Tuesday a Month.
For one Tuesday evening each month, 40Res turns the lights a smidge lower, lines up a tasting menu, and lets Josh loose in “fancy mode.” We’re talking a seasonal, multi-course parade of dishes inspired by his globe-trotting, Michelin-starred career but still in the relaxed, neighbourhood style that makes 40Res so addictive.
The next HI-RES, on Tuesday 26 August, is shaping up to be a bit of a show-off. Expect treasures like Truffle Egg with Nettle and Smoked Cordyceps, the sort of White Chocolate Tart that can make you forget your own name, and a prawn bisque risotto that will haunt you in the best possible way. You can go rogue with your drinks or surrender yourself to the sommelier’s wine matches, boutique bottles, perfectly paired, and poured with just the right amount of ceremony.
40RES menu
Josh will be the first to admit there’s a lot of beige on the 40Res menu. “I’m from England,” he says. “We’ve got beige weather and beige food.” But here, beige is elevated, think coral trout fish fingers (yes, fish fingers, but the kind you can wear lipstick for), with a casarecce e pepe, a pasta made with parmesan foam that tastes exactly like the cheesy crust of a toastie, except somehow posh.
If you’re more of a risotto person, the prawn bisque number is a serious contender for “last meal” status, rice roasted in a pan, deglazed with wine, and finished with mascarpone, parmesan, and roasted kombu crème fraîche. It’s speckled with prawns so sweet they practically curtsy.
What’s Next? Possibly London. Possibly Both.
Because Josh has contacts, HI-RES won’t just be a solo act. There are plans for world-class guest chefs to pop in starting with Josh Angus from Michelin-starred HIDE London. Yes, they’re literally importing the fancy.
“HI-RES is really just a love letter to the kind of food I’ve always adored,” says Josh. “It’s a chance to do it in a way that still feels personal and playful.”
Keliann adds, “It’s an extension of what we love about 40Res. We want people to settle in, have an unforgettable meal, and feel like they can stay as long as they like. The only difference is, on HI-RES nights, the food’s wearing high heels.”
Bookings are essential because HI-RES is only once a month, and frankly, it’s the kind of thing that sells out faster than you can say “pass the parmesan foam.”
Details: To be first in line for HI-RES tickets, sign up at 40Res or follow them on Instagram (@40reservoir).
