Elska: Restaurant review

The antler on your table is a useful reminder that things can get a little wild at Elska. Not service-wise – floor staff at this intimate, Nordic-influenced, 12-seat dégustation-only fine-diner are exemplary. Décor too, avoids the outré – Scandi-blond dining chairs and sizeable round tables, and the odd reindeer skin hardly raising an eyebrow. It's menu details that can sometimes feel mind-bending over 15 courses. Dried and savoury powdered crickets scattered (surprisingly tastily) over a disc of gamey Marburg-raised emu crudo, say, or the tart green ant garnishes on your crocodile tail dumpling, or perhaps that deeply flavoursome cream laced with marron brain and abalone XO in a puff of brioche bun. Trust the chef and let it flow. A tribute to the Crunchie bar is a cracker pud, intersecting sweet hexagonal tiles filled with fermented honey, salty chocolate and burnt honeycomb. It's a tall order but James Horsfall's canny wine list packs in sufficient quirk to match the kitchen's high-wire performance.

Elska
148 Merthyr Rd, New Farm, Qld
0451 955 084
elska.com.au

Chefs Nathan Dunnell & Lauren Kinne
Price guide $$$
Bookings Essential
Wheelchair access Yes