Dier Makr — Restaurant in Hobart

On a recent trip to Hobart we were looking for a special dining experience to round off our week long holiday.

I came across Dier Makr and was lucky to reserve a table a month before our planned visit. The only booking left was for the 9:45pm sitting as the venue is super popular and has a long wait list.

Arriving at the venue you walk through a casual wine bar and a set of unassuming doors to a fairly modest sized dining room. There are only five tables and bar/ kitchen settings which created a very intimate experience.

The ambiance is trendy and edgy. The tableware is high quality and the lack of table cloths doesn’t seem out of place. Unfortunately the overall tranquility is disrupted for a lot of the evening. For some reason the owners have decided to have a vinyl turntable which instead of playing discretely in the background is blasted through the dining room and artists such as Led Zeppelin and Queen make regular rotations on the deck. Maybe I am getting old but for our group it made conversation difficult and slightly took away from our enjoyment of the meal.

There is no al la cart menu with all diners being placed on the tasting menu; a food adventure packed with loads of courses. The tasting menu is $120 per person with optional wine matching for an additional $100 per person (non alcoholic matching available for $60pp).

The staff were super friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the wine and food on offer. We opted to share a bottle from their extensive cellar and a lovely member of staff guided us to a very nice Aussie Riesling coming in at just under $100 a bottle.

The food journey starts with a number of shared plates which are described as “snacks”. On our visit these consisted of vegetable and seafood based dishes. All were skilfully prepared and arrived at a good steady pace to the table. The seafood was fresh and well prepared and all the dishes had a good balance of flavours. Stand out of the snack courses was the aged albacore with mustard leaf, a stunningly simple yet refined creation that needed nothing more than the brilliant addition of the mustard leaf to bring it to the next level.

Mains arrived next and first up was Tomatoes and Aniseed. This was probably the most disappointing dish. Consisting of fresh and semi dried tomatoes in a consommé it was very basic and really needed something to cut through the strong acidity of the tomatoes. The dish was so far along the ph scale that one of our group had a break out in her mouth; a small bump in what had been, so far, an enjoyable journey.

Things quickly improved with the Trumpeter fish and cucumber. A beautifully cooked fillet of white flesh with a crunchy skin and contrasting fresh cucumber salad.

The crayfish was next and proved to be a stand out dish. The crustacean meat was rich and creamy and the poblano pepper gave a well deserved kick to this hearty offering.

The final main was lamb locally sourced from the Hobart region. The meat was cooked with precision and was tasty and tender,however, the outer crust of fat wasn’t rendered enough; instead of crackling the fat was tough and difficult to both cut and chew.

Before the desert course a palate cleanser of pear sorbet was a refreshing interlude before our sweet finale.

Desert was a plumb and peach leaf custard that was nice enough but lacked a little in wow factor.

The whole journey took over two hours and we left with full bellies and satisfied appetites. Dier Makr is definitely worth checking out and the value for money is pretty good. The ever changing menu makes each trip a new experience and this venue has bought Hobart up to the standard of the mainland big city restaurants.

Thanks for a...

If you’re ever in Hobart and want to experience a meal that’s as unforgettable as it is delicious, Dier Makr should be your top destination. We recently had the pleasure of dining there on the evening of August 17, 2024, and let us tell you, it was nothing short of spectacular.

From the moment we stepped in, the atmosphere set the tone for an extraordinary evening. The place had this cozy, moody vibe, enhanced by the warm glow of dim lights and the soothing tunes of vinyl records spinning softly in the background. It felt like stepping into a stylish, vintage sanctuary where every detail was thoughtfully curated. The service was impeccable and attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food. It was clear they were as passionate about the experience as we were.

Now, let’s talk about the food. The degustation menu was a journey of culinary delight. Each dish was a work of art and a testament to the chef’s creativity and skill.

We kicked things off with a cheddar gougère that was so light and airy it practically melted in our mouths. Then came the scallop tart, a delicate balance of flavour that set the bar high for what was to come. The Jerusalem artichoke was a revelation, followed by the duck liver medlar which was rich and luxurious.

One of the highlights was the trumpeter with pear and turnip, a dish that managed to be both comforting and refined. The calamari with celeriac and wakame was another standout, perfectly tender and packed with umami. The beef with mushroom and eel, paired with potato bread, was an umami explosion, and the lamb fillet and shoulder with parsnip and mint was a masterpiece of flavour and texture.

On the sweeter side, the parsley sorbet 'spider' with sparkling wine (as a palate cleanser) was a refreshing and unique treat. The pumpkin and hazelnut creation that followed was decadence on a plate with balanced flavours and texture and not too sweet, which is a good thing. We ended on a high note with burnt citrus marshmallows that were both nostalgic and innovative.

To complement this feast, we enjoyed a bottle of Marie-Courtin Blanc De Noirs Amphora (2018), which was an elegant match for the range of flavours we encountered. In addition, a glass of Mukai Suzo Natsu no Omoide (2000) paired beautifully with the beef and eel, enhancing the dish’s complexity.

In short, Dier Makr isn’t just a restaurant; it’s an experience that hits all the right notes. If you’re looking for one of the best dining experiences in Australia, do yourself a favour and make a reservation. It’s worth every bit...

There are not many places that my partner and I will dine without wishing that we had stayed home to eat. My partner is from Japan and exceptional at Japanese cuisine which highlights fresh ingredients and cooking that enhances the natural flavours rather than masking them. So it was with trepidation that we booked a counter at Dier Makr in downtown Hobart for our anniversary. It felt like a big risk putting the entire menu in the hands of the staff but after reading a few reviews, I felt a bit more at ease. We were not disappointed. The course sizes were perfectly suited to us and we could taste the components of each course at their best. What we generally dislike about eating outside home is that nearly all dishes from elsewhere mask or enhance natural flavours with either salt, sweetener or spice. At Dier Makr, it was obvious that where there were subtle flavours in some of the vegetable and seafood dishes, the accompanying sauces and dressing was equally subtle. Many people might judge some of these dishes as bland, particularly if the palette is accustomed to overly salty, spicy and sweet foods but it felt to us like eating at home but without the effort from my partner. The courses were beautifully presented and all quite delicate to the extent that the cutlery of knives forks and spoons seemed quite clunky in comparison. I found myself wishing I had brought some chopsticks which would have been an elegant solution to consuming much of the presentation.. The cooked fish and meat were perfect and it felt for me like the cooks really worked carefully to ensure this outcome. The spacing between courses took into account a lively partner or friend's conversation and savoring some of the wines and other beverages to suit each dish. My partner and I were the only patrons not participating in the alcoholic drink pairing as we are quite light drinkers and looking at the quantity of samples provided, am kind of happy at our decision however, normal people will not be disappointed with the drink pairing option. Don't plan on driving home after though because I think it would be hard turning down the pairings offered.. Nevertheless, we did avail ourselves of 2 white wine glasses between us which were chosen by the staff and were well matched. My partner and I are light eaters and were satisfied by the 10th course so we felt that we did not need to stay for the dessert courses. Having missed the dessert has encouraged us to consider dining again at Dier Makr on our next very...