viand — Restaurant in Sydney

There is a saying for bad restaurants in Asia that goes “the only good dish is the rice”, unfortunately that’s almost true for our experience at Viand. The service was excellent which makes the poor food quality even more disappointing.

We had the 5 course tasting menu for four people. The appetiser was very overpowered with ginger and the salad had too many heavy spices and dressings which required a delicate balance that was simply lacking. The monkfish curry was over cooked and under seasoned. The chicken with duck eggs was so salty that our whole table started chugging water after eating. The wok-fried vegetables was the only dish with no fault in this “fine dining” experience, but then again any reputable Asian street food vendor could probably do the same without the expensive kitchen equipment or the exorbitant pricing.

There were a totally of six patrons including our table of four having dinner, however we waited with an empty table for about 30 minutes between entrée and main, which was mind boggling since all menus were booked at time of reservation and we were told that we weren’t able to change our menu from the 5 course set to the 8 course (a blessing in hindsight). So clearly the food would have been prepared per quotient pre-service, making the long wait even more inexcusable.

We gave our specific feedback of the food directly to the staff (something that rarely happens unless the experience was truly abysmal), who then relayed onto the chef. To our surprise, chef/owner Annita who was working in the open kitchen the whole evening about 2m from our table and walking past multiple times after the feedback was received, did not feel the need to stop at our table and address any of our issues raised.

Overall, this was a subpar restaurant dining experience at best and definitely wasn’t worth the price of admission as a “fine diner” (or at least prices itself so). The service was great, but in the end restaurants should be judged by the food it serves and less how often plates are changed or how quickly a glass is refilled. Particularly, we felt the need to leave a negative review online as the restaurant showed unwillingness/inexperience towards communicating and discussing criticism after very specific comments have been provided by one out of two tables dining...

(4.5 stars) Using theatrical staging technique, you enter the black box Viand through red floor-length drapes to be met with over-sized statement blooms and a deep red mosaic-edged kitchen stadium. Gentle stone mortar and pestle pounding and a wall of aroma tells you that you’re here to eat Thai cuisine. The opening canapé—a menu stalwart of egg net-wrapped cornfed chicken with palm sugar and peppered shallots—tells you you’re in the right place.

SMH Good Food chef of the year, Annita Potter, is presenting an eight-course menu ($145/person). Cleverly positioned mirrors allow both sides of the banquette tables to watch the action. Potter looks at every single dish that goes out, and directs wait staff too. She is calm, precise and acutely aware of what is happening in her dining room and kitchen. The well-constructed menu moves through a soft braised duck and sweet salted radish dumpling wrapped in an upstanding bitter leaf, to a beautiful tonic-like broth of Port Lincoln mussels and green onions. The wine list is well chosen, from a racy, smoky, lime-focused 2019 Dominique Portet 'Origine’ chardonnay ($91) to the violets and jammy fruit-sweet 2021 Spinifex 'Papillon' Grenache/Cinsault blend ($15/glass).

Potter, another Long Chim graduate, has taken across elevated Thai cuisine without as much of the expected heat. Served over rice, a grilled tiger prawn salad with cucumber, mint and prawn floss was the hottest thing we ate (and far from Long Chim challenging). Standout Mandating quail in aromatic red curry offered up no fire but plenty of flavour, arriving with a light chilli-based dressing you can apply yourself for a bit of bite. No dish is faxed in, from a crisp head of New Zealand snapper with tamarind, Thai basil and roasted chilli, to beautifully-handled garlic shoots and assorted mushrooms (straw mushrooms being the standout). Dessert closes the loop with kaffir lime and fried shallots completing a perfumed bowl of jackfruit, green mango and...

Review from today, was no less fantastic than the last one below. I hosted a network event and training at the restaurant and true to form, Annette was amazing in catering to all our diverse needs and paired it with some of the most amazing wines we have ever had.

The experience blew everyone away, from the venue itself to the unbelievable food that burst with flavour which were so well balanced they danced on your palette.

DON'T GO PAST THIS REVIEW. GO STRAGHT TO HER BOOKING SITE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.

Former Review I first heard about Annette Potter on ABC radio on a Saturday morning when she faced Simon Marnie's Chef's challenge.

She spoke about her background and passion for food and hands-on approach to her restaurant and came up with some absolute cracker Thai inspired meals with the ingredients she picked.

Same day booked for her restaurant with my partner and cousins to check it out.

The welcome by her staff was calming and efficient, everyone knew what they were talking about, knew the menus, and suggested the best ways to enjoy.

We chose the 5 course chefs menu and were truly amazed at the depth of flavours and combinations. Truly well thought out menu.

Annette, has an amazing selection of wines and even a wine room upstairs showcasing some wines you can buy.

There's even an art gallery upstairs so you can escape between courses and check out the amazing artwork while sipping your wine.

My partner has a dairy intolerance, so we were blown away when we asked about dairy free options and told that the whole menu is dairy and gluten free...what a winner!!!

There is even a vegan menu so no one misses out at her restaurant. That's the way all restaurants should be.

If you haven't been GO...go now!

Lots of special functions and events she runs, so check them out.

Apologies for not photographing the first course. I looked away for a second, and it...