The name 40Res tells you exactly where you need to be: 40 Reservoir Street in Surry Hills. Swing by after a hard day’s work or for a relaxed weekend catch-up with mates and you’ll find a new neighbourhood wine bar with some top drops and seriously good share plates.
Led by chef-owner Josh Raine (the former executive chef of Tetsuya’s, still at Canvas at the MCA) and head chef Michael Tran (formerly of The Bellevue and Clove Lane), 40Res takes fine dining finesse and gives it the laid-back ease of your favourite local. With both chefs having Michelin cred to their names – Raine at Pied à Terre; Tran at Hibiscus (both in London), this new venture is more casual and cosy so that the wine and food are the main focus.
“It’s just super tasty food. Simple, but really, really good. It’s the kind of food we want to eat with a glass of wine,” says Raine. The snack-centric menu is inspired by their travels and childhood memories – but reimagined, of course. Take the fish fingers, for instance. They come with a rich mayo-style pil pil sauce made with trout skin and bones, garlic and olive oil – a perfect match for the fish. The cacio e pepe is made lighter with a delicate, cheesy foam instead of a cloying sauce.
Want to dig into something more substantial? While the menu changes frequently to highlight what’s in season, you’ll always find a few staples such as pasta, a risotto, a fish of the day and a steak on the menu.
Getting to the all-important wine list. Curated by general manager Keliann Zellman, it puts boutique producers front and centre, celebrating terroir over trend. Expect everything from sparkling to skin-contact wines, sourced from standout wine regions across Europe and Australia. “We want 40Res to feel like somewhere you can unwind, take your time,” says Zellman, “If you book, there’s no time limit. Stay as long as you like.” Cheers to that!
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