A few weeks ago, we welcomed Anton of Lucy M Wines for an evening of wine on the balcony at Venner.
It was a little different from our usual service. Glasses were poured, snacks were shared, and conversations unfolded as we watched the familiar rhythm of West End pass by.
There was something enjoyable about the informality of it all. The freedom to arrive without a plan, stay for a glass of wine, perhaps another, and enjoy something from the kitchen along the way.
It also reminded us of a question we've heard regularly since introducing our set menu: Can we just drop in for a drink and something small to eat?
Now, the answer is yes.
A Little Something
Our new snack menu, Små bidder, brings some of that balcony experience into our regular service.
Whether it's a glass of wine before dinner elsewhere, a few plates shared between friends, or an evening that develops without much planning, there's now room for a more spontaneous visit to Venner.
The cooking remains rooted in the same approach, drawing on Scandinavian traditions of fermentation and preservation, and making use of ingredients from the current season and those we've carried forward from earlier ones.
Små bidder
SMALL BITES
Oysters | $7 each
Marigold, finger lime mignonette
Kangaroo tartare | $28
Bone marrow, tomato Sichuan gel, fermented crisp
Smørrebrød | $30
Rye, caramelised onion, cured fish, pickles
Brød | $20
Cardamom smør
Madeleines | $9 each
Kagecreme
Ost | $38
Selection of local cheeses and house accompaniments
A Different Expression
Alongside the introduction of snacks, we're also making a change to our dining menus.
Our Set Menu remains at the heart of Venner. It is the clearest expression of our approach to cooking, shaped by the seasons and informed by Scandinavian traditions of fermentation and preservation.
We cook with what's available now, while making use of what we've preserved from earlier seasons. Fermentation, curing and preservation allow ingredients to take on new forms and extend their place in the kitchen beyond the weeks in which they're harvested.
The Set Menu brings those ideas together in a familiar progression of courses.
Set Menu
$120 per person
Wine pairing $90 | Non-alcoholic pairing $65
Koralaborre
Coral trout, cauliflower, chèvre
Rösti
Kangaroo, bone marrow, tomato
Tærte
Ricotta, Harry's peas, asparagus
Brød
Caramelised onion smør
Forret
Heritage spatchcock, charred cucumber, malt
Hovedretter
Bangalow pork rack, carrot chutney, sunflower cream
Majs
Corn, fermented seasoning, black apple
Sheep's skyr & nettle
Madeleines
Berry, kagecreme
Optional oysters, marigold and finger lime | $7 each
The Chef's Menu
What was previously our Extended Set Menu has evolved into the Chef's Menu.
Rather than simply adding more courses to the existing experience, the Chef's Menu brings together individual contributions from across our kitchen. Each chef has the opportunity to develop a dish of their own, drawing on their particular interests, techniques and ingredients.
Think of the Set Menu as our classic rendition. The Chef's Menu makes room for a few solo performances.
The dishes remain part of a shared experience, but the individual voices behind them become more apparent.
Chef's Menu
$170 per person
Wine pairing $125 | Non-alcoholic pairing $80
Spatchcock leg
Davidson plum, watercress
By Sam
Snapper
Carrot, buttermilk, mustard
By Michael
Falls Farm asparagus
White bean, herb oil
By River
Tasmanian half-shell scallop
Smoked citrus dressing
Brioche
XXXX glaze, cardamom smør
By James
Forret
Kangaroo tail ragù, egg yolk raviolo
Hovedretter
Phoenix tri-tip MB4–5, carrot top chimichurri
Majs
Corn, fermented seasoning, black apple
Sheep's skyr & green mango
Jordbær
Danish butter sablé, white chocolate, strawberry
Optional oysters, marigold and finger lime | $7 each
The Same Philosophy
These additions aren't a departure from our approach to dining. They're an opportunity to experience it in different ways.
Some evenings call for a progression of courses that reflects the kitchen as a whole. Others offer the opportunity to explore the individual ideas of the people cooking them.
And sometimes, all that's needed is a glass of wine, something to eat, and a place to watch West End go by.
Three ways to experience Venner. One philosophy.
Find your way to the table.
Reserve a table →