If the hand sanitiser on a nearby table is anything to go by, it appears that not all Sydney diners are comfortable with the trio of finger-food snacks that kick off the 8-course degustation at Oscillate Wildly. The modest, intimate restaurant that seats just 30 guests is quirky and interesting, and the snacks are just the beginning of an adventurous menu from chef Karl Firla.

The wine list is in the same vein, offering a range of ‘safe’ varietals to more eclectic conversation starters such as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape blanc, a rare white wine from this famous red producer offering a complex, fennel-scented full-body that boldly stands up to the food.

A clever dish of silky chicken gravy with shards of Jerusalem artichoke masquerading as crispy chicken skin is a refreshingly unique take on roast chicken – the salty, fatty gravy the perfect match for the sweet, earthy tubers. This visual trick is followed up by a less deceptive plate of David Blackmore beef, a small slice of Wagyu intensified by an umami-laden black-bean sauce finished with a fine mushroom powder.

There’s awed silence as a bright orange bisque is theatrically poured over pretty curls of pumpkin adorning barely cooked Moreton Bay bugs. It’s an exquisite balance of texture and temperature – the bugs cooking to perfection in the hot soup. While translucent wafers of salty potato and a slice of New Zealand turbot is Firla’s incarnation of fish and chips.

Oscillate Wildly offers exceptional precision, experienced cooking and an enjoyable journey for the senses.

Must eat dish: bug, pumpkin and bisque
Instagram: @karl_firla