It was inevitable. Poly was always going to be the most anticipated opening of the year (so far at least). The younger sibling of celebrated Ester in Chippendale, which set the benchmark for the new wave of contemporary Australian dining when it opened in 2013, Poly bears quite the weight of expectation. But food, and perhaps the art of cookery, shouldn’t have so much pressure placed on it. It is, after all, just lunch or dinner.

Thankfully, whatever time you dine at Poly you’ll find chef Mat Lindsay and his staff haven’t let the pressure get to them.

On the ground floor of Paramount House in Surry Hills, it’s all polishedconcrete floors, exposed beams and large windows in the former warehouse of Paramount Studios. And where Ester is a restaurant with an alluring winebar accent, Poly is more a wine bar (yes, you can just drink) with a fetching food offering. Sommelier Julien Dromgool has compiled a worldly wine list that’s brave yet approachable and great with food, especially Lindsay’s trademark cooking – clever yet simple, playful yet honest, conversation-killingly delicious.

Gently grilled Sydney rock oysters are thrillingly topped with finger lime and horseradish, the celery Caesar – pale celery, anchovy and parmesan – is just gorgeous, and lush confit duck comes wrapped in a brik-pastry cigar with parmesan custard on the side.

And then, well, Ester might have its homage to the backyard barbie staplewith its marvellous blood-sausage sanga, but Poly has gone next level with a salute to the beating heart of our ’burbs, the blood-sausage pie. Encased in a malt short pastry it’s served with hot mustard, chervil, dill and a date purée and is one of the best pies I’ve eaten.

Whether you want to call it a wine bar or a restaurant, Poly sure makes for a cracker night out.