Changing the cuisine of beloved neighbourhood bistro Yellow in 2016 was a brave move by restaurateurs Brent Savage and Nick Hildebrandt. But, with a year of experimentation under their belt, Yellow has found its groove under chef Chris Benedet as Sydney’s appetite for plant-based food slowly but surely grows.

Faced with the prospect of losing the house-made bacon from the brunch menu had locals in uproar, so it’s been a journey to transition the menu to entirely vegetarian plates for brunch, lunch and dinner. While the food offering has changed, the deliberately minimalistic decor and expertly curated wine list remains the same, and nothing is lost from the change of menu direction.

New season globe artichokes are classically prepared and marinated, but topped with pretty petals of white kale and seasoned with a citrussy combination of buttermilk and native lemon myrtle.

Baby corn and miso is a surprising pairing, the entire cobs charred in their delicate husks and scattered with a miso milk crumb that hits the sweet, sour, salty, umami mark all at once.

Course after course, these vegetables are lacking nothing, with flavour, texture and seasoning all considered elements of every dish. Some more esoteric, funky natural and organic wines from Hildebrandt prove that vegies are as great friends with wine as steak.

Must eat dish: baby corn with miso milk crumb
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