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Provenance

Good Food hatGood Food hat17/20

Japanese$$$

Oh Michael Ryan. You had us at 'house-made silken tofu'. Adding marinated seafood, pickled ginger and salmon roe for what's essentially an appetiser ensures undying love. Provenance is unique, impressive and very special. The chef's passion for things Japanese shines in Zen-like dishes that nonetheless stay true to his surrounds, while his wine-maker wife, Jeanette Henderson, has added an impressive sake range to an already abundant list. The crisply neutral dining room of this converted heritage bank is a temple to shrewd cooking, from slow-cooked wagyu short rib with daikon puree and kimchi to sake-cured whiting with puffed rice and dashi, yet the service neatly balances relaxed country familiarity with professional smarts. Raw and pickled zucchini and fried petals with anchovy custard and olives illustrates that Ryan's a vegetable sensei too. After house-made fromage blanc with gingerbread crumbs, pineapple and lemon curd, it's time for a nightcap before turning in.

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