Subo

Much of Newcastle's newfound dining cred can be traced back to this simple, unassuming dining room in one of the city's less captivating precincts. Chef Beau Vincent, who has cooked at Guillaume at Bennelong and Tetsuya's, plays with aromatic broths, foraged leaves and textural contrasts at every turn. Hence, a crisp, golden round of shredded pork shoulder is enlivened with a squish of power-packed kimchi puree, the tang of pickled cucumber and the crunch of a lobster cracker. Similarly, a ceviche of Crystal Bay prawns is kicked into another dimension with a smear of foie gras cream and a sprinkling of sea succulents. Cape Grim scotch fillet teamed with a charred eggplant, miso puree and buttered daikon is a crowd-pleaser, and an architectural wave of seasoned rockmelon with sake sorbet and ginger soup heralds a new era in fresh fruit desserts. With Vincent's wife Suzie keeping things warm and personal, Subo is the ma-and-pa restaurant of the future. BYO Wednesday only.