I reserve some of my most fierce judgements for those who live in beige houses. There is a broad, wondrous spectrum of colour to match every mood and temperament. Yet somehow about a third of new cars sold are white and you might as well scroll through pictures of contemporary interiors on a monochrome screen.
I fear the interiors at Eve have been affected by this malaise. I say this because I am pained by it. The truth is I really enjoyed the food - clever, assured and bright - and it deserves a room, and custom, to match.
Eve is the new companion to Queenies, a bold bar-restaurant hybrid that commands its Kingston corner. Just down Giles Street, Queenies owner Pamela Howarth has given all creative culinary licence for Eve to head chef Adrianne Davo.
The result is a rotating menu, put together by a chef with something to say, that combines the aspirations and techniques of haute cuisine with the flavours and possibilities of Filipino cooking.
We started with the rice crackers, which were topped with a seared scallop. Lemon and fingerlime buttressed the scallop, while seagrapes added a textural pop. The cracker, afforded top billing on the menu, receded to let the scallop shine.
The beef tartare ($30) added gochujang dressing and a white soy cured egg yolk. The dressing added dimension rather than spice and probably masked the beef more than some purists would prefer, but a good tartare is more of a textural experience anyway, so I enjoyed this spin on it.
I went for the lamb caldereta ($50), which is served with tomato hummus and braised white beans. A caldereta is a type of meat stew from the Philippines. The Eve version had the stew well reduced into almost a very thick sauce for the lamb, which was tender and broke apart under the lightest prodding from my fork. The tomato hummus was smooth and rich, generously served. There was little contrast on this plate, but all its elements reinforced one other, like variations on a theme.
The duck arroz caldo ($55) across the table made tender pieces of barbecue duck the star. The dish was its own spin on the arroz caldo, which means rice broth and is usually a versatile gruel. The menu specified barbecue duck, but it was finely achieved, pieces with blushing pink centres and no sign of harsh, misjudged flame. Some bitter orange was involved, along with turmeric, ginger and a hit of chilli. It felt as if this, in any other situation, could be a far more expressive dish, but here had been dialled back and contained for fine-dining presentation.
The service at all times was excellent, delivered with good humour and knowledge. Special credit is due, too, for avoiding the pitfall of a quiet service: being too attentive when only a table or two demands attention. With skill and perception like that, I'm confident a busier night would be ably handled.
The miso white chocolate cheesecake ($20), dubbed an Ode to Soy, was my pick for dessert. It ignored convention of what a cake ought to look like and appeared rather diminutive. But it was very dense and a mastery of subtlety, texture and temperature. Desserts can end up being predictable, too reliant on received wisdom and too eager to hark back to old favourites. You get the impression this isn't a problem at Eve.
However, the bombe Alaska ($25) is an old favourite of a kind, enjoyed but rarely eaten. Here it was brought forth, a small, sculptural creation, and duly set on fire. There is no getting away from the appeal of things on fire at the table. Once that show was done, the bombe Alaska held its own, with a red velvet cake interior underneath the little tufts of meringue. Delightful and theatrical.
The menu at Eve, though it will change frequently, gives off a sense of learning the rules, understanding why they exist and then choosing which of them to ignore. There is considerable promise here: a fine chef with a deserved reputation, an owner willing to back a creative vision in a city with proven capacity to support this type of thing, and a fine location.
If only the room didn't leave me as cold as it did. Stroll up to Queenies and you'll see what drama and mood and taste can look like. Maybe they were trying to do something really different. Another mini Queenies shouldn't be the aim. Just something a little warmer and a little bolder.
I daresay that would bring out the bolder edge of the menu, where Eve really stands to excel. It just needs to be in a vibrant little runabout, not an easy-to-overlook silver sedan.
Address: 34 Giles Street, Kingston ACT 2604
Phone: 0403 366 278
Website: eveatkingston.com.au
Hours: 12pm to 9pm, Wednesday to Saturday
Access: Door opens at street level
Noise: No issue
Dietary: Menu completely gluten free, with dairy-free and vegetarian options
How we score: Of 20 points, 10 are awarded for food, five for service, three for ambience, two for wow factor. 12 Reasonable - 13 Solid and satisfactory - 14 Good - 15 Very good - 16 Seriously good - 17 Great - 18 Excellent - 19 Outstanding - 20 The best of the best
