May 29, 2025
Last year's visit to Etta for my birthday was such a success that I dragged us back again in May as I ticked off another year. The food at Etta these days is almost surgically designed to appeal to me - lots of bold flavours, Sichuan peppers popping up all over the place and a real emphasis on making the vegetarian food as interesting as the meaty stuff.
We ordered the set menu ($115 each) to save making any decisions - the vego version of this comes with a few dishes that aren't on the standard a la carte menu, so it's definitely worth the money if you're feeling fancy.
They kicked things off with a thick slab of bread from the nearby Wild Life Bakery, served with smoked brown butter. I love the Wild Life bread and I would obviously eat smoked brown butter as part of every meal for the rest of my life if I could. When the butter runs out, you can dab the bread in the amazing Sichuan chilli oil that comes with the other dish - a skewer featuring quail egg, pickled daikon and lotus root. A great mix of flavours and textures to get things underway.
Next up was roast pumpkin, with seed satay sauce, Jerusalem artichoke crisp and pickled onions. The satay on this had a nice spicy bite, with some acid from the pickles and a creamy base really drawing out the sweet, rich pumpkin. Great crunch from the crisps on top too - this was a big hit.
We also loved the pickled and smoked eggplant, with sambal and crispy potatoes - it's working with the same kind of ideas, spicy sauce, acid from the pickles, rich smokiness and then crisp on top. This one isn't on the regular menu, but you should get your hands on it if you can!
The greens dish was a mix of Brussels sprouts and Chinese broccoli, served with puffed buckwheat and a fermented tofu cream. A pretty impressive plate for your side veggies.
Next up was a golden egg tofu, served on a corn reduction and topped with pickled chrysanthemum. The tofu texture is so incredible - smooth and creamy underneath a delicately crisp outer layer. Variations on this are a staple on the Etta menu and I would always order it.
I would also always order the heartiest dish of the night, the zongzi, featuring oyster mushrooms and black bean chilli oil. I'd never heard of zongzi before Etta served it up - they're steamed glutinous rice cakes basically. Etta's version is so rich and savoury, with meaty mushrooms and five spice and the kick of the chilli oil. It's sublime, especially in winter.
The dessert for the night was the dish that is becoming Etta's signature - the chilli oil parfait, with melon, lychee and lime leaf sorbet. The chilli oil parfait is very clever, and this is a really fresh and sharp dessert - it feels a bit more summery than the rest of the menu, but it shows off Etta's approach really well.
We just had a spectacular dinner - service is always exceptional: incredibly friendly, but always super sharp, and the space is a delight, especially in the back dining room area. Every time we go I want to go back immediately - it's a special occasion place that feels like your favourite local as well.
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You can read about our previous visits to Etta here, here and here, as well as a positive review at The Juliet Report.
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Etta
60 Lygon St, Brunswick
9448 8233
Accessibility: The entry is flat and there is one step up from the bar area to the dining area. Tables are moderately spaced and lighting is quite dim. We received full table service. Toilets are unisex and spacious, but we didn't notice handrails or other mobility aids.
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