4Fourteen

At 4Fourteen, the experience starts the moment you walk in. Perhaps it’s the rustic pigeonholes that catch your eye, or the theatre-like, open-plan kitchen. It could be the floor-to-ceiling windows that gaze out over Fitzroy Street, or the eclectic collection of art curated by owner and executive chef Colin Fassnidge.

It continues on the plate. Fassnidge and head chef Rebecca Scully execute a nose-to-tail-focused a la carte menu, delivering rich textures and concepts with a light-handed approach.

A ring of beef brisket sits in a pool of salty pancetta and mushroom sauce, topped with poached bitter leaf and a dollop of buttermilk curd. A brick of white chocolate ice-cream is served between two slivers of crisp “caramelised milk” and a blob of rich dulce de leche.

The space is decorated with vibrant, multi-coloured art panels and a sculpture or two by Fassnidge’s friends and fellows. Other decorations are more sentimental, such as the stained-glass lamp in the corner, the front art installation composed of honeycomb trays from local beehives, and the typographical sign naming the locations that the three business partners have worked.

Fassnidge – a familiar name in households (due to his time on My Kitchen Rules) and commercial kitchens alike – leads an informed and attentive team, offering as much of a stand-out performance from his stage in the kitchen as he does on the plate.