The celebrated team behind Surry Hills restaurant and cocktail bar Shaffa, Desert Ship Hospitality, has launched a new Middle Eastern tapas bar.
Co-owners Erez Nahum and Juan Colmenares wanted to create a unique space that captures the vibrant energy of the Middle East and the laid-back charm of tapas culture.
“Our vision was to create a home-like dining experience. With its casual, communal vibe, Caness feels less like a restaurant dining room and we hope it’s a place where people can connect, enjoy themselves and feel at home – even in shorts and thongs,” says Colmenares.
Desert Ship Hospitality Group Executive Chef Ido Zarmi developed a menu of tapas-style plates that showcase bold flavours, vibrant colours, and minimal, high-quality ingredients.
“We believe that great food doesn’t need to be complicated,” says Zarmi. “Our menu is all about celebrating authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours with a minimalist approach. It’s about stripping things back to the essentials and letting the ingredients speak for themselves.”
The menu takes inspiration from Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Spanish cuisine, with a seafood-heavy influence and fresh, seasonal flavours. Standouts include the bonito crudo, served with a generous dollop of citrus herbs and jalapeños marinade with heirloom tomatoes and pistachios; and the grilled octopus, which is blanched until tender, charred for a smoky crunch, and paired with roasted cos lettuce.
Drinks are similarly thoughtfully considered; 80 wines cover a spectrum of budgets, with 20 by the glass or carafe options. The team has also devised 10 signature cocktails, including a ‘Figroni’ – “A slow burn of fig and spice, stirred with gin and given a cheeky kiss by arak. Think of it as a Negroni that ditched the ordinary and ran off to the Mediterranean for some fun,” the team describes it on Instagram.
The restaurant sits on Oxford Street in the heart of Paddington. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 3pm till late; Friday from midday till late; Saturday 11am till late; and Sunday 11am to 11pm.
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