Fleet
2/16 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads, NSW, 2483
+61 2 6685 1363
If you come to Fleet blind. That is; no reviews read, just booking on pure verbal recommendations (which come fast and thick when you ask the locals where to dine), you could be forgiven for walking straight through the restaurant, searching for a courtyard or hidden back area.
You might even try to slide a decorative wall panel, believing there to be a hidden cache of tables somewhere, anywhere.
You might start out puzzled because you couldn’t imagine that such a venue would (or could) possibly only cater to a pax of about 30. We know because we did all this.
Fleet is a small but stunningly decorated corner of Brunswick Heads, a venue that feels so new and different for this area but very clearly harks to the nu-Brunswick vibe. It’s understated Japanese minimalist cool, refined but welcoming and all about connecting. Connecting with the other guests, connecting with the food, connecting with the owners.
This kind of ultra-intimacy feels so rebellious in a time when bars and restaurants are clamouring to cater to the most patrons as possible. ‘Are there plans to expand?’, we asked, so utterly confused as to why such a place would constrain itself when all clues indicate that this is a hot-ticket spot to feast.
All was revealed once we were seated at the communal polished concrete slab by the kitchen. Here we could watch co-owner and chef Josh Lewis calmly and expertly create some of the most artistic tasting plates we’ve ever seen (it’s quite mesmerising witnessing him place each individual crisp into the smoked mullet, crispy skin, potato and dill) and viewing every ingredient muddled into our cocktails.
The effect is instant, making diners feel as though they’re eating inside the beautifully designed home of a very stylish friend, while co-owner and maitre’d/sommelier Astrid McCormack meticulously manages to provide every patron with the kind of attention usually reserved for visiting dignitaries. Not sure about which wine to choose? McCormack will happily pour you a taste of each, sharing the story of the vineyard as she pours. She has an innate skill of being able to read the crowd, knowing when to check in and explain the menu and when to lie low, only ever a few metres away if anything is needed.
We’re labouring this point so heavily because this kind of personal care feels so rare and special that she might’ve ruined us for other restaurants. Want to put it to the test? Visit the bathroom a few times and we dare your napkin to be anything but folded to perfection when you return.
But thats just a very small example. But when it comes to Fleet, it’s the hundreds of small details that have built its huge reputation.
When it comes to ordering, everything is arranged from least to most filling and we recommend letting chef Josh Lewis guide you through. Also, don’t be afraid to open your horizons when it comes to what you’d normally order. Josh Lewis embraces the nose to tail approach to cooking which is to be commended. If you’re lucky to spy the pig’s trotters with sweet onions and capers on the menu, run, don’t walk. They are delicious and we imagine he has quite a bit of fun changing the perceptions of those who wouldn’t normally consider themselves the trotter type.
Highly recommend
Trying the Tumeric Margarita. A liver cleansing nod to Byron’s health-conscious but libation-loving crowds.
Book a week or so ahead. Without a doubt.
Follow Fleet on Instagram @fleetrestaurant
Connect with us on Instagram @citizensoftheworld & @dominicloneragan &@meghanloneragan
