Mork and Benn Ratanakosol are the brothers behind Mínima. Photo: Pewpew Studio.
Mínima has been one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in Canberra this year. Brothers Benn and Mork Ratanakosol – who previously ran popular restaurant Morks – have broken out of their ‘rebellious Thai’ era and are now embracing Third Culture Cuisine, exploring the broad influence of Asian flavours.
The 22-seat Mínima is a much smaller space than Morks, but this allows for a more intimate dining experience. As with their previous business, Mork runs the kitchen, and Benn manages the floor, with just a couple of hand-picked staff members to help them out.
I visited last week with a group of friends and we opted for the very reasonably priced $85 pp set menu. One friend has a dairy allergy, which was easily catered for – one or two dishes were replaced, but most required just a small alteration.
Sashimi to start (note the hungry chopsticks ready to strike!) Photo: Lucy Ridge.
We start with a plate of cobia (black kingfish) sashimi, served with Szechuan and mandarin powder: it’s a fresh, zesty, bright dish and a great way to start the meal, especially with a glass of prosecco in hand.
Next up, crispy okonomiyaki-inspired cabbage pancakes topped with slices of sweet raw scallop meat. This is a nice multi-bite morsel and a textural delight.
The kitchen makes tofu in-house, drawing from Burmese traditions, which use chickpeas instead of soybeans. Squares of this tofu are fried and served on a chilli and eggplant jam doused with burnt butter. The crisp shell of the tofu yields to a meltingly soft interior and is an ideal flavour vehicle for the punchy, savoury jam. I could imagine tucking into a big bowl of these as a snack with beer, but as an elevated dish, it’s lovely with a glass of fruity and slightly saline Italian Garganega white wine.
Scorched Murray Cod is achieved with a blow torch in the induction-only kitchen. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Perfectly soft omelettes topped with hoisin sauce reveal a filling of prawns and garlic chives, which we enjoy with rice. Served alongside is a dish of poached turmeric squid with pickled mustard greens and a crunchy garnish. This was one of my favourite dishes of the night: the texture of the squid was spot-on, soft and tender, and I loved the bite of the mustard greens.
Plump, juicy pieces of torched Murray cod are served on a spicy sambal with curry leaf oil – a dish that takes us into more of an Indonesian flavour palate – alongside thick slices of braised daikon with shiitake mushrooms. The impressive depth of flavour permeates the surprisingly meaty daikon radish, an ingredient I’ve mostly enjoyed pickled or raw. I love when a chef can take humble ingredients and really surprise you with them, and Mork has hit the nail on the head with this umami-rich braise.
We leave the next wine choice to Benn, who brings us a bright red called M’arricriu. It lingers beautifully with some serious depth.
Mínima uses induction cooktops – a challenge for chefs accustomed to working with flame. Photo: Pewpew Studio.
The minimalist kitchen at Mínima runs with induction cooktops, requiring Mork and his team to work differently to achieve smokey flavours – an essential component of many Asian dishes – which he ably manages through creative use of spices and the occasional jet of flame from a blow torch. The magnificent dishes coming out of the kitchen are perhaps the best advertisement for induction cooking in a commercial setting I’ve seen.
Dessert is cute, cupcake-sized individual apple crumble tarts with five spices and cream. They’re tasty but not quite as refined as the rest of the menu.
The initial response to Mínima’s opening has seen their small dining room book out solidly several weeks in advance. The set menu is outrageously good value, and I’m very keen to try the takeaway lunches on offer as well.
By untethering themselves from a single cuisine, Mork and Benn have broadened their artistic palette and are creating something very special. While the dishes zip around different cultural traditions, the menu feels very focused and the dishes are always deeply rooted in place.
It is absolutely worth making a booking for this very special venue: Mínima is set to become a major player in Canberra’s hospitality scene.
Mínima is located at 29 Bentham Street, Yarralumla. They are open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm until late, and for takeaway lunches Thursday to Saturday (order ahead). Book a table online, or follow Mínima on Instagram.
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