Is this Canberra's best wine list? The food might surprise you, too

"The aim of the bar is to pour interesting wines and showcase some back vintages from our cellar," he said back then.

"And I'll be pouring plenty by the glass, too. If I feel like pouring something, I'll open the bottle because I want to."

Mok has previously worked at restaurants such as Aubergine, Waters Edge, Monster Kitchen and Bar and most recently as the consultant sommelier for Dear Prudence.

He's most likely forgotten more about wine than most of us would ever know.

Here, he's doing all he can to share his love of wine with his customers, working the tables offering splashes of this and that. Who knows what bottles might be on the wine list in any given week. There's plenty on offer at different price points. Got something to celebrate? He's bound to have a bottle to suit any occasion. Just want a well-priced glass after work? He's got that, too.

The most exciting thing is there's plenty to offer by the glass with easy-to-follow one word descriptions. Want something crisp, or aromatic, smooth or plush? He's got a wine that will just hit the spot.

We start with a glass of a Heathvale Sagrantino rose from the Barossa and a chilled red, a gamay from Swinging Bridge in Orange.

Yes, rose is a wine meant for lazy summer afternoons so it's always a pleasant surprise to find one that's a little more, maybe textured is the right word, that feels right with more wintery-style dishes.

In reverse perhaps, a chilled red might seem like an odd choice in a Canberra winter, but this wine is complex yet light at the same time.

While we know Mok has the wine list under control, I do wonder how the food will hold up. The kitchen is tiny, smaller than my own at home, and the menu is limited.

But Mok is clever. He used to be a chef back in the day, he tells me, and he likes to cook the kind of food he likes to eat when he's drinking wine. It's not a kitchen with one of those big wood-fired grills that seem to be all the rage. He's got a slow cooker, a sous vide, did I see a deep fryer and he's is a recent convert to the cult of the Thermomix after the recommendation of his good friend Gerald Ong, of Project Enoki fame, who sometimes pops in to help out. It's smart cooking.

First up are a couple of little snacks. The watermelon and feta bites ($12) are fabulous. An idea I'm tucking away for the next dinner party. Watermelon in winter! Delicious, with its sugary sweetness offset by the salty cheese.

Tempura prawns ($18.50) come four to a plate. The batter is light, the prawns well-cooked and we enjoy them, heads and all, dipped in some of the sweet chilli mayo. The kind of food that's nice to have with drinks.

The chicken ballotine ($18) is one of his favourites, done in the sous vide. Mok shops at the Capital Region Farmers Markets every Saturday, getting his chicken from Brad Eberly at Canowindra Farms. It's boned and rolled with garlic and fresh herbs, served on a little caramelised onion which, on this night, could have done with a little more reduction.

Mok pops over to talk about wine a little more. He offers a splash of a few different varieties he has on offer. There's a spicy little Vinteloper touriga nacional which is described as "the low and slow-cooked brisket of red wine".

And it goes super well with the slow-cooked lamb on the menu tonight ($35). There's a choice of three bigger mains. It will vary. Tonight, there's the lamb on a bed of sweet potato mash; a seared chicken breast with chestnut and caramelised pear and fennel; and a duck breast with a blood orange jus and roasted carrot puree.

The lamb is enough to share between the two of us. Perhaps if we hadn't been greedy with the snack plates, we could have had one main each. It's tender and a little caramelly around the edges, the mash is smooth and well seasoned. There's some pepitas for texture and a splash of fresh parsley to liven it all up. A great wintery dish.

If you're not looking for a meal as such, the menu also offers a cheese platter, which will vary like the wine list, depending on what cheese has taken his fancy. And a charcuterie board too with cured meats and a selection of fresh and pickled vegetables.

There's a cocktail list too, and beers. Try the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned, made with a maple bacon liqueur that Mok has made himself.

To finish, he's done something clever again, a selection of little handmade chocolates that just hit the spot. There's one filled with roasted quince, a blood orange truffle, one with strawberries and a thin honeycomb wafer with chardonnay salt. It's like the swankiest Violent Crumble you'll ever eat.

It's always a worry when places like this open. Can a "passion project" be turned into a viable business in this day and age. It's tucked away at the back of the Branx building on Lonsdale St, where Alcove used to be, and unless you know it's there it would be easy to walk past.

But don't. It's like being invited into Mok's own home. It's personal and homey but still manages to feel like a proper night out.

If you want to talk about wine, learn more about wine, try something different, then Romanee is for you. And the food surprises.

Address: Door 105, 16 Lonsdale St, Braddon

Website: romaneewinebar.com.au

Hours: Thursday to Saturday, 4pm till late

Owner and chef: Chester Mok

Noise: No problem

Dietary: Limited choices