Some events are designed to be remembered rather than repeated. The Underground Exchange — a strictly one-night Chef Series truffle dinner staged by The Lex at W Brisbane — fell firmly into that category. Held on Thursday, 2 July, the evening was built entirely around a single seasonal ingredient: the Manjimup black truffle, unmistakably the star of the night.
Arrival
Guests were led into a private dining space set apart from The Lex’s usual floor, two elegantly dressed tables arranged before floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Brisbane River and South Bank’s lit-up skyline beyond. Champagne was poured on arrival, each guest greeted individually as they stepped in — a small touch that set the tone before anyone had even taken a seat.
The Menu
Dinner opened with a round of Truffle Canapés — a compact, aromatic introduction — paired with a crisp Veuve Clicquot NV.
From there came a pair of snacks: a Black Truffle Cultured Cream Tartlet, its cream bright and almost citrus-edged against the truffle’s earthiness, and a Smoked Venison & Truffle Bite that made its entrance with genuine theatre — delivered in a small glass-domed vessel, smoke curling inside, lifted tableside to reveal the dish beneath. Both were matched with a Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2015.
The entrée, a Kingfish Tartare, was plated over a Manjimup truffled ‘Salade a la Russe’ with sour cream and caviar, finished with shaved truffle on top — fresh, rich, and well-judged as a lead-in to the main course, poured alongside a Veuve Clicquot Rosé.
The main was where the evening peaked: a charred “Sir Harry” wagyu beef loin, cooked to a precise medium-rare, its centre warm and evenly rosy, finished with a truffle jus. This dish was what the night had been building towards — beautifully tender, rich in flavour, with the truffle adding real depth without ever overwhelming the beef itself. This course was matched with a Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old.
To close, a Truffled Vanilla Panna Cotta, finished with shaved chocolate, a crisp wafer tuile and a single mint leaf — a creamy, restrained finish that rounded out a menu that never once reached for excess when quality would do. The final pour was a Veuve Clicquot Rich.
Truffle, Explained
Between courses, a representative from Lady Truffle Fine Foods — the supplier behind the evening’s produce — took guests through the story of Australian truffle farming, covering the regions producing both black and white varieties and the noticeable differences between them. Black truffle carries a deep, earthy aroma; white truffle is considerably more assertive, a signal of just how much more forward its flavour will be on the plate. The most memorable detail of the night, though, was historical: Australia banned the use of pigs in truffle hunting back in the 1980s, after farmers found that the animals — driven into a frenzy by the truffle’s scent — would frequently damage the truffles, and occasionally the handlers, in the process. Dogs have done the job cleanly ever since.
“Some things are worth the truffle — fine dining at The Lex.”
Hosts and Verdict
The evening was hosted by Executive Chef John Kennedy, whose kitchen oversees every dining venue across W Brisbane, alongside General Manager Haldon Philp and the venue’s marketing team, each speaking briefly across the night to add context to the produce, the pairings and the property itself.
What made The Underground Exchange work wasn’t just the truffle — it was the attention paid to pairing each course with a distinct Veuve Clicquot pour, the theatre built into the presentation of individual dishes, and the sense that nothing on the table was there by accident. The Lex has built a habit of these limited, one-off dining events, and on this occasion, the exclusivity was entirely earned. Some things, as it turns out, really are worth the truffle.
Photography: Markus Ravik / The Lex, W Brisbane.
