Inside The Underground Exchange: A One-Night Truffle Dinner at The Lex

The Underground Exchange ran for one night only, by design. The Chef Series truffle dinner, hosted by The Lex at W Brisbane on Thursday, 2 July, put a single seasonal ingredient front and centre — the Manjimup black truffle, at its peak and treated accordingly.

Setting the Scene

Guests were led into a private dining area set with two elegantly dressed tables, the room framed by floor-to-ceiling views over the Brisbane River and the glittering South Bank Cultural precinct beyond. Champagne greeted arrivals at the door, glasses already poured and waiting by the time everyone sat down.

Course by Course

Dinner opened with Truffle Canapés, paired with Veuve Clicquot NV — a lovely, confident start. From there came a pair of snacks: a Smoked Venison & Truffle Bite, and a Black Truffle Cultured Cream Tartlet. The tartlet in particular stood out, bright and almost citrusy against the earthiness of the truffle. The venison bite arrived with real theatre, served beneath swirling smoke in a glass-topped vessel, lifted tableside to reveal the dish underneath. Both were matched with a Veuve Clicquot Vintage 2015.

Entrée was a Kingfish Tartare, plated over a Manjimup truffled 'Salade a la Russe' with sour cream and caviar — fresh, rich, and a great palate reset ahead of the main, paired with a Veuve Clicquot Rosé.

The main event was a charred "Sir Harry" wagyu beef loin, cooked to a correct, rosy medium-rare, 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 one came with a Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old.

Dessert closed things out with a Truffled Vanilla Panna Cotta, finished with shaved chocolate, a crisp wafer tuile and a single mint leaf — refined rather than sweet, and a fitting way to end a menu built around restraint and quality produce. Paired, fittingly, with a Veuve Clicquot Rich.

"Some things are worth the truffle — fine dining at The Lex."

The Story Behind the Ingredient

Between courses, a representative from Lady Truffle Fine Foods — the truffle supplier behind the evening — walked guests through the history of truffle farming in Australia, including the regions producing both black and white varieties. The differences in aroma alone were striking: black truffle carrying an earthy depth, white truffle far more assertive, hinting at its stronger presence on the plate. One detail drew genuine surprise from the table — Australia banned the use of pigs for truffle hunting back in the 1980s, after farmers found the animals, driven into a frenzy by the scent, would frequently damage the truffles (and occasionally the farmers) in the process. Dogs have done the job ever since.

The Verdict

The Underground Exchange was hosted by Executive Chef John Kennedy and General Manager Haldon Philp, alongside the venue's marketing team, and it's the kind of event that justifies its own exclusivity — a tightly curated menu, a genuinely engaging guest, and wine pairings considered enough to match each course rather than simply accompany it. The Lex continues to build a reputation for these limited-run dining experiences, and on this evening, it delivered in full.

Photography: Markus Ravik / The Lex, W Brisbane.