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Hunter Gatherer

Terry Durack
Terry Durack

Go-to dish: The Scotch egg is the bee's knees.
Go-to dish: The Scotch egg is the bee's knees.Christopher Pearce

12/20

Contemporary$$

My preferred dining companion has just turned blue. No, make that red. Oh dear, she is now green. But that's not the problem. The problem is my Scotch egg is purple, my smoked trout is green, my steak is blue and my carrot cake is pink.

We are sitting in Hunter Gatherer, the latest bar and eatery from the team behind Bondi's Panama House and The Corner House, located on the rooftop of North Sydney's Greenwood Plaza. It's an intriguing mash-up of modern Sydney pub, Danish design, traditional farmhouse, verdant greenhouse and industrial canteen – all of which they could get away with, were it not for the psychedelia.

The lighting installation in this section of the room projects colour-shifting images of wilderness onto the walls, as if North Sydney were not jungle enough. There are other places to sit – conventionally lit lounges, high tables, shared benches, and an outdoor terrace – but I'm like a rabbit caught in headlights, frozen.

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True colours: Locals say Hunter Gatherer is a breath of fresh air for the North Sydney dining scene.
True colours: Locals say Hunter Gatherer is a breath of fresh air for the North Sydney dining scene.Christopher Pearce

Besides, they're having a laugh, aren't they? Hunting and gathering in the wilds of North Sydney? I note, without comment, that much of the produce is hunted and gathered from respected providores such as Victor Churchill, Rodriguez Bros, and Martin Boetz's Cooks Co-op.

So the only real hunting and gathering is on the menu, compiled by head chef Paul ("Mick") Micklewright. Main courses are listed under Hunted and side dishes under Gathered, and you can put one of each together for a very reasonable $24.

But first, the menu lists "smalls" that include a crumbed Scotch egg ($10) that is the bee's knees; a beautifully cooked Cooks Co-op googie completely encased with minced chorizo and pork belly and crisp crumbs. There's more action and less focus with a starter of Goulburn River king trout ($14); the trout served both hot-smoked and cured alongside Pepe Saya creme fraiche, beetroot, and sliced, fried caperberries.

House-cured and smoked Goulburn River trout.
House-cured and smoked Goulburn River trout.Christopher Pearce
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This colour-shifting is like aversion therapy, and I have to wait, knife and fork in hand, for a 30-second window of natural light to hoe in, stopping when my food turns blue.

It may be the lighting that makes me lose interest in the Holmbrae chicken Maryland ($24 with side), in spite of the glorious labna on the plate. Or it may be that the long brining, dark spicing and gratuitous grilling has somehow made it not-very-chickeny, and that the kale salad is sharp with vinegar and coarse with chilli.

Rangers Valley inside skirt ($24 with side) is marinated and slow-cooked at low temperature before ending on the grill. Not uncoincidentally, it lacks the spontaneous sizzle of a great steak cooked over coals.

Grilled skirt steak with house fries.
Grilled skirt steak with house fries.Christopher Pearce

House fries with rosemary salt are fun; wombok salad is unbalanced to the point of boredom; and the pud is good – a slab of freshly baked walnut and carrot cake ($8.50) with a CWA-worthy crumb balanced with rich cream-cheese icing.

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Senior staff are wine-savvy and proud of their sherries and locally produced aperitifs, and the list mixes classic Oz labels and naturalist Frenchies and Aussies.

The 2015 La Violetta Ye Ye Rouge ($68) from WA's Great Southern District is a ripe, earthy blend of spatburgunder (that would be pinot noir, then), syrah (shiraz) and nebbiolo.

The locals reckon it's a breath of fresh air for the area, and are pouring in for breakfast, lunch and dinner, regardless of the confusing multiplicity of statements, ideas and concepts. Me, I'm still waiting for Hunter Gatherer to show us its true colours.

THE LOWDOWN
Best bit: 
New dining options for North Sydney
Worst bit: Blue steak, green eggs, red cake
Go-to dish: Cooks Co-op Scotch egg with tomato relish, $10

Terry Durack is chief restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald and senior reviewer for the Good Food Guide. This rating is based on the Good Food Guide scoring system.

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Terry DurackTerry Durack is the chief restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food.

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