Sydney lockdown: Harvest Bites by OzHarvest, reviewed

If you want someone to do something that will help others, then appeal to their better nature. But first of all, make sure they get something else out of it besides a nice warm feeling.

And so along comes OzHarvest's freshly curated meal home-delivery service, Harvest Bites, as if on demand. Their new Monday Meals and Marketplace initiatives provide weekly meal kits from top chefs around town, snappily delivered for a $15 fee. The in-built donation from each purchase goes back to OzHarvest to assist in delivering more meals to people in need.

This week, I try out a classic fish pie and greens from a former ARIA chef – not much to go wrong there. But a Mexican feast from OzHarvest's exec chef Travis Harvey has a harder hill to climb, what with my aversion to the usual bland, pappy tortillas and coarse chilli salsas. Let's see how they go.

Fish pie and greens, $30, Boronia Kitchen

There is something so pleasing about Boronia Kitchen's beautifully latticed fish pie for one, which cooks from frozen to reveal a filling of hot-smoked salmon, snapper and barramundi in a rich creamy, leeky sauce. Simon Sandall is such a technical and logistical chef that I knew that he could cook great takeaway in his sleep, but this is still impressive.

You get a small tub of Sandall's parsley and kombu sauce to heat through, which gives the whole thing a very British smoked haddock vibe. And holy cow, the greens! The most perfect nasturtium, red elk, baby kale, sorrel and warrigal greens, picked from the restaurant's own kitchen garden and dressed with a mustard and white balsamic vinaigrette. Takeaway, elevated.

Degree of difficulty Chuck the pie in the oven, dress the salad, heat the sauce. I had to cook up some buttery carrots and peas to give myself something to do.

Mexican Taco Kit, $60 for four, OzHarvest Kitchen

OzHarvest is run like a military operation, unlike some food delivery services. I was told I would be given a four-hour delivery window, and I was. I was meant to receive a text 15 minutes before delivery, and I did. Ten minutes later, a cheery OzHarvest driver is at my door, with all the fixings of a Mexican taco feast.

My kitchen does not, it must be said, run in similar military fashion, and requires a strategy meeting to work out who does what. The instructions say to dip the tortilla into water "for no longer than the blink of an eye" then into a hot pan to fry for 10 seconds. The slow-cooked Borrowdale pork gets heated in a frypan, breaking down into a soft, shreddy mess, while we dance to the Mexican playlist.

OzHarvest's Travis Harvey has lived and worked in Mexico and Guatemala and it shows. He just gets it right. To choose La Tortilleria soft corn tacos from Melbourne is both educated and inspired; they actually taste of corn. Frijoles (braised pinto beans) aren't the usual glunk, but rustic and singular. An arbol chilli salsa is a brilliant orange, a salsa verde is smooth and green, and there are pink pickled onions and crisp shredded cabbage for piling on top. A vegetarian version stars spice-roasted cauliflower with queso fresco, which brings lighter, toastier notes to the tortilla.

Building the tacos at the table is the most fun I've had on the takeaway circuit, with each component bright, fresh and warm, all the crisp/soft textures whooshing together in a single bite. All this, and knowing OzHarvest can send out a few more meals to people in need, is definitely a nice warm feeling – or maybe that's just from the arbol chile salsa.

Degree of difficulty Heat the pork, steam-fry the tortillas, dance to the playlist – just follow the clear directions via the QR code. I added my own salad dressing and a lime.

Harvest Bites

How Marketplace meals on harvestbites.com.au

When Order by 4pm Monday for delivery on Wednesday.

Weekly changing options may include:

Kepos Street Kitchen Michael Rantissi turns a simple meal of slow-cooked lamb shoulder into a Middle Eastern feast, $100.

Rising Sun Workshop This cult ramen restaurant and motorbike workshop offers two different DIY ramen kits to make at home, $40.

Nomad Jacqui Challinor puts together a meaty Nomad-at-home feast for two, and a vegetarian option with the works, $135 each.

Harvest Box Weekly selection of seasonal, locally sourced fruit and veg, $40. Add on organic eggs, $10, or fresh sourdough, $15.

Random Act of Kindness An additional option in which you can nominate a meal pack to be delivered to a family in need within OzHarvest's charity network.