F
orthedetailing,Devlinand
Trinhhavechosentosupport
talentedlocals,commissioning
hand-blownpendantlights
fromCurrumbin’sSøktas,andsourcing
TasmanianandQueenslandblackwood
timberjoineryfromGarethRobertson
ofBrisbane’sBlackwoodCollective.
TheyengagedJulieKingofWhitewood
interior-designagencyinByronBayto
designa spacefeaturingcoastalinteriors
usingthecoloursofrocksandsandand
seapulledfromaerialphotosofPottsville.
Oneofthebiggestthings,Devlin
says,is decidingwherethepointofno
compromiselies.What’sa deal-breaker.
Inevitably,somethingsfallbythewayside.
“We’dliketohavebettercutlery,but
wecan’taffordthe$10-$12a piece
sets,”hesays.Ceramics,however,are
a no-concessionzone.“Youcanseethe
resultandit supportsthecommunity,”
Devlinsays.“Thatmakesa difference.”
Thedetailis exceptional.Casuarina’s
GritCeramicsis makingthebulkof
Pipit’splatesandbowls.Someplateswill
usea tuna-spineashmix,forexample,
sourcedfromPaperDaisy’sgrilland
milledbyDevlin.They’llbeglazed
usingthesameash,andwillbeused
forrawormarinatedfishdishes.
Pipitwasoriginallyduetoopenat
thestartoftheyear,butthedelaymeans
beingabletodeliverontheexacting
standardsthecouplehaveset,andhave
broughta bonus– preciousextratime
withPennybeforethefinalpush.“Yes,
it is challenging,”saysDevlin.“Butthis
neededtohappen.Wewerealways
goingtodoit [opena restaurant]and
realistically,we’renevergoingtohave
anymoretimethanwehaverightnow.”
Pipit’snamereferencesa beautiful,
Australianground-dwellingbird,and
hasa specialsignificanceforthecouple.
“Yen’snameis Vietnameseforswallow
bird,andPipitis ournameforPenny,
althoughwehaven’tusedit asmuch
aswethoughtwewould,”saysDevlin.
“Becausewekeepcallingherpeanut.”
So,wouldhedoit alloveragain?“I
definitelywould.ButwouldI takeonall
thetilingnexttime?HopefullyI’llbeable
toaffordsomeoneelsetodoit.”
Pipit,Shop4/8CoronationAve,Pottsville,
NSW, is open now. pipitrestaurant.com●