I’VE OFTEN THOUGHT
that anyone opening a
restaurant risks ending up
in an asylum. Long hours,
late nights, chefs’ egos and
minuscule margins conspire to draw one
closer to a straitjacket and padded cell.
The Agrarian Kitchen’s Rodney Dunn
and Séverine Demanet cut to the chase,
opening their restaurant in New Norfolk’s
Willow Court – a former mental asylum.
Over the past 10 years, they’ve been
growing produce and running The
Agrarian Kitchen – Tassie’s adored kitchen
garden and cooking school – in nearby
Lachlan. The restaurant seems a natural
progression to celebrate not only produce
they grow themselves, but that of farmers,
fishermen and growers of the region, too.
Drinks guru Adi Ruiz embodies the
local ethos with a list that celebrates the
region’s drops as well as taking seasonal
produce to make syrups and ferments for
his quirky cocktails. The service is natural
and earnest in its willingness to share
a piece of Tasmania – hardly surprising
given it’s led by the wonderful Katrina
Birchmeier (Bar Brosé, Garagistes).
A celebration of such is one thing, but
the restraint and respect shown by head
chef Ali Currey-Voumard is a sheer joy.
The house-made sourdough demands
to be smeared with house-churned butter.
There’s a wonderful firmness to cured
strips of Tasmania’s hero fish, stripedtrumpeter, eight of which arrive on
a plate with rye, half a soft-boiled egg,
pickled onion, butter and kefir cream.
The combination allows each element
to have its say, especially the fish.
Crisp, refreshing and earthy broad
bean leaves provide a canopy over raw
and pickled beetroot, carrots, turnips and
daikon that huddle on a dense labneh
in a moat of olive oil. It’s one of the
most perfect dishes I’ve had this year.
There’s local morwong served with
spaghettino tossed with garlic and
pangrattato (breadcrumbs), southern-fried
leatherjacket with chilli-spiked ‘razorback’
ranch, or lamb meatballs with tahini sauce.
But the undeniable go-to is the
wood-roasted meat of the day. Today it’s
suckling pig – a generous slab of golden,
crisp-skinned swine encasing wobbly
flesh accompanied by some stunning
sides. These include a refreshing salted,
toasted sesame-dressed cabbage; a
shredded cold potato salad with chilli oil,
peanuts and black pepper; and a large,
buttery lard and chive pancake that fits
neatly into one’s guilty pleasures bag. All
with plum sauce, kimchi and cucumber
pickle to help cut through the richness.
If you’re after a sweet fix but can’t fit
much, the Monte Carlo biscuit is perfect.
Whatever you do, just make sure you
check yourself in to the Agrarian Kitchen
Eatery when in the Apple Isle. You’d be
crazy not to.Tassie’s much-loved Agrarian Kitchen has expanded from farm to
restaurant – and it takes Anthony Huckstep to his happy place.
delicious.com.au/eat-out
For more of our critic’s dining picks.@huckstergram @anthuckstepSCHOOL’S OUT
CLOCKWISE: the
main dining room and main dining room and
bar; coffee and sweet bar; coffee and sweet
snacks; lunch plates snacks; lunch plates
to share and drinks.to share and drinks.THE AGRARIAN KITCHEN
EATERY & STORE
CUISINE
Contemporary
CHEF
Ali Currey-Voumard
VISIT
11A The Avenue,
New Norfolk, Tasmania
OPENING HOURS
Fri - M o n 11a m - 5 p m
Fri & Sat 6pm-late
BOOKINGS
(03) 6262 0011
theagrariankitchen.com
then click on ‘Eatery & Store’
PRICE
$$$$$
BYO No
OTHER FEATURES
Private dining
CHILD FRIENDLY
YesPHOTOGRAPHYADAM GIBSON28 delicious.com.auREVIEW.