LOCATIONLocated at 85 Queen Street Berry, just 2 hours drive south of Sydney in the charming little NSW South Coast village of Berry.
DETAILSThe hungry duck features a landscaped kitchen garden which is a source of organic herbs and vegetables for the restaurant. Hungry duck is treading lightly on this earth by using local organic meats, sustainable seafood and composting all kitchen waste.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA Not having booked a table during the week, we were told we must arrive early to get a table. Arriving promptly at 6.30, the likelihood that we would be turned away seemed slim given we were the only guests in the restaurant. But, as seven o’clock ticked over – suddenly, the restaurant filled. Every customer that walked in seemed to be friends with the maître d’. And the warmth between the staff and customers wasn’t reserved to trivial discussions of the weather - questions like “How did you go on Wednesday John?’ and “Any news on those lamb prices?” proved that everyone seemed to be friends, good friends. It felt like stepping into a small town pub where everyone knows everyone, except for you. But that didn’t last long because like in a small country pub, all it took was a shared glass of wine to break the ice.
The restaurant space is what you would expect from a small country town, it is small, intimate and comfortable however crisp linen tablecloths and a formal cutlery setting insinuate that these guys are still serious about their food. The menu is inspired by Modern Australian and Asian flavours and choosing just one main meal became impossible. My dining guest and I end up ordering several dishes including the famous duck “cooked three ways” and red curry of duck. Given the name of the restaurant, I quickly justified ordering two duck mains however, waiting for the dishes to arrive, I became anxious. Being a duck-lover, I sorely hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed. But as the elegantly arrange plant of duck spring roll, rare caramelised breast and a crispy sichuan peppered leg arrive, my cynicism was firmly deemed idle. Then came the red curry of duck in all its rich coconut cream and chilli glory completed the meal.
But The Hungry Duck has more going for it than simply serving top notch food. Owner David Campbell, who has worked in kitchens across the world including Tetsuyas London, Billy Kwong and Wockpool, prides himself on using organic ingredients that he produces in the restaurant’s backyard garden and in the last two years (2010 and 2011), the restaurant has been named in the top ten green eateries in the Good Food Guide.
All in all, The Hungry Duck is one of a few restaurants that I could easily justify driving two hours just for a meal.
Anna Lisle