Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe, Sydney CBD

Beer lovers rejoice! It's time for craft beers matched with delicious food at Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe. What a lovely little pub that delivers refreshing beers and quality food to match. Matt's eyes are open with excitement. The Australian Good Food Guide introduced us to Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe. Thanks!

As I walk into Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe, I see a dark pub area and also a dining area. MW and I are here for dinner and we get seated in a nice intimate dining area. Redoak are known for their beer so we start dinner with a paddle of beer matched with food. This is like a self guided beer tasting (reminds me of wine classes really).

There's two options, firstly there's the Seafood Tasting Board ($30 for beer matching with food) which has 

• Salmon Gravalax w creme fraiche and lemon balm matched an Aussie Real Ale
• Grilled Octopus with harissa sauce and chilli matched with an Aussie Lager
• Tuna Tartare w shallot and sesame dressing matched with pommy bitter
• Prawn cutlet with lemon pepper aioli matched with an organic pale ale.

The matchings were really nice. My favourite matching from the seafood tasting board was probably the prawn cutlet which has a real spicy edge and the organic pale ale was refreshing with a smooth aftertaste. I also enjoyed the pommy bitter beer which went very well with the tuna tartare. The price point seems high for the quantity of food but keep in mind you get a lot of variety in beer.

There's also the Meat Tasting Board ($30 with matching beer) which had

• Smoked Turkey Breast with red currant jelly and cranberries matched with an Aussie lager
• Pork Belly w slaw, crouton, baby parsley matched with a pommy bitter
• Sliced gourmet pastrami with branston pickles matched with organic pale ale.
• Grilled Chorizo sausage w red capsicum sauce matched hell raiser.

Matt is beaming with delight as he drinks the hell raiser which lingers with the flavours of the grilled chorizo. Matt has no favourites but enjoys all the pairings on the meat platter. It's a great way for a self guided craft beer tour.

Next up are the mains. Matt has the Roast Lamb Rump ($32) which has crushed chat potato, sugar snap peas, mint and pea puree, gremolata with red wine jus. It's a high class pub meal with quality ingredients. Matt enjoys the Pommy Bitter beer with the roast lamb. It's very homely

The Grilled Tasmanian Salmon ($32) comes from a sustainable tasmanian farm and is served up with tomato and olive concasse, green beans, grilled asparagus, and roasted red capsicum sauce. For me, this is the highlight main as the salmon is cooked perfectly and the flavour combination from the tomato and olive concasse and capsicum sauce is perfection. I highly recommend.

The Raspberry and white chocolate trifle ($10) is like a child's dream come true for adults. With layers of raspberry jelly, mascarpone, white chocolate, ganache and shards. What a mouthful of texture, flavour and punch of sugar. Matt is in heaven. I have a few mouthfuls as I'm also trying the Mango and Coconut Pannacotta ($10) with dessicated coconut, mango coulis and dried mango is a modern and posh plate in comparison. The smooth panacotta with mango is more simple and less intense which is what I prefer. Matt loves both and ends up eating most of both desserts.

Summary: Redoak Boutique Beer cafe is an intimate place for dinner with quality food and matching beers. Make your beer experience classy and check it out.

I loved the seafood tasting canapes with beers as it was a great way to taste and try a number of beers. 

Price: $mains are $30ish

Location: 201 Clarence St, Sydney

Opening Hours: 12pm to late Monday to Saturday





Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the Australian Good Food Guide. All photos, opinions and words are my own.