Hunter and Barrell, Cockle Bay Wharf

Summer is now upon us and here come the social events in December! I've been to Hunter and Barrell a number of times for work events, social events and plenty of foodie events. Hunter and Barrell is located on Cockle Bay Wharf and has a new Elements menu. I'm here on a Thursday night and it's a full house.

Hunter and Barrell is beautifully decorated for this particular "elements" dinner which I enjoy with my foodies. The venue is rustic and romantic. So what exactly can you expect from this Hunter and Barrell Elements menu? Think Water, Earth, Air and Fire!

Speaking of the element water, I enjoy some liquid in the form of Plantagenet Riesling. This riesling is an Australian wine from Western Australia which is very easy to drink. The Plantagenet Riesling is full and rich, reflective of it's golden colour.

Hunter and Barrell also has this jalapeno margarita which is new to their cocktail list. A nice wine and cocktail is always a pleasant way to start the meal and we are off into the elements. First off in the water element are the pacific oysters with lime gin granita (6 for $20).  I'm a newly converted oyster fan and am eager to see how the natural flavours of the oyster would be complemented by the lime gin granita. The sweetness of the lime granita mellows out the usual strong ocean taste from the oyster, making the flesh a little more subtle and buttery in texture. I go for a second oyster.

In terms of the Earth Element, I am treated to the Coal Roasted Pumpkin ($10/$21 for main size) with burnt honey, almond cream and herb salad. Melle who is assisting with Weekend Food Escapes exclaims that pumpkin is her favourite as the pumpkin is super smooth and buttery in texture. The subtle sweetness from the honey also lingers on the tongue.

The Roasted Eggplant with sumac yoghurt ($10/$21 for main) with hazelnut, fermented chilli and mint, comes out looking completely black. The eggplant is incredibly flavoursome, soft in texture. The hazelnuts add a nice crunch and earthiness to the dish. The creamy yoghurt brings the dish together. Then there's the  Roasted cauliflower ($10/21 for main) with chilli yoghurt, salsa verde, almonds and a herb salad. As the cauliflower is perfectly cut in half, I wonder how well it's cooked. The cauliflower is perfectly cooked and has retained its shape. The chilli yoghurt sauce is creamy and subtle in heat.

I also share a Barrel of punch "Where's the Rum gone"? This barrell attracts a lot of attention on our table, mostly with amusement and entertainment. I think the Barrell is really cute. The "Where's the Rum Gone" ($48, serves 4) is made with a barrel-aged blend of dark, spiced and malibu rum with pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice and grenadine. Over a few ice cubes, I lick my lips, enjoying the refreshing and sweet cocktail.

I've really enjoyed the Water and Earth Elements of the menu so far. Here's onto FIRE and the mains. It's full of coal roasted skewers! I apologise, I wasn't able to get as many photos of this dish as they disappeared too quickly as the foodies were hungry.

There was the Portuguese Chicken Thigh ($32) with lemon, yoghurt basting, served with side salad. The chicken smells amazing and I can see the foodies are bursting to take photos quickly so they can devour the chicken. The chicken is glistening with that lemon and yoghurt basting.  It's cooked well and is moist. The Honey Glazed Pork Belly ($35), burnt honey and coriander glaze with side salad. The pork belly was very popular and disappeared the quickest. The sweetness of the pork belly makes this dish really enjoyable.

The Rump Cap ($34), wild spice rub, lemon, rosemary with side salad. The Rump cap was cooked really well with a nice pink shade and was incredibly flavoursome. The Salmon and Albacore Tuna Loin ($36), with onion, fennel, capsicum and lemon with side salad. This dish looked amazing, I didn't get to taste this one but everyone gobbled up this dish in silence. That says a lot.

Hunter and Barrell delivers a special dessert for us foodies. It's the Brown Sugar Pavlova with seasonal berries. Adriana offers to break this giant pav open while all the foodies film a video. Meringue is a great way to finish the meal and I enjoy the berries. The inside of the pavlova is like a mini cake in itself - a burst of sugary goodness.

Summary: Overall, I really enjoyed my "Elements" dinner at Hunter and Barrell. The new Elements menu is full of flavour and there's something for everyone to enjoy. My favourite dishes were the oysters with that lime granita and the pork belly skewer. Talk about delicious! Yum.

Price: Mains are mostly $21 to 42

Location: Upstairs, Tenancy 303, Cockle Bay Wharf, Wheat Rd, Sydney

Opening Hours: 
Sunday, Monday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm
Friday, Saturday 12pm to 10:30pm

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.