The inspiration behind the New Spring/Summer Menu Release
The new Hunter & Barrel menu is here!
A new Spring/Summer menu has been carefully put together by the Hunter for you to enjoy and share with friends. With the end of lockdown, it is now the perfect time to reconnect with your tribe and feast together. Food always tastes better with others.
The Hunter has come up with exciting new menu ideas which he has shared with us today. He has explored different ingredients, tasted the flavours (many times!) and created a new mouth-watering menu.
The Hunter is back.
WHAT’S THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW Hunter & Barrel MENU?
H: Seasonality plays a huge role. It’s now spring and heading into summer in Australia. The menu needs to reflect the time of year so a few dishes have been replaced purely on seasonality. For example, the Bruschetta that had mushrooms, now has sulphurous pesto that has been foraged. Spring and summer vegetables include peas, asparagus and artichokes.
The majority of Australia has also recently emerged from lockdown, it’s celebration season! We have created dishes perfect for celebrating and sharing with your loved ones.
What do you take into account when thinking of a new menu?
H: I look into factors like seasonality and which dishes would be great to share. We have kept all our signature dishes that guests love, like the Chicken Wings and the Three Cheese Dip. The pork tomahawk, pumpkin wedge and flame grilled chicken are all listed as mains however they make great sharing dishes. The same goes for the ribs. Sharing a feast with others is a big part of how we structure the Hunter & Barrel menu.
How long does it take you to think of the new menu?
H: Normally, up to 16 weeks from start to finish. It involves sitting down, going through the menu, deciding what needs to be removed due to seasonality or to change things up. It’s not something that I rush. With lockdown, I’ve been fortunate to spend more time cooking. I have experimented with dishes – gone through recipes, practiced, learnt and tested things out.
What are your favourite dishes on the Hunter & Barrel menu and why?
H – The Lamb skewer is a favourite. We use lamb loin which is a very high quality and very tender meat. The meat is covered in a beautiful fenugreek rub. Overall, it’s very tasty.
The Three Cheese Dip is another favourite, with the Gouda, Gruyere and Edam mix bubbling away and flat bread toasted on the open wood fire. There’s not much that beats bread and cheese.
What’s fresh, what’s local and what’s seasonal does really well. The vegetable bruschetta is nice and fresh. It could be a starter, side dish and a really great sharing dish. It is very nicely presented and looks great with the white, green and red colours on the plate.
What are your three must-trys for the meat lovers?
H: The Pork Tomahawk 100%. It’s a very underrated meat and something a bit different. The pork is all sort of charged up and goes nice and crispy.
Another must try is the Wagyu rump. It’s my favourite cut by far from all cuts of meat. It has the tenderness and juiciness of Wagyu with a lot of flavour. You get that little bit of a bite that is really nice and melts in your mouth. When it’s cooked right – nice medium or medium rare, it’s a really beautiful cut of meat.
The pork ribs are definitely another must try with the special Hunter basting. A signature dish, for sure.
What about the salmon? Where are they caught?
H: Tasmania or New Zealand. We always use Atlantic salmon at Hunter & Barrel, from the colder waters around Australia.
What are the must-try vegetarian dishes?
H: The Bruschetta is a good entrée option and for the main, the Pumpkin Wedge. The sides are all vegetarian like the roasted corn and the green bean salad. Multiple sides can be ordered as main dishes. The Hunters salad is also perfect with nice fresh veggies, great dressing and feta on top is also a must try.
Saving the best for last – tell me about your new beautiful dessert, the Strawberry Mousse?
H: I love cheesecake! I wanted this one to be a bit different. The strawberry cheesecake is made like a mousse in its texture. On top is Chantilly cream so it’s not too sweet.
The dessert has a smooth texture with biscuit crumbs throughout so you get satisfying crunches when you bite in. There is the crispiness from the baked meringue offset by the macerated strawberry and Chantilly cream which is very smooth.
It’s something different, a bit messy, a bit rustic but truly delicious, in true Hunter fashion.
Book a table for lunch or dinner today at our Melbourne or Perth restaurant and taste the delicious new menu.
Book your table at Hunter & Barrel here
