What: Arnott’s Bakehouse Restaurant
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Where: 148 Swan Street, Morpeth
Prices: Entrees, $24; mains, $36; sides, $7; desserts, $15 (shared plate, $20); cheese plate, $20
Chef: Jose´ Miguel
Wines: Mainly Hunter, other Australian and a small selection from New Zealand and France, nine by the glass
Hours: Lunch Friday to Sunday from noon; dinner Thursday to Saturday from 6pm
Vegetarian: One entree, one main
Bookings: 4934 4343
Bottom line: Entree, main and dessert for two, $150 without drinks
It’s been more than two years since Jose´ Miguel took over the pans in this historic Morpeth building. It was time to see how it had evolved and blended into the fabric that
makes up this former Hunter River port.
Most weekends a park is almost impossible to find along Swan Street but come 6pm on a Saturday, the day trippers have gone, the boutiques and cafes have closed and the street is left to serious diners.
The elegantly appointed dining room with its French silk drapes and Murano glass light fittings is still there but where is Boris whose silver service skills so impressed and where is the amuse bouche with which we were greeted
last time? It’s just a little thing but always welcoming.
Menu components are largely unchanged with Jose´ Miguel’s cooking firmly placed in the Mediterranean and
accompaniments reflecting changing seasons and local availability. While the dishes seem more rustic than on last visit I love it that slices of yummy Morpeth sourdough bread still arrive unrequested and refills appear throughout the meal.
Tonight a special of scallops is presented as six succulent little morsels on the half shell, each one topped with fine breadcrumbs flavoured with chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic, finished with butter then lightly browned.
Duck liver paˆ te´ with port wine jelly is one dish that can’t be removed from the entre´e list; but we decide to try the prawn tortellini. Fine, silky, house-made pasta pillows filled with a prawn mousse are complemented with plump full-flavoured prawns and float in a sea of
seafood bisque. Flecks of snipped chives and diced tomato increase the intensity and add a fresh note.
The special of lamb shank is too tempting to pass up. One generously proportioned frenched shank is deep mahogany in colour, the meat falling off the bone into the luxuriously sticky sauce which is soaked up perfectly by parsley flecked and creamy polenta.
Sometimes pork belly can be disappointing, the skin not crisp, or having a high fat to meat ratio. This one ticks all the boxes; crackling that shatters crisply, luscious layers of meat with just a little fat for moisture and flavour, and a
sticky jus adequately absorbed by the springy sweet corn and spring onion pancakes. More sweet corn kernels, some spinach leaves and sliced spring onion complete the picture.
A side of perfectly al dente and vibrantly green beans, broccoli and zucchini with garlic and parsley is appreciated as neither of the mains comes with much green vegetable.
It’s a difficult call when it comes to dessert. I would love to try the shared chocolate plate but the other half isn’t willing. So, consensus falls on the cre`me caramel with praline and Frangelico. This is a little disappointing.
Although a good slug of Frangelico and a sprinkling of crunchy praline goes some way to compensate, the custard is too firm and grainy and a bit eggy; and where is the caramel?
While the evening has had a couple of disappointments, on balance it has mostly been positive. Will we come back? Most definitely.