What’s not to love about winter in the Byron Bay hinterland? Drizzly, moody days with low clouds in the valleys are perfect for a country drive while crisp clear days with blue skies and green hills make you want to get outside in the thawing sunshine. And while you’re out and about, if you’re like me, you’re going to want to enjoy something local and delicious to eat and drink along the way. In winter 2019, look no further than the award-winning Harvest in Newrybar. (SMH Good Food Guide 2018, 2019 – One Hat; Gourmet Traveller best Small Wine List of the Year 2017, 2018)
If it’s one of those moody days, there is no place better than inside the restaurant by the crackling fireplace to rest a while, although I do love sitting outside in the fresh air on the warmly heated veranda space overlooking the Harvest Bakery and Kitchen Garden.
This winter at Harvest in Newrybar they are offering a few tantalising specials to tease you out of the house and into the hinterland.
Breakfast at Harvest
On the weekends Harvest in Newrybar in winter 2019 is offering a country-style breakfast menu from 8.00am – 10.30am with bottomless Mimosas for $20. It’s a DIY Mimosa Bar with prosecco and fresh juice for diners to have a bit of fun. The breakfast menu this winter has a focus on classics like Zucchini fritters, Eggs any way with tomato, mushroom and bacon or Porridge with roasted pear and praline.
Lunch at Harvest
The new winter lunch menu at Harvest in Newrybar is sure to get you out and about. Served seven days from 12-3pm. We recently enjoyed a long overdue winter lunch at Harvest that began with Pulled lamb, cos lettuce, lime & peppercorn dressing. It’s like a plate of DIY san choy bao. The slow cooked lamb has soft, unctuous bits as well as crispy ends with a sweet, salty and sour Asian dressing. They were fantastic and designed to share.
We then moved on to the Mushroom ceviche, finger lime, chilli. Jo our fabulous waiter for the afternoon explained that the Harvest chefs previously used Kingfish in their ceviche, but because Kingfish is now considered an unsustainable seafood, it has been replaced with a medley of mushrooms. The addition of smoked corn to the dish is authentic to ceviche and the acidity in the dressing awakens the taste buds.
A plate of umami rich Steamed mussels, smoked miso, pickled fennel, charred sourdough was delicious. The mussels sweet, the broth worth bottling, and the garnish of foraged ingredients brought great balance. I really need a jar of that Pickled Purslane!
For mains we enjoyed the Kangaroo loin, celeriac remoulade, smoked chocolate, Cavallo nero, pickled shitake. The generous serving of kangaroo was cooked to pink perfection and well-seasoned and the dark smoked chocolate jus was luscious. This richness of the dish was balanced with slices of pickled shitake, tangy celeriac remoulade and slightly bitter Cavallo nero. Mr GFAF chose the Byron bay porchetta, roast quince, chestnuts, mushrooms. The pork was melt in the mouth and the salted crackling as it should be. The roasted quince added sweetness alongside crunchy petals of brussels sprouts.
Speaking of brussel sprouts, we sampled the side of Brussel sprouts, pancetta & black tahini, buttermilk. It’s a dramatic looking dish of inky black tahini sauce with crispy baby brussel sprouts and porky lardons. They were good enough to convert any brussel sprout naysayer!
To drink, we agreed that the wine of the day was a delicious Pinot Meunier from the Adelaide Hills.
With no room for dessert we vowed to return soon to order the Whole Queensland grouper for two, native curry broth, bok choi, kohlrabi, grapes followed by a dessert of the Banana Fritters with two spoons!
Apperitivo at Harvest
If you’re passing by Harvest in Newrybar later in the afternoon, make sure you visit between 3-5pm daily and enjoy a $10 wine from their award-winning all Australian wine list.
Dinner at Harvest
If it’s a warm winter dinner you seek (served Wednesday to Sunday from 6.00-10.00pm), Harvest in Newrybar is offering a great Winter Taste of Wild Harvest special. Alongside the weekly changing Wild Harvest 5 or 7 course menu created by Chef Alastair Waddell in conjunction with Forager Peter Hardwick, Harvest is offering a 2-course taster version for just $55 ($50 for vegetarian) inclusive of their famous sourdough bread and native spiced mulled wine. The weekly Wild Harvest menu is an expression of the local region’s produce and native ingredients at any given moment. Expect dishes like Pulled bexhill lamb, davidson’s plum, wattleseed flatbread or Roasted & fermented Boon Luck farm carrots, honey baked allard dairy ricotta, pecans.
You’re then encouraged to finish your meal by the fireplace with a complementary native mulled wine.
Garden Tours at Harvest
Every Friday at 10am, locals are invited to join a free garden tour at Harvest in Newrybar. Grab a coffee from the Deli and learn about native Australian plants, recognising flora and their benefits to our environment, and finish around the warming Harvest Garden fire-pit. Kids welcome.
If that’s not enough to tease you out of the house this winter, then I don’t know what is! Harvest in Newrybar is the perfect excuse to get out and about with a delicious reward along the way. Don’t forget the Sourdough Weekends at Harvest Bakery from 8am – 10am on Saturdays and Sundays only and Harvest Deli is open seven days from 8am – 4pm.
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