Since 2011, The Owl House has been delighting Sydney at its former location along Crown Street in Darlinghurst. In late 2018, the small bar by owner Amir Halpert which relocated to Victoria St continues to bring its own style of food and cocktail offerings to Sydney-siders.
You’ll find the new Owl House situated beneath Monkey Magic, the space formerly known as Henrietta Supper Club.
The split level venue is much more spacious than its predecessor with an intimate lounge area, an intimate dining space, and an inviting bar at the rear of the venue.
The Owl House’s key team members, Venue Manager Owen Davies (pictured) and Chef Stevin Djie have followed him to the new location which means you can leave yourself in the capable hands of the team and enjoy the cocktail degustation offerings.
“We’re a contemporary eatery / cocktail bar,” Amir Halpert explains. “70% of our weekend bookings are for the degustation menu.”
The 8 course degustation is priced at $95 pp with cocktail or wine pairings an additional $55 pp.
Oyster: Grapefruit, yuzu, elderflower granita
The first course of the degustation menu is a duo of an oyster accompanied by a “pearl” in a shell. It’s the ideal amuse bouche on a hot summer’s day.
The oyster is dressed with grapefruit, yuzu and elderflower granita which gives the briny mollusc a hint of bitterness which combines with the yuzu citrus note and makes the flavour pop. But it’s the lemon cherry liqueur sphere that literally pops in the mouth, releasing a sweet and tart flavour, hinting at what’s to come.
Scallops Crudo
Next is the Scallops Crudo with cucumber, celery, radish batons and chives. It’s fresh and bright with a delicate scallop texture.
The Flower & Bubble
The dish is paired with The Flower & Bubble, a complementary visual pairing and an elegant combination of elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine and bitters sprayed with orange blossom, the latter enhancing the floral aroma which lingers till the last sip.
Cauliflower
The next course is simply called Cauliflower and it’s an ode to the vegetable that has become a staple in vegan cooking. In fact, it is an all vegan dish whether the cauliflower is served four ways: shaved and mixed with pine nuts and pickled eshallots in couscous form, cooked then turned into a coulis with almond milk, dehydrated and salted, and roasted with cumin and turmeric.
1930’s Cosmopolitan
This ode to the cauliflower is paired with one of Amir’s creations from the time he was bartending in New York. The 1930’s Cosmopolitan is made with a cranberry purée spiced with baking spices and orange peel which gives the classic cocktail a mellow flavour. Ask him why it is named The 1930’s Cosmopolitan, and he will tell you that it was before Ocean Spray.
If you’re not a fan of the Cosmopolitan cocktail, this version is more mellow and beautifully balances the citrus, fruity and sour notes.
Croquette
Next is a combination that leaves you in silent appreciation. A single large croquette with Ox tail, smoked bone marrow and seeded mustard has been a long-standing item on the menu. Rich, smoky, unctuous and simply very moreish.
The Bushfire
It’s paired with The Bushfire cocktail, made with the excellent Botanic Australis Bushfire Smoked Gin, Canadian maple, bitters and orange peel. The gin is a bonfire in the mouth and at the risk of repeating what we said above, this pairing needs a moment or three to be appreciated in silence.
Gnocchi
The hard act to follow is an arty presentation of crispy and truffled Gnocchi with caramelised onion, mushroom and Parmesan chips. It’s earthy, savoury and lingers beautifully on the palate with a rich umami flavour.
Aviation
The dish is aired with the classic Aviation cocktail, chosen to cut through the richness of the dish. It’s our least favourite of the pairings. While it performs what it’s designed to do, it cuts too much of the enjoyment of the earthy and bold flavours of the dish.
Confit Duck & New York Sour
The main course is a take on duck a l’orange, a delightful combination of Confit Duck with black and pearl barley, carrots, orange chips and pomegranate arils in an orange jus. The tender and flavoursome duck is complemented with the tartness of the pomegranate and the creamy textural barley combination.
The pairing with the New York Sour works like a charm in this case, cutting through the fattiness of the duck while the red wine float complements the rich flavours of the dish.
Sorbet
A mango and passion fruit sorbet with chocolate ganache follows, cleansing the palate before dessert.
Eton Mess
The final course is Eton Mess, made with Amaro semifreddo, a medley with ricotta, mixed berry, meringue drops, orange chips, pistachio purée, raspberry purée and mint. It’s as much as a visual delight as it is to eat.
Coffee Cocktail
The accompanying Coffee Cocktail which contains no coffee, is based on the classic 1862 recipe with brandy, port, egg, sugar and a dusting of nutmeg. Its spice notes pair well with the flavours of the Eton Mess – a combination that puts a most satisfying end to the degustation experience.
The Owl House
292/294 Victoria St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Website: http://theowlhouse.com.au
Photography © by Gourmantic – Copyright: All rights reserved.
