SAVOUR LOCAL FLAVOUR
Ink Gin put the Tweed on the global culinary map, but new eatery Pipit proves that’s only scratching the surface of the region’s riches, writes Chantay Logan
WHILE chefs like to give lip service to local produce, few delve as deeply as Ben Devlin.
Ben, who left the highly decorated Paper Daisy to open his own restaurant, Pipit, with partner Yen Trinh, showcases everything from foraged foliage to hand-harvested pipis on his debut menu.
The Pottsville eatery, which opened on the weekend, is intended as a celebration of the Northern Rivers’ coastal lifestyle, plating the region’s riches for increasingly discerning diners.
“I think people will often walk past common beach plants and street trees like lilly pillies without giving a second thought that they are edible, so sharing that story of foraged plants is really fun,” Ben says.
“Hopefully we might get people thinking and appreciating their regional landscapes in a different way.
“I think we are most proud to showcase the people behind the produce such as Palisa Anderson at Boon Luck Farm, and John and Lyndall Picone of Picone Exotic Fruit — growers experimenting with varieties, giving us small batch treats and unusual things to work with.
“They are supplying to Australia’s very top restaurants like Quay in Sydney, but people might be surprised that they are right in our backyard.”
While Pipit dispenses with fine-dining formality, each intricate dish on the seasonally changing a la carte menu is a showcase of Ben’s skill.
Consider the spent beer grain parfait with custard apple and wattleseed ganache.
“This uses the barley malt leftover from Stone and Wood beer production,” Ben says.
“We then roast it and infuse it into a parfait.
“This is a good example of our ethos of creatively maximising ingredients and minimising waste.
“Pipis steamed with kelp served with potato, macadamia and wing beans also has a great story, with hand-harvested pipis from Currie Country, an indigenous company who source them locally off beaches from Fingal to Pottsville.”
Four or seven-course tasting menus are also on offer, best enjoyed with something from the unique wine list.
“The wine list is focused on Australian and international wineries located within 150km of a coastline where mineral content and saline soils help varieties pair well with the style of food,” Ben says.
There’ll be plenty of opportunity to seek advice on your choice, with the restaurant designed for interactivity.
“We always wanted to have an open kitchen, so counter seating into the kitchen and bar is a key feature,” Ben says.
“We wanted to break down the barrier between staff and diners and have the space be open, casual and friendly.
“I also did the tiling and rendering myself, which was really challenging, so I joke that
WE WANTED TO BREAK DOWN THE BARRIER BETWEEN STAFF AND DINERS
might be the single interior design feature everyone should really look at.”
The Byron Bay-raised chef, who picked up two hats and Regional Restaurant of the Year while at Paper Daisy, has been enjoying looking after the bigger picture.
“It’s been a great opportunity to give care and attention to detail to the design of the overall space and experience — and much of it has nothing to do with actual food,” he says.
“It’s the tiles on the wall, the knives people hold, the plates we designed, the website, the credit card system.
“It’s been a big learning curve.
“I think we might get perceived as ‘fine dining’, but that term implies such seriousness.
“We would like to be known for that high quality, but as an experience be more light, casual, friendly and personable.” Pipit, at Shop 4/8 Coronation Ave, Pottsville, NSW, is open for lunch Friday to Monday and dinner Thursday to Saturday. Book online at pipitrestaurant.com