Our menus are defined by a creative approach to place, produce, flavour and cooking.

Our approach to service is also noted in Booking FAQs > HERE

 

UNIQUE LOCAL PRODUCE

We want to show what is most special to the Northern Rivers (landscape, climate, produce, farmers) and to excite you with things you might not be able to try anywhere else!

This includes:

NATIVE PLANTS
We use native plants and foraged wild edibles. Examples include riberries, lemon aspen, bunya nuts, wattle flowers, strawberry gum, seaweeds, and native bee honey.

TROPICAL FRUIT & VEG
Fruit and vegetables are the very best expression of our climate and soil. Our area grows unique things often from South East Asian and South American climates such as dragonfruits, sapote, finger limes and great citrus.

SEASONAL MENUS
”What grows together goes together” is our flavour approach to explore the best in our area. We serve ingredients when they are best in season or preserved


LOCAL SUPPLIER
We buy from local businesses as much as possible to support community and to showcase small batch and unique finds. More info > HERE

MAXIMISE FLAVOUR

Our creativity is best found in how we actively maximise our ingredients. Everything aims to be tasty and it aims to be smart (minimise waste)

This means

  • Efficient wood-fired cooking

  • Whole animal approaches and cured meats

  • Unique ferments & preserves

  • House made cheeses


FROM SCRATCH
We make everything in-house from bread, misos, hams, pastas to ice-creams. This is driven by technique and always wanting to learn - but it fundamentally makes things more delicious! We aim for bolder and more uniques flavours / produce that can’t be found elsewhere or “off the shelf”


FERMENTS & PRESERVES

We make the most of “waste'“ in examples like:

  • Leftover bread made into miso, and fermented into “soy sauce” type dressings

  • Duck offcuts cured into charcuterie

  • Vegetable offcuts are fermented, preserved into seasonings and vinegars

  • Seafood offcuts are fermented into garums

  • Wine leftovers converted to vinegars

  • Fruit scraps into kombucha

See more preserve recipes in The Pipit Book> HERE and Sustainability Policy > HERE


WOOD FIRED COOKING

  • Our menus show the versatility of techniques and flavours only afforded by cooking with fire (smoking, drying, grilling).

  • We aim to maximise all heat for flavour (even the “leftover” smoke in the exhaust can be used!).

  • Learn more on Wood-Fire “How To” > HERE

SUSTAINABLE MEATS

We mostly focus on seafood to reflect out coastal sense of place, and seek to source all meats responsibly. This means:

SEAFOOD

  • As ambassadors for the Good Fish Project, we use the AMCF Guid to informs how we buy sustainable seafood. eg we do not serve prawns that are listed as unsustainable

  • We support local aquaculture which offers species that are protected/not wild caught (eg QLD grouper, soft shell bay lobster)

  • We extend our love of seafood through creative projects like Gyotaku Art Prints and ceramics. Learn more > HERE

POULTRY & GAME

  • We only use free-range poultry (duck)

  • We use wild game (eg kangaroo, venison, boar) where it helps land management

  • No farmed red meats are served (eg pork, beef, lamb)

WHOLE ANIMAL COOKING

  • In-house fermented seafood garums and cured meats (duck and seafood) are unique products we make to that boost flavour and use all parts of animals.

  • See duck salumi class > HERE