Harrison's is all about European-inspired cuisine in a cozy, vintage-style setting. It's located in Hamilton, a suburb of Newcastle. Find out what their signature dishes are and what you have to order when dining there.
Harrison's is a Newcastle restaurant by Chef Tony Harrison with a European inspired menu. It's a Wednesday night when we arrive at Harrison's and take a seat at one of the retro styled tables. The dining room features vintage mismatched plates, retro furniture and is comfortable, like visiting someone's home.
The wine list at Harrison's is mostly made up of Australian wines with a section of French and Italian. We start with some wine from First Creek along with olives. These are stuffed with gruyere cheese, crumbed and deep fried and served atop kimchi aioli. Each olive is a little powerhouse of flavour and satisfyingly umami.
The Cacio e Pepe arancini are large orbs of crunchy, golden crumbed balls. Inside is a Cacio e Pepe filling made with parmesan (not the traditional pecorino), black pepper, and risotto rice sitting in a black garlic, mayonnaise, with strips of guanciale laid across the top. These are fantastic with gooey, melted cheese inside. Don't forget to drag it through that delicious black garlic butter and get a bit of guanciale in every bite.
For something snacky, go for the sliders. These are filled with LP's mortadella in a Martins potato roll with guindilla on top and a delicious mayonnaise similar to a tartare.
One of my favourite plates is the simple and unprepossessing-looking melon with the creamiest ricotta and pickled eschallots. I adore the sweetness of the melon brought out by the pickles and the creaminess of the ricotta that play so well together.
Similarly fresh, but in a different vein, is the Goldband snapper ceviche with mango vinaigrette, pickles and caviar that pops with flavour. The ceviche sauce has a light tartness brought back to earth by the sweetness of the mango.
If you're looking for something more substantial, the Steak Frites is a good rendition of a French Bistro classic with a 300g/10.6oz sirloin steak cooked medium rare with shoestring fries seasoned with Old Bay seasoning. If you're lucky, you'll get a chip with some of that delicious steak jus.
There's also the pork belly bites that come as three large chunks of pork belly on a sweet fennel puree and white peach vinaigrette. The pork is well cooked until soft and melting and we like the fruit pairing.
It's time for dessert and we are trying two of the desserts. The first is a pistachio Basque cheesecake which is creamy and smooth with a light pistachio flavour.
The tiramisu here is served with crunchy chocolate balls on top which give it a nice crunch and the mascarpone foam is light and creamy. The savoiardi biscuits are a bit firm inside the tiramisu as it was made today so they just need a bit more time to soften.
So tell me Dear Reader, which dish from Harrison's menu would be your pick? Which dessert would you choose: pistachio Basque cheesecake or tiramisu?
NQN was a guest of Cara as part of a media group but all opinions remain her own.
Harrison's Food & Wine
108 Tudor St, Hamilton NSW 2303
Phone: 0406 517 213
Wednesday & Thursday 5–10:30 pm
Friday & Saturday 12–2:30 pm, 5–10:30 pm
Sunday 12–2:30 pm
Monday & Tuesday closed
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