Find a site in a small Northern Rivers town. Tile it yourself. Get your dad to make some furniture and your partner to sort the back of house. Fill it with details from locals. In Pipit, husband-wife Ben Devlin and Yen Trinh have created the model regional restaurant. One that engages with the area to present an immediate and cerebral portrait of the surrounding area, rendered in food, drink and fine times. There are simple nods to local suppliers and the seasons, like a canapé of cucumbers, winged beans, radishes and young angled gourd from nearby Boon Luck Farm piled into a bowl with a dab of almond cream, or new-season Brazilian cherry topping an éclair-like “finger bun” filled with mullet cream. Fish are sustainable, local indigenous group Currie country supply pipis, hoofed animals don’t come near the menu, and coals power the grill, which Devlin mans with enough attention to serve spatchcock crisp and juicy, and eggplant tartare rightly smoky. It’s a coastal, tropical line, with wines matching the mood, and seasonal fruits dressing up a half-moon of frangipane cake that’s a must for dessert. Simple, layered and community-focused. First Pottsville, then the world.
Phone:
0490 380 117
Website:
Bookings:
Bookings essential
Features:
Licensed
Bar
Vegetarian-friendly
Wheelchair access
Accepted card types:
American Express
Eftpos
MasterCard
Visa
Chefs:
Ben Devlin
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.