First look: Hunter Gatherer

Among corporate buildings and bland, commercial stores, there’s a unique restaurant hidden away in North Sydney. Hunter Gatherer is the newest bar and eatery from the owners of iconic Bondi establishments The Corner House and Panama House, and it defies its surroundings.

When we walked in, it was lively and vibrant. The entrance is filled with eclectic combinations of seating – a perfect combination of hipster and homely. Around the corner are gorgeous timber benches that lend themselves to high class communal eating. The ambience is set by the subdued lighting, which subtly changes colours on the feature wall.

The waiters brought around delicious canapés that caters to even the fussiest of eaters. Common dishes are reimagined to create superior flavours and textures, like the zucchini flowers stuffed with house-made ricotta, yoghurt, lemon, chilli and green onion. The absolute star of the show is the Bangalow Kurobota pork rillette croquette; it’s amazing how much flavour can be packed into a bite-sized morsel.

Unfortunately, the place was apparently a little too buzzing, so we missed out on a lot of dishes that were so tantalisingly described on the menu. We’ll have to go back again to try what promises to be a sensational menu in an exciting space.