From a dark and windy Parramatta road, Husk & Vine Kitchen and Bar doesn’t look like much. Nestled at the bottom of the new SKYE Hotels Suite, once inside Husk & Vine it is clear this new five-star dining experience is exactly what the west has been needing – a city dining experience without the trek.
Upon arrival we were greeted with either a glass of champagne or wine – I naturally chose champagne because who is a girl that turns down bubbles?We then headed to the table to find our seats, each with a name card and poesy of Australian natives. Everything about Husk & Vine breathes a simple elegance.
On one side of the dining room is the bar which was serving up beautiful looking cocktails all night. At the rear of the space is the open kitchen which has fresh pasta hanging over the benches. Timber accents cover the space and the walls feature a mirrored metal grid with suspended sandstone – celebrating both the new Parramatta and its long colonial history. This is carries outside with the dining room balcony overlooking an archaeological dig of the original Wheatsheaf hotel and cellar from the 1840s.
The wine and champagne keep flowing, and our menu tasting begins. And honestly the food here is amazing. My top picks for the night was the Jerusalem artichoke and black truffle soup and the crispy lamb ribs with date and tamarind glaze. I could have eaten just those two dishes all night and still been entirely impressed with Husk & Vine. But no, they were just two of the many dishes in our four course meal. Oh and that freshly made, hand cut pappardelle – definitely worth it.
My companions and I were so full by the end we couldn’t even finish our cocktails – green apple highballs, which were just as delicious as the rest of the meal. The cocktails on offer feature native ingredients and house blended syrups matching the local sourcing of the food perfectly.
The seasonally designed menu focuses around the idea of comfort food, and we’re not talking mac and cheese here. Think more along the line of Grandma’s roast with a high dining twist and influence from Parramatta’s multicultural community. Come ready to eat and to have your tastebuds sintilated. Husk & Vine is a celebration of all things Australian and food.
– Lara
Lara Bendeich spends much of her free time trapesing round Sydney’s theatres and cinemas, always with a drink in hand. Follow her musings at @elleellabee.
Husk & Vine Kitchen and Bar
Shop 7/45 Macquarie St
Parramatta NSW 2150
huskandvinekitchen.com.au
