New Hobart restaurant is tailor-made for a classy night out
This new Battery Point establishment which specialises in European-style fine dining is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood, writes Alix Davis
Food and Wine
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Take a seat at almost any Paris cafe and there’s a good chance that someone in your vicinity will be enjoying a plate of beef tartare. This classic dish of finely chopped raw beef, served with an egg yolk and thinly sliced baguette or chips can be enjoyed at any time of day and usually with a cigarette. It’s very European and so, when I notice the young couple at the table next to us devouring a plate of Cape Grim beef tartare with cured egg yolk ($24) I am instantly convinced of Hampden Bar & Bistro’s Continental credentials.
The restaurant sits on a corner block in the middle of Battery Point village and the front room is full of light (and people-watching opportunities) thanks to the enormous windows.
Cosy tables make this the ideal spot for a glass of something chilled and a small plate or two – either shared or solo. The bar is in this lovely space and, come winter, there will be a roaring fire as well.
Tonight, however, we opt for the main dining room – decorated with vintage French posters and soothing hues of deep green. A central table serves as the waitstaff’s staging area and circular tables can accommodate groups up to six.
Our waiter Francesco is friendly and efficient – “he’s amazing,” says Juliana Monachetti, who owns Hampden Bar & Bistro with her husband and chef Matteo Diedhiou. “He’s like the waiters I remember from (Melbourne’s) Lygon St back when that was still a real Italian street. I love it!” Francesco delivers our drinks and a couple of plates to nibble on while we decide on our main meals. A bowl of warmed olives ($9) makes for easy eating and gnocco fritto with bresaola ($20) are wonderfully light mouthfuls of fried dough topped with thinly sliced cured beef and shards of sharp parmesan.
The wine list is a mix of Tasmanian and European tipples, but I would love to see more alcohol-free options make an appearance.
Burrata with confit tomatoes and grilled sourdough ($24) is a substantial entree that sets a snowy globe of creamy soft cheese in a jammy pool of collapsed cherry tomatoes. Use a piece of crisp toast to scoop up a bit of each and imagine yourself by a beach on the Italian Riviera.
Our other entree is a plate of garlic-laden grilled king prawns ($28) – fat, tender and meaty. Juliana tells me that this is already one of customers’ favourite dishes, along with the 800g ribeye ($145) and the stuffed quail with braised cabbage and chestnuts ($48).
The dining room is almost full on the midweek night we visit, with tables of two and four that are a mix of visitors and Battery Point locals. “We felt there weren’t many European-style bistros around,” says Juliana of their decision to open another restaurant (the couple also own popular pizza restaurant Zero81 on Kingston Beach). “I think we’re filling a niche with this and that our menu caters to everyone.”
While I order the housemade duck tortellini ($38), my husband fills his steak quota with a Scotch fillet ($68) that comes with a choice of sauces and a crisp slab of potato galette.
We accidentally double-carbed by also ordering a bowl of truffled mash ($18), but do not fear – it did not go to waste. The steak was perfectly cooked to order (medium) and tender with a good amount of char.
My tortellini was five plump pillows of dense pasta stuffed with delicious shredded duck and served with a truffle sauce. It’s a simple yet effective dish that I’d happily recommend.
Sides of charred broccolini with a garlic emulsion ($18) and rocket salad ($16) had some greenery to the line-up.
The dessert list is short but classic and we opt to share the chocolate whisky tart ($18), which has a rich chocolate ganache filling and a short buttery base. Creamy, cherry-studded mascarpone lightens things a little and this is dessert worth saving room for. Our evening finishes with a glass of the housemade limoncello, which is so good, my husband buys a bottle to take home with him – a memory of not only our meal, but also the joys of a European bistro meal. Welcome to the neighbourhood!
HAMPDEN BAR & BISTRO
22 Francis St, Battery Point
Opening hours: Tues-Sat, 5pm-9.30pm
@hampdenbarbistro
On the menu
Gnocco fritto, $18; king prawns from the grill, $28; burrata with confit cherry tomatoes, $24; duck tortellini, $38; Scotch fillet, $68; chocolate whisky tart, $18.
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