Old favourite Hobart waterfront eatery gets new lease on life

A popular Hobart dining institution has new owners, a new chef and a new GM whose experience with Gordon Ramsay is set to put the tavern on the right track.

T42

Elizabeth St Pier, Hobart

Opening hours: Wednesday-Saturday 11.30am-late, Sunday 11.30am-9pm, Monday 11.30am-10pm

On the menu

Fried chicken with Korean sauce, $18; hiramasa kingfish, $27; dukkah-spiced cauliflower salad, $20; crispy brussels sprouts, $24; rosewater panna cotta, $15; calamansi and white chocolate tart, $17.

The Hobart waterfront, on a still, warm night is the perfect spot for alfresco eating at places such as dining institution T42. Picture: Adam Gibson

Life on the waterfront has been sweet this summer – we’ve been blessed with blue skies and balmy nights, and there’s no shortage of venues to choose from if you fancy a meal by the water. You can paddle in for fish and chips, moor alongside for a burger or sit yourself in a comfy lounge for a slick meal at a reinvented stalwart. For more than 24 years, T42 has played host to first dates, family birthdays and get-togethers. Now, with new owners on board, it has a new chef, a new menu and a new lease on life. There are more changes planned for the future, but they’re off to a good start.

T42 general manager Alex Watson, who has had experience with Gordon Ramsay in London and the Glass House, with the popular Elizabeth Street Pier tavern’s new owners Amelia and Leo Miller. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

On arrival, friendly staff soon have us seated and drinks arrive soon after, letting us take our time to peruse the menu, which is full of share dishes packed with local produce. As we wait for our food, my husband enjoys the view of the Lady Nelson moored outside and is soon chatting to one of the volunteers about its fascinating history. (I see a Saturday sail in our future!) Moments later, the burger bar next door disgorges a troop of sea scouts who pile into two timber dinghies that have been bobbing alongside the jetty and head for the Eastern Shore. I love watching waterfront life – even on a quiet Hobart evening, there’s plenty happening.

T42’s light and crispy Korean fried chicken. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Our first dish is a platter of KFC – Korean fried chicken ($18). Boneless chicken pieces in a light and crispy batter are served with a side of not-too-spicy sauce and a tangy pickled radish salad that cuts through the fried chicken. In quick succession, a plate of hiramasa kingfish ($27) arrives – meltingly tender slices of kingfish dressed with a delicate caramel miso and yuzu dressing.

New chef Angga Ovindi-Windy has come to T42 from Sydney’s Sokyo and has extensive experience with fine seafood. Amelia Miller, who, with her husband, Leo, took over last year says that this is Ovindi-Windy’s “first head chef role and he’s expecting his first child as well, so there’s really a lot happening”.

T42’s Hiramasa kingfish which features meltingly tender slices of kingfish dressed with a delicate caramel miso and yuzu dressing.

The Millers used to own a food van and first put down roots at the Pier when they opened Billy’s Burgers – “a natural progression”, says Amelia. They weathered lockdown and then jumped at the opportunity to take on T42 next door.

“It’s a challenge with some of the long-time customers who don’t want
things to change,” she says, but the all-new menu has been well received.

In addition to their new chef, the Millers have brought general manager Alex Watson on board, whose experience with Glasshouse in Hobart and Gordon Ramsay in London see him well placed to put T42 on the right track.

The dukkah-spiced cauliflower salad is one of many tasty vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options on T42’s new menu. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

There are plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options on the menu and our dukkah-spiced cauliflower salad ($20) is a substantial and delicious dish. Roasted cauliflower pieces sit on a bed of capsicum hummus and the salad is spiked with currants and hazelnuts. I would have preferred a little more char on the cauliflower, but it certainly didn’t detract from the flavour.

Our final item was crispy brussels sprouts with black sesame paste and white sesame dressing ($24). My love of the sprout has been well documented in this column and this iteration certainly makes the list of my favourites. The sprouts have been quartered then roasted until they’re crispy and charred before being tossed in a light sesame dressing. The presentation is on point and I could happily have eaten a second serving.

T42’s calamansi and white chocolate tart makes a perfect citrusy end to a meal. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

We were interested in ordering the flat iron steak with chimichurri but decide against it when the waitress tells us it can only be served medium rare or well done (my husband likes his steak medium). We’re a little mystified until Amelia explains to me later that the steaks are cooked sous-vide and finished on the grill and those two options are what the chef is comfortable presenting in order to maintain quality.

T42’s silky rosewater panna cotta. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The commitment to a menu that can accommodate many dietary requirements is in evidence all the way to dessert, where a silky rosewater panna cotta ($15) slips under the radar as being vegan. “We’re really proud of that dish,” says Amelia. “The kitchen worked really hard on getting it the perfect texture without using gelatine.” Mission accomplished. My calamansi and white chocolate tart ($17) is the perfect citrus finish to the meal and the accompanying lavender ice cream is an alarming shade but surprisingly tasty.

What delights will the waterfront offer up next?