Overview
About halfway down Jervois Road you'll find a joint reminiscent of a Spanish tapas bar - bustling with customers despite only being open a couple of weeks. The name's not all that creative, but they make up for it with phenomenal food and a wine list longer than a Game of Thrones novel.
Its interior is homely and rustic, with walls of exposed brick, washed concrete and decorative black and white tiling. The bar's a dark varnished wood and filament lightbulbs protrude from brick walls, bathing the space in a warm glow.
A waitress approaches and finds us a table outside under a heater - it's packed despite it being a rainy mid winter night. If you're a sipper of ales (like me), there's a succinct list of local craft beers that may not impress, but will suffice. However if you're a wino, you're in for an absolute treat.
Behind the bar at Jervois they have a very special gadget that sounds like a rare Pokemon. The Coravin is a contraption that uses a teflon needle and some sort of wizardry to extract wine from the bottle without removing the cork. This means that you'll be able to sample more expensive and special drops, by the glass instead of the bottle. With such a massive range of boutique and artisan wines (most of which are organic) - even the most discerning vinophile will find something to tickle their fancy. If you're not a wine or beer drinker, there's also a fairly phenomenal cocktail selection, including a bourbon sour made using bacon-cured bourbon and egg yolk.
The short but creative food menu is even more impressive, with small sharing dishes that are both reasonably priced and impeccably crafted. For a high-brow uber delicious version of wedges go with the patatas bravas ($9), fried to perfection in duck fat and served with smoky paprika aioli. For something lighter and fresher grab the market fish ($13) featuring raw tuna bathed in a coconut and chilli sauce and enlivened by the fresh flavours of diced capsicum. Two more favourites included the beetroot arancini balls ($12) and the delicious fried preserved artichokes ($9) with olive oil and parmesan.
For what it is - a casual and homely spot to share some fine beverages and tasty shared eats - Jervois is hard to fault. If it continues offering such a welcoming and delicious hospitality experience, there's no doubt it will be a Herne Bay local icon for years to come.
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