Overview
Pasture-fed lamb shoulder from Cowra, Sydney rock oysters, Warrigal greens and Tasmanian vodka are all on the menu at the lower north shore's newest restaurant and bar, Apera. As you can tell, the 114-seat Castlecrag venue is devoted to Aussie growers, producers, wine makers and distillers.
This is evident as soon as you arrive. Look out for the outdoor picnic tables surrounded by edible and native local plants. Inside, the blue, grey and green colour scheme takes its inspiration from eucalypts, with splashes of leather that looks like it could have been transplanted from an old Holden. Designer Josh Clapp (Steel and Stitch) used a stack of recycled objects, including wood from a 19th century terrace and pendant lights from a disused sugar mill.
Overseeing the kitchen are Jenny Shaw (who opened Surry Hills cafe Suzie Q) and Ryan Blagrove. Their menu is short, ever-changing and big on share plates. Start with Sydney rock oysters with finger lime and Tassie pepper, followed by Cowra lamb shoulder with warrigal greens and chimichurri. Come dessert, go for red gum-fired pear with lavender crumble, vanilla ice cream and iron bark honey.
The drinks list, created by bar manager Jordan Blackman, is equally home-grown. His signature cocktail is the Apera negroni, made with house-made woodfired beetroot vermouth, Adelaide Hills bitter orange aperitif and sugar snap pea gin. Among the many other drops on the menu are handcrafted sodas from PS40, sheep's whey vodka from Hartshorn Distillery in Tasmania and amaro from Applewood Distillery.
Apera is owned by new hospitality group Table Manors, and is located in the Castlecrag Quadrangle Shopping Village, which is currently being redeveloped into a food precinct. It's already home to Holy Duck! and Bistro Mekong.
Apera is now open at Castlecrag Quadrangle Shopping Village, 100 Edinburgh Road, Castlecrag. It's open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to midnight, and Sunday from 11am to 10pm. For more info, visit apera.com.au.