Deus Bar and Kitchen Opens in Camperdown
Deus Cafe has moved into more mature territory — with an ex-Bistro Moncur chef no less.
Camperdown locals have a new old local to revisit. Parramatta Road mainstay Deus Bar and Kitchen has opened its doors after a massive refurbishment. After ten years in the same spot, this epic revamp has been a long time coming. The once Deus Cafe has been completely re-imagined by Andy Ruwald (founder of Bucket List) and James Prier, who were brought on board by Deus Ex Machina founder Dare Jennings.
Deus's new digs embrace their corner location on Parramatta Road, with big airy, bright, road-facing windows unveiled this week. Don't worry, you won't have to stare at traffic during your brekkie, the leafy shrubs placed at each window make for a hidden oasis.
The biggest change at Deus, of course, is the dinner and bar service, which is a hard find in Camperdown. The concrete bar and open kitchen both have seating for casual patrons. The custom-made, comfy bar stools are designed to withstand long conversations over a few drinks and bar snacks — think eggplant fritters ($12), chicken crackling served with raw kingfish ($14) and mini braised lamb pita ($14).
On the restaurant side of things, table service is available from morning until night, with a distinct emphasis on hospitality. "Our customers should have a great, friendly interaction with our servers and bar staff, while also receiving really professional and knowledgeable service," says Prier.
The day is run as three extremely distinct services. While breakfast and lunch are kept simple to cater to the busy work crowd, the dinner menu is where head chef Tom Walton (ex-Bistro Moncur) really flexes his culinary muscles. The dishes stem from Walton's high-end training, along with the Middle Eastern flavours that seasoned his upbringing.
As the menu currently stands, Walton recommends starting with the pickled cucumber with black olive labna ($7) and roasted tiger prawns in shellfish butter ($24). For mains, go for the whole roast chook ($39), which is perfect for sharing over a bottle of wine.
"It's just good, honest food," says Ruwald. "We're trying to create a really nice neighbourhood vibe," adds Walton.
On the drinks side, Prier curated the menu to feature classic cocktails done well. The Scorpio VI looks the best to us ($18) – it's a cold-weather spin on a jalapeno margarita using homemade 'winter syrup' of spiced rhubarb stalks from the kitchen. Taps (of course) include local legend Young Henrys and the wine list will soon include a Deus house label.
Find Deus at 98 Parramatta Road,Camperdown.
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