Take a Sneak Peek at The Newport's Menu
Head chef Sebastien Lutaud takes us through the menu — and it's all set up like a permanent festival.
The Newport's executive chef, Sebastien Lutaud, has fried escargot alongside France's Oliver Elzer, prepared sashimi with Tetsuya Wakuda and headed up Felix Bar and Bistro. Now, he's bringing his 25 years of gun hospitality experience to Sydney's northern beaches.
"From the minute The Newport was described to me, I thought it was going to be an amazing project," says Lutaud. "It's a one-of-a-kind in Sydney, if not Australia — an amazing venue in an amazing spot."
One of the most anticipated openings of the year so far (and last year), the freshly revamped Newport has a strong focus on food. But don't expect a single service counter or a straightforward menu at this renovated pub. Instead, expect to feel a bit like you're walking through a permanent food festival. Lutaud designed the menu with input from some of Merivale's other key chefs, so you'll notice some familiar imports — and a similar stall-type layout to the Coogee Pavilion's foreshore fest.
"There are little stalls and outlets, selling different types of food," says Lutaud. "So, for example, we've got Vinnie's pizzas, from Coogee [Pavilion]. We've got a burger shack, where we do six different burgers and five different salads."
Given The Newport's Pittwater location, there's also a spot dedicated to fish and chips. "But I wouldn't call it your classic fish and chips, where everything's deep-fried," says Lutaud. "We do have the classic version, but we've also dishes like grilled Clarence River octopus and pan-fried snapper with simple salad."
If you're travelling with mates or family and want to share, you'll be heading to The Kiosk, for small and large platters. "We have a French rotisserie, where we're doing chicken and Rangers Valley brisket and hot-smoked whole salmon, which we'll serve with rolls, salads and nice sauces. There's also a seafood section, with fresh oysters, cooked prawns and a crab omelette, with Vietnamese herbs and dressing."
As for ordering, you'll have two options. The first is the old-fashioned method of heading to the stall, putting in your request and grabbing a buzzer. The second is downloading an app and doing it all from the comfort of your bar stool. The only catch is that the app is still in development – at this stage, it's good for pizzas, and other stalls will be added with time.
The Newport opens on Friday, March 25. Learn a little more about the rest of the revamp here.
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