The mid north coast of New South Wales is gearing up to welcome Three Blue Ducks to Bellingen.
Chefs and owners Darren Robertson, Mark LaBrooy, and Andy Allen have secured a space at The Lodge, which encompasses an 80-seat dining room as well as a terrace area for 100 guests.
The venue will officially welcome guests from 13 July, bringing the team’s produce-first ethos to the area.
“The menu draws from some of the favourite dishes we’ve cooked during our travels and at our other locations over the years combined with new dishes to keep it fresh and exciting for us, our staff, and people that drop in,” says Roberston.
“We’ve always loved working with spice, lemongrass, ginger, chili, makrut, etc, and after working closely with the local producers and farmers, we’ve created a menu for the Bello restaurant that showcases these flavours.”
Ingredients will be sourced from a range of farmers and producers including Levenvale Farms, The Patch Organics, Promised Land Organics, Coffs Coast Mushrooms, and Nautical Wholesale Seafood.
The launch menu is split into starters, small plates, large plates, and desserts.
Beef tartare is teamed with fragrant chilli oil and togarashi, with smoked eggplant, tofu, and macadamia pot stickers and pork belly bao the ideal way to commence a meal.
Smaller plates cover prawn toast with sesame, chilli, and water chestnut and salt squid with lime, fried garlic and coriander, with guests encouraged to share master stock chicken with chilli and cinnamon myrtle, ‘dirty duck’ with lemon, lime, and sour plum or a curry of cauliflower, cashew, turmeric and lemongrass.
To finish, there’s coconut and kaffir rice pudding with pineapple and macadamia, chocolate yuzu eclair, and cheesecake with miso caramel and citrus.
Wines are mainly sourced from New South Wales makers such as Jilly Wines, with beers from Allen’s brewery Travla and Woolgoolga Brewing also part of the beverage offering.
Three Blue Ducks Bellingen will open for dinner on Monday and Thursday and from Friday to Sunday (also lunch) as well as breakfast on weekends.