Butcher and The Farmer, Glebe

Monday, December 11, 2017


The first time we visited Harold Park's gentrified Tramsheds complex was during the first month of opening, and the space was teeming with masses of crowds who were eager to get a piece of the Inner West's newly-restored food destination. It was, in all honesty, quite a stressful experience because it was just so busy.



Re-visiting the space earlier this month, after the opening crowds had dissipated, was a much more pleasant affair. It's a great place to catch up with friends on the weekend, have a lazy brunch or long lunch, or pick up some Messina gelato. There are loads to places to eat, shop and indulge, and there is a real focus on high quality, delicious fare, wherever you choose to eat.


Butcher and the Farmer is one of the restaurants in the complex which embodies the farm to table philosophy. You'll know straight away where the wagyu beef, free range chicken or Berkshire pork you order has been bred and raised. The restaurant takes great pride in sourcing as much as it can from local and regional Australian producers. This is an ethos that extends beyond the menu to the dedicated butchery, deli and grocery aisle section of the restaurant. 


Here, you can purchase proteins like short horn and black angus beef, whole pigs, house-made sausages, premium salami and meat trays to cook at home. There is also a wide selection of specialty deli items which include aged cheeses, locally-sourced olives, handmade chocolate and a tantalising array of condiments, jams and jellies.


Butcher and the Farmer bridges the gap between the producer and the diner. The Butcher's Cuts section of the menu is a prime example of this, allowing one to know immediately of the breed of their cut of meat, as well as where it was farmed. Don't be fooled into thinking that protein is the sole focus of the menu though - seafood and farm-fresh veg are also an integral part of their farm to table philosophy.

Daily Spit Roast ($32)
It really is all about letting the meat shine here. The daily spit roast is a must order. Today it's a pork roast, cooked over hot coals and served with baked potatoes, sour cream and zingy chimichurri. There's a mixture of succulent, pull apart meat and caramelised, golden bits so that you get a bit of everything. There are also shards of crispy pork skin on top - not the bubbly crackling variety, but the kind that snaps and shatters like glass. 


We're lucky enough to be served a plate of traditional crackling on the side. It's crunchy and addictive, almost like a pork skin chip. Baked potatoes are the perfect spit roast accompaniment; they're comforting little gems which are soft and tender. The whole spit roast could easily be shared between two.

Baby Octopus ($16)
Baby octopus is treated with the utmost respect, cooked simply over the grill and served with roasted baby tomatoes, confit olives, gremolata and lemon. The ends of the tentacles are crispy and charred while the upper parts and the body are tender and meaty.

Wagyu Brisket ($28)
Generously-sized pieces of smoked wagyu brisket form the ultimate slow-cooked comfort dish. This was a definite favourite. The beef has a good amount of marbling which has been rendered down so that the meat is soft and succulent, and the smoking adds an extra dimension of deliciousness. The creamy white mash potato that sits underneath is fragrant with the scent and flavour of truffle. This is also quite a big portion.

Butternut Pumpkin ($14)
This smoked pumpkin dish is the ultimate vegetable side. It will revolutionise the way you think about pumpkin. The smoking of the pumpkin really does make a difference. It gives the vegetable a complex, smoky flavour that is balanced by sharp goat's milk feta and the nuttiness of hazelnut pesto and toasted pepitas. Absolutely divine.

Mixed salad ($7)
A simple salad of mesclun, cherry tomato, cucumber, carrot and beetroot is dressed in a vinaigrette. It's a nice, fresh addition to the meal.



Whatever you have at Butcher and the Farmer, you can rest assured that you're eating the best produce that has been treated with care. It's food that is cooked honestly and remains true to its roots, and really does make you want to keep eating sustainably sourced, locally produced food every day.


I was lucky enough to dine as a guest thanks to Zomato and Butcher and The Farmer, but all opinions are my own. 

Website:

Butcher and The Farmer Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato 

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