The Arrival
It’s a Saturday evening and I’m navigating Marrickville’s Illawarra Road, past the familiar mix of Vietnamese bakeries and hipster coffee roasters that define this corner of the Inner West. Harriet’s throws its Bat-Signal across the pavement. A rotating projection of her name that says, “Come in, you’re in the right place.” We step into the glow like it’s a red carpet. The Montague Hotel or ‘Monty’ as it is affectionately known replaces the old Ritz watering hole which was a bit rough around the edges but much loved.
The ground floor buzzes with the familiar energy of a regular pub. Families sharing schnitzels, footy fans nursing schooners and glued to huge TV screens which you can watch streetside. As I climb the stairs, the pub noise fades and something altogether more sophisticated takes over. Oohhhh- WEeeee! I am stepping through a portal from a suburban Saturday to a cosmopolitan night.
The Design
Harriet’s is what happens when someone takes the phrase “refined oasis with a playful twist” seriously. It looks like a Merivale makeover. The room is stunning thanks to Venari Projects (who did the Toxteth Hotel redevelopment). Presiding over the room is a huge, stunning bar. It’s impossible not to be mesmerized by the undulating wave form of bottles which have been meticulously lined up from the outside-in perfect symmetrical form and order. OCD anyone?
The room unfolds into two sections to the right are beautiful sage green round booths undulating throughout the space like sumptuous waves, their curved forms creating intimate pockets of seating and conversation. To the left are more booths and high tables.
The seafood theme is impossible to miss, dominated by a spectacular 7-meter painting of a large squid rendered ironically in black ink – a piece that’s both dramatic statement and playful nod to the ocean’s. The round booths flow along this centerpiece while marble bar tops gleam under strategically placed disco balls that somehow manage to feel elegant rather than daggy. The lighting shifts throughout the evening as does the music volume – moody enough for late-night conversations, and dramatic enough for when BAD Harriet’s takes over on Saturdays after 9pm.
The only element that detracts from this elegant, grown-up dining room is the outdoor smoking section, While the space itself looks inviting with beautiful olive trees creating a Mediterranean courtyard feel, the bright lighting and TV screen blaring footy creates a jarring experience that doesn’t align with Harriet’s sophisticated positioning.
The Chefs
The kitchen is helmed by PHMG Group Executive Chef Scott Greve (Hatch) who loves fire-cooking and expert dry-aging and Head Chef William Lesmana, whose technical precision and creative flair not normally found in gastro pubs. They previously worked together at Hatch and 6HEAD and this five-year partnership is doing something magical with the food that’s for sure..
The Menu: Elevated Pub Fare with Serious Ambition
A bowl of glossy, green and black scorched padron peppers arrives tossed with lemon oil and tajin (a wildly popular Mexican seasoning blend) which brings the holy trinity of chili, lime, and salt into one zesty, addictive powder. I am popping these things like pills.
The star of the entire night is the chicken liver parfait, it’s a weaponised meat lover’s version of a prawn toast. Instead of sesame prawn paste sitting on top of a crispy, golden toast base, there’s a piped cloud of silky liver parfait that’s rich and perfectly seasoned. It’s like someone took two comfort food classics, introduced them on Tinder and there’s a whole lot of lovin going on. Meanwhile Mr G, my dining companion is as happy as a pig in–cripsy breadcrumbed heaven. He cuts into one of the two bite size pieces of pigs head fritti. It’s, unctuous, with fine strands of meat balanced by a tangy, piccalilli sauce and dots of watercress. At $22 a pop, this is the kind of dish which would push $35 plus as a starter elsewhere.
A crab crumpet is another standout – sweet, succulent spanner crab nestled on top of a perfectly toasted halved crumpet for just $12, proving that exceptional dining can have exceptional prices, in a good way.
It’s a hard first act to follow but onto Shares. I have a crush on the cauliflower. Turmeric laden golden fried florets, drizzled with korma sauce and topped with crispy aromatic curry leaves, mango chutney ($22 ).
The half chicken is a bronzed addonis – perfectly executed with crispy skin and succulent meat that showcases serious technique and quality sourcing, little rings of charred onion languish in all the juices. The charred corn is a doozy – but impossible to share as you have to pick up the whole cob and gnaw like a caveman with a dinosaur rib – it’s a glorious messy mess of nduja butter, parmesan, chives, crispy shallots. The leftover sauce is great to dunk chips in – just sayin.
However, one dish misses the mark. The octopus disappoints, presenting more as a vegetable dish with a few apologetic dots of octopus scattered throughout. Given the generosity of the chicken, I am deflated. Thank goodness we are sharing! It’s the only misstep in an otherwise confident menu.
The Drinks: Cocktails with Personality, Wines with Opinions
Harriet’s cocktail program is solid. The Watermelon Sugar High (wot no Harry x Harriet?) lives up to its name – vodka, ginger liqueur, lime, watermelon syrup and pineapple juice. It’s fun, vibrant and well balanced. Casa Rosa brings tequila sophistication with Espolon Reposado, strawberry liqueur, coconut and lime. I really love the complexity of flavours. The wine list shows attention to quality and value, with selections that complement both the refined menu and the more ambitious dishes. White wines start from $9 -shocker! Whoah. How much more can we love this place?
The Verdict
Harriet’s at The Montague Hotel represents something genuinely unique in Sydney’s hospitality landscape – a venue that refuses to compromise between casual and sophisticated, it embraces both.
What Are We Addicted To? The crab crumpet and the chicken liver parfait. The food exceeds expectations, and unheard of value for money price point. The drinks matches the menu’s ambition, and the space is grown up, glamorous. This gives the Inner West something it didn’t know it was missing – a sophisticated secret above a neighborhood pub.
What We Need to Be More Addicted? Weekend reservations book out quickly, so planning ahead is essential. We dined at 7pm and the music ramped up. It was a bit hard to hear. Removing the TV screens from the outside and those bright lights that spoil the beautiful ambiance of Harriet’s.
Harriet’s at The Montague Hotel, 252-254 Illawarra Road, Marrickville NSW 2204
Hours: Friday-Sunday (Harriet’s), Saturday nights from 9pm – (BAD Harriet’s)
