Three Blue Ducks’ latest outpost at The Lodge Bellingen, on the NSW mid north coast, is now taking reservations and will open Thursday 13 July.
The recently renovated restaurant is nestled amongst The Lodge’s 16 acres of manicured gardens and enjoys vistas across the surrounding Dorrigo National Park. The 80-seat dining room spills onto an undercover, heated terrace which seats 100. In short, it’s a sizable venue making it perfect for weddings and functions.
Chef and owners Darren Robertson, Mark LaBrooy and Andy Allen, along with Head Chef Julien Vasseur have created a menu highlighting local producers and farmers such as Levenvale Farms who grow organic, grass-fed Bello Beef and is also home to The Patch Organics producing organic free-range chickens and vegetables. Other local suppliers providing organic produce for the sustainably and ethically driven menu are Promised Land Organics, Coffs Coast Mushrooms, and wild-caught fish from Nautical Wholesale Seafood.
The beverage list will have a NSW wine focus, including local Jilly Wines and feature brews from Travla, co-created by Andy Allen and actor Travis Fimmel, along with local Woolgoolga Brewing. Coffee will come from long-standing Three Blue Ducks partner, Single O.
Bellingen and its surroundings is a melting pot of different flavours, ideas and innovative ways of presenting food which has influenced the menu at Three Blue Ducks. Darren says: “The inspiration behind the menu came from ingredients growing around the area. 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. 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.”
Starters are broken into three sections raw, dumplings and bao featuring: Bello Beef tartare with fragrant chilli oil and togarashi; smoked eggplant, tofu and macadamia potsticker with mushroom ponzu; and pork belly bao bun with oomite hoisin and pickles.
Smaller plates include: melon, beetroot koshu and Davidson plum salt; prawn toast with sesame, chilli and water chestnut; and szechuan pepper and salt squid with lime, fried garlic and coriander.
Larger plates feature: masterstock chicken with chilli and cinnamon myrtle; dirty duck with lemons, limes and sour plums; and a curry of cauliflower, coconut, cashew, turmeric and lemongrass.
The dessert menu includes; coconut and kaffir rice pudding with pineapple and macadamia; a cheese cake with miso-caramel and citrus; and a chocolate yuzu eclair.
Diners also have the option of leaving the decision making to the chefs by choosing the Feed Me! Menu for $80 and be served a selection of delicious Ducks dishes.
Three Blue Ducks Bellingen opens 13th of July for dinner only on Monday and Thursday, lunch through dinner Friday to Sunday along with a breakfast service from 8am – 10:30am Saturday and Sunday.
Three Blue Ducks at The Lodge
1381 Waterfall Way, Bellingen
Reservations available here
More information available at https://www.threeblueducks.com/
Image credit: Rob Palmer
