Margaret

16 January 2022, 2pm

An intoxicating aroma of smoked meat has wafted through the back streets of Double Bay since last October. We finally followed the scent – and it led us to Neil Perry’s hotly anticipated new restaurant, Margaret.

After a number of Covid-fraught challenges (such as its scheduled opening becoming the very day Sydney went into lockdown 2.0), it was heart-warming to find the place so thriving, particularly for a Sunday afternoon. 

Chef Perry was there at front of house as we arrived, and we spotted him in the kitchen and chatting away with guests throughout our visit. If you’ve followed his story over the years, you’ll know how much this venture means to him. It is his restaurant, his passion.

We loved the fit out – reminiscent of an American diner with its curved corners, high windows and booth seating, but doing away with the red/white tones and laminate/steel finish, opting instead for brown/beige and timber/concrete. The result is sleek and modern, yet light and airy, and refreshingly, not overly fancy. The open kitchen no doubt contributes – shouts of order dockets over the clang of metal pots welcome you in, and you’re suddenly part of the action.

Everyone knows our hospitality industry is currently facing a crippling staff shortage. That being said, you really wouldn’t know it here. Our waiters were not only extremely friendly, but uncannily attentive: within minutes of arriving, I had a martini in hand and focaccia in belly.

Margaret boasts an impressive martini selection, so if they’re not normally your thing, this is the place to try one. I chose the “Marrickville”, which was strong, yes – but softened by floral notes from a dash of rose, a bittersweet hit thanks to Poor Tom’s imbroglio liqueur (similar to Campari) and a twist of orange. There is a great wine list too, and we enjoyed the bottle selected (a reasonably priced Italian pinot grigio).

The food menu, at first glance, felt a little disjointed – some dishes sporting big Asian flavours like tuna tartare with gochujang, others of more subtle Italian influence like mozzarella with nectarine. But – it is an unusually large menu (these days anyway), so any potential polarity is wholly within your power to control. The choice to go Asian felt natural, myself having grown up on one of Chef Perry’s fried rice recipes as a regular family favourite (subject to the focaccia which on no amalgam of the menu were we overlooking).

Starting with that – the House made focaccia with confit garlic and parsley oil was the best focking focaccia we’ve ever had. Oily and crunchy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside, with a finger-licking good saltiness and that unmistakeable garlic punch made sweet through confiting. The parsley oil poured generously overtop was incredibly flavourful and drenched the bread in herbaceous goodness.

Our first starter was the Korean style Bigeye tuna tartare with gochujang, sesame and pickles, which we ate via lettuce cups a la san choy bow. The fatty, silky tuna lent itself unreservedly to the gochujang coating, which all but screamed its signature deep umami heat. A scattering of brown rice and sesame seeds brought texture and earthiness, while the most verdant and beautiful of fresh herbs (mint, coriander, etc.) counteracted the spice.

Our second starter was the Spencer Gulf king prawns with roast pepper salsa. These were a lesson in why and how to season – the salting was beyond textbook. We prodded and scraped to extract every last morsel of gorgeously shellfishy prawn flesh, which was buttery in texture so that it simply melted in the mouth. The best we can describe the red pepper topping was sweet, sour and jammy – but in truth, it was far more complex and elevated the prawns beyond fathom.

Our first main was Ben’s coral trout with XO butter. Coral trout is pretty popular at the moment. This is the third time we’ve had it in recent escapades. The first time, skin was removed and the flesh served as a mere vehicle to soak up the lashings of decadent sauce. The second time, it was served with no sauce at all and had a strong taste with rather rubbery skin. Well – third time lucky – we think we have finally experienced the perfect cook on a fillet of coral trout. Ben – whoever you are – thank you!

The flesh was flaky, the skin not as crispy as e.g. barramundi (we just don’t think it does that), but well-charred so that it offered a gentle smokiness (and avoided any unpleasant chewiness). We didn’t taste XO in the traditional sense – but there was definitely a warm heat and hint of seafood beyond the fish itself. We liked it – XO can be overpowering, but here it was light and left room for the trout to shine. The relish brought a welcome vegetal element, and please – make sure to hit the dish with all the lime you can squeeze out of the wedge provided, which lifted everything to new and delicious heights.

Our second main was the 220g Cape Grim beef fillet with red curry butter and grilled shallots. The cook on the steak was excellent – perhaps a touch tough to the feel, but the colour was right for medium rare and it was devilishly juicy. The sauce was sheer sophistication – probably the freshest yet most fragrant red curry we’ve had. And you can’t go wrong with some sweet, charred spring onion on top for balance. It was all ridiculously moreish, and our favourite dish of the day.

For the side, we ordered the Slow cooked peas with anchovies, chilli and garlic. OK, these weren’t the prettiest in colour (slow cooking related, we’re sure), but they were exceptional in flavour. The profound pea taste was quickly followed by the salty anchovy melted throughout. Richness ensued, ending with a final counteracting kick of chilli.

Dessert comprised primarily nostalgic options, some updated in form or flavour (pineapple Millefeuille, memories of a Mirabelle tart) but others left untouched. We went with two of the latter options: Baked cherry and Kirsch pudding with vanilla sauce and Neil’s flourless chocolate cake with whipped cream. 

The cake was moist and almost moussey in texture, with that deep bitterness inherent in dark chocolate. But for us, the pudding was where it’s at. Flavour-wise, it was a divine marriage of sweet vanilla, tart cherry and toasty almond. Texturally, we loved the fluffy souffle-like consistency, which soaked up the thick moat of crème anglaise.

An overall observation on the meal, for which we were grateful as it tends to lack at more upmarket establishments, was the decent portions. We left happy and full, and I attribute my passing out on the couch as soon as we got home to that (not the martini).

Lasting impressions, you ask?

Every aspect of this place manifests to guarantee a sensational dining experience. The vibe is there, the drinks are there, and the food is mightily there. 

Chef Perry knows how to match flavour with protein, each piece of seafood or meat finding its ideal companion in whatever sauce or garnish he chose to pair it with. The latter lets the former play hero, but quietly takes it up a notch to the next level (tautology intended). We both picked famous couples to personify this marvel: one of us (not me) opting for Robin and Batman, the other going with a more worldly Michelle and Barack.

Jokes aside, Margaret feels poignantly personal to Chef Perry – the brainchild of what he likes to cook, and what he thinks you’ll like to eat. Well, Neil – we can confirm: we do, in fact, very much like to eat what you like to cook!