Newly appointed Head Chef George Fowler ha brought a sharp focus on seasonal and sustainably sourced produce to make some changes at Potts Point favourite The Butler. Now with a team that also includes Danish-born Executive Chef Kasper Christensen (ex-Quay) and regular foraging sessions with forager and chef Elijah Holland (who worked with Kasper at Noma), food at the bar and restaurant is heading in a new direction, with those foraged ingredients taking the spotlight.
My recent visit took me through these new changes to the menu, marking a clear evolution for the establishment ahead of the new year.
We were off to a fine start with torched salmon, puffed rice, sesame, and nori ($13). It’s a fantastic albeit slightly small dish. I loved the distinctly Japanese flavours of the nori together with the crunch of puffed rice.
From the larger plates, we settled on the curried roast chicken with potato, summer stone fruits, pickled mustard seeds ($32). While the chicken wasn’t as tender as we would have liked, the overall flavours came together well. The stack of potatoes is even stuffed with layers of more chicken.
I’m a big potato fan, so it’s no surprise that the baby potatoes with kombu butter and parmesan ($16) completely overshadowed the rest of the dishes for me. The umami flavour of the kombu butter truly makes the potatoes shine.
The marinated summer tomatoes with aged balsamic, lemon myrtle and burrata ($16) is a DIY undertaking with tomatoes in its own vessel with a lid that’s topped with chopped burrata and pesto alongside small dishes of croutons and balsamic vinaigrette.
We were told to stir the slow cooked egg, remoulade, parmesan, and kale ($20) together. The kale is tastier and crispier than I imagined. And I spent a few minutes googling remoulade because I knew it as a sauce, but in this dish, it’s referring to celeriac remoulade. Turns out that both are called remoulade. Thank you Internet for your eternal wisdom.
For dessert, the milk chocolate bar with coffee caramel creme and malted chocolate soil ($15) delivered a rich finish that’s perfect for chocoholics. Match it with a vodka espresso martini ($18) and you’re set for a sweet end to the meal.
Another cocktail worth mentioning is the Vic St Mule ($17), a beverage for those with a sour palate. It’s a mix of Absolut vodka, peach liqueur, rosemary, lime, Angostura bitters, and ginger beer. Meanwhile, the Te-killer Sour ($18) made with Olmeca Altos Plata tequila, peach liqueur, basil, lemon, chilli shrub, and egg white is less sour than expected, giving stronger peach vibes more than anything else.
One thing that has remained consistent is the bar’s beautiful interior. The Butler’s fantastic fit-out and views of the Sydney cityscape are Instagram-worthy. Especially the lush greenery on the terrace is beautiful and tropical, but I’d suggest bringing mosquito repellent if you’re sitting outside.
The Butler
Address: 123 Victoria Street, Potts Point
Website: http://butlersydney.com.au/
Hours: Mon – Tues 4pm to 11pm; Wed – Sat 12pm-12am; Sun 12pm-10pm
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