Durty Nelly's Bar & Print Room Restaurant
Editorial
On a street corner in Paddington, up the stairs from a jovial bar full of jolly larrikins and pints of Guinness, an Irish chef is dishing up traditional European fare with an Aussie influence. The mauve-blue walls are heavy with Irish prints; the polished wooden floorboards reflect the gleam of the chandeliers above. Take a seat inside or pull up a chair on the balcony where you can take in the Paddington breeze. This cheese wedge of a building has a history dating back to 1854 when it catered for the Victoria Barracks crowd; its interior has since undergone many refurbishments, with The Print Room restaurant opening in 2003. Enjoy a drink downstairs at Durty Nelly's, a boutique Irish pub with a lively personality and spirited sense of fun, then retreat upstairs to this family-run sanctuary of belly-warming comfort food.
Head chef Darren Pearson manipulates fresh Australian produce into classic Irish and European cuisine, offering an a la carte, set and children's menu. The menu is tweaked twice a season, but the quintessential braised beef and Guinness pie is a mainstay - much to the satisfaction of its many devotees. Begin with the mille feuille of scallops, cauliflower puree and crispy Parma ham for a layered indulgence, followed by the chargrilled loin of pork, apple, raisin and thyme crumble with boulangere potato. If, miraculously, there's still some space left in the belly, fill it with the sweet and warming rhubarb, ginger and almond crumble swimming in vanilla creme anglaise. The perfect place for a relaxing meal with the family, The Print Room also caters for the rugby mob, offering early dinners and a big screen TV on game nights. The mirror image of an Irish Georgian-era print room, this restaurant brings a bit of Irish hospitality to the heart of Paddington.
Lauren Barker, September 2008
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