Best known as the man behind legendary Belle’s Hot Chicken brand, Morgan McGlone stands as one of the most sought after chefs for casual dining in Australia, especially if we’re talking about the cooking styles of the Southern States. McGlone was most celebrated overseas for his work at the world-renowned Husk in Nashville before starting up Belle’s over here, slowly but surely turning it into a national culinary treasure; so it’s with great anticipation that he brings his unquestionable skills to Surry Hills’ Harpoon Harry.
HH, located in the historic Hotel Harry – now a boutique multi-level hotel – has now rolled out two different menus headed by McGlone, one in the downstairs Bar Publico and one, more upscale, in the second floor Dining Room. With two choices presented to me, I chose to go with the more casual Bar Publico menu, walking straight off Wentworth Ave and into the familiar space that was once an ultra-reliable stop-over when I found myself wanting for good seafood and even better tacos.
The Latino-tinged menu is pretty much gone, McGlone replacing it with something closer to his country-cooking Nashville roots. As such you’ll find snacks like Crispy Pork Rinds ($5) and Gas Station Boiled Peanuts ($5) alongside starters like the excellent Johnny Cakes & Pimento Cheese ($16). The cheese comes on the side, fluffy and rich, ready to spread up all over those puffy, slightly sweet cakes. On a similar tip is the F.G.T Grilled Okra & B.E Pea Hummus ($16) although the cakes have a bit more of a salty palate and firm texture, made from green tomato which has been fried and served with grilled okra and hummus that has been made from black-eyed peas.
The Clams Casino ($16 for 1/2 dozen; $32 for dozen) is an absolutely essential order. While small, each clam is full of flavour and topped with crusty, crumbly bits that have a subtle zesty lemon flavour soaking through them. Have these on hand along with a bowl of Smoked Chicken Wings ($12) served with AL White Sauce (a barbecue sauce with a mayonnaise base). Wings are to be expected on a menu like this, and it’s quite clear that McGlone hasn’t lost his Nashville charm, presenting you with wings where you can actually taste the smokiness all the way through right down to the bone while the full-flavoured meat peels away at the slighting bite.
Moving up to more substantial fare, there’s the Shrimp Po Boy ($22) with iceberg lettuce (a little bit too much) and remoulade. The fried shrimps are small, popcorn-style bites scattered in the soft bun but it does the trick and is quite filling, though that won’t stop you from something else like the HH Burger ($15 for single, $21 for double). I made the grave error of getting a double with extra cheese – hint: don’t do that – not knowing that it’s already so rich and indulgent in taste that more melted cheese covering those patties is almost too strong to the point of sickening. Try this one as a single (or a double without the extra cheese).
The pinnacle of my dining experience here was the Lamb Rib Rack ($21) with Harry’s house-made BBQ sauce, roasted peanuts, and scallions. It’s massive – especially for the price – and is served in a simple, straight-forward fashion. The meat is fatty and dripping in flavour from a smokey, sweet BBQ sauce that’ll likely drip down to the plate when you slide the meat off the bone.
Morgan isn’t giving you much choice here for dessert, instead insisting on his Fried Apple Pie ($12) that comes with cinnamon ice cream. Even if there were other options on the menu, there’d be no competition for these flaky pastries filled with hot, chunky stewed apple that’s cooled by drops of cool cinnamon ice cream that melts quite fast.
There are only five cocktails on the menu, all of which pair up well with the theme of the menu. The Pecan ($17) with Mitchers rye, sirop de picon, and pecan orgeat is the richest with a sweet, syrupy, but balanced flavour, while the Rhubarb ($13) is the way to go if you want something with a bit more zest to it. The Rhubarb is made with Aperol, rhubarb honey shrub, and prosecco, tasting stronger than it looks but still quite sweet.
Morgan McGlone x Harpoon Harry (Bar Publico Menu)
Address: 40/44 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills – Street Level
Contact: (02) 8262 8800
Website: hotelharry.com.au
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