Young Street Hotel at Carrington is open and Luke Tilse is one happy camper

Young Street Hotel threw open its doors last Friday after a soft opening earlier in the week just eight weeks after Tilse was handed the keys to take over the space previously operated by chef Scott Webster as Carrington Place.

"We finally got it over the line and had that soft opening," Tilse told Weekender on the eve of opening.

"I am nervous, but I'm excited. It's full-on. I think everyone is going to be impressed with what we have done. I am very proud of what we have achieved."

Tilse says a second venue had "sort of" been on his mind given the success of The Happy Wombat which managed to pull through 2020 and thrive after undergoing renovations during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

He knew he couldn't pass on the opportunity to take over at Carrington.

"These buildings don't come up very often, so I borrowed everything I could and I actually ended up spending double than I had hoped to, but I wanted to do it justice," Tilse says.

"This is my only chance to have a building like this and I wanted to do it right."

Major changes have been made at the venue, including a green-filled courtyard with shaded picnic tables and a five-metre communal table which is the centrepiece.

The chunky timber table was built by Tilse's cousins who used 100-year-old hardwood recycled from the original Omadale Brook bridge near Scone which spanned the two sides of the Tilse-owned properties where the family grows apples for Tilse's Apple Truck Cider.

"Our family got the contract to take the old bridge down and did it for free based on the fact they could keep the timber," Tilse explains.

"They ended up with five semi-trailers of 100-year-old hardwood. My cousins Jeremy, Gav and Johnathan are carpenters and they built it for me.

"It's a real feature piece."

The outdoor area connects to the dining area which has been revamped by a fresh and bright makeover, with new furnishings.

The renovations continue in the front bar with new tables and seating.

Custom-built shelving and wine racks made of brass and recycled timber are an eye-catching addition, while an impressive brass 20-tap beer system is Tilse's pride and joy as it allows him to finally offer a substantial selection of craft beers from across Australia.

"I will have 14 independent Australian made and owned beers on tap and they will change all the time," Tilse says.

"At the [Happy] Wombat, I have 10 taps and four are permanent and then two are New Zealand craft beers so, realistically, I was only rotating four taps, which is not good enough in this environment.

"Now I have 10 limited release craft taps I can rotate, four semi-permanent, and six mainstream beers, which I haven't done before, but I want to have a broad appeal."

The wine list features Australian and New Zealand producers, and there is also a range of spirits and a cocktail menu.

The restaurant has launched with a limited menu that will eventually expand.

Head chef Alannah Miceli is utilising the pizza ovens that were installed by the previous chef, with seven pizzas on the current menu, including the truffle pig with confit garlic, truffle burrata, cherry tomato, chilli oil, prosciutto and basil pesto.

Other dishes include garlic prawns with smoked chilli oil; meatballs with truffle oil, gorgonzola and bread; sweet potato chips with garlic aioli; baked Hunter brie with caramelised onion, crusty fresh loaf, bourbon balsamic and fig drizzle; a charcuterie cheese and meat board; and baked chorizo with goats cheese, salsa verde and bread.

There are three salad bowls on the menu (protein chicken bowl; loaded buckwheat salad; and the island bowl with orange, fennel, feta, pistachio, rocket, mint and lemon vinaigrette) as well as kids' meals which all include a free ice-cream.

"I want it to be a really family-friendly venue," says Tilse, who is also taking over operation of the accommodation on site.

"I have always wanted the bones of an old pub and I don't think they have been done justice largely in a lot of towns.

"I have always said at the [Happy] Wombat that I want to be able to have an 80th birthday in one corner and an 18th in the other. That's my focus.

"I'm not particularly passionate about drinks, even though I'm known as the craft beer guy.

"I am not that passionate about food, I'm not that passionate about coffee. I am passionate about place.

"I know it sounds corny, but my passion is making people want to go to that place to be around other people from the community where they feel safe, comfortable, and they get to have something to eat and something to drink."

A fenced-off play area will be installed in January, complete with a timber fort, slides and cubby house.

Tilse, who shares three kids with wife Lou (including baby Robert born in August) has also invested in a soft-serve machine with plans to offer happy hour for kids, with free ice-cream.

"We are trying to make it so the kids will try to talk the parents into going out rather than the other way around," Tilse laughs.

"That's the idea."