A RELAXED neighbourhood wine bar was the dream for Michael Portley and Stephanie Wells when they settled in Newcastle two years ago with the intention of opening their first venture together.
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Pairing chef Portley's creativity with food and Wells' passion for wine, the couple launched Humbug in Newcastle last month.
The kitchen operates all day from midday for lunch, aperitivo and dinner service (Wednesday to Saturday), with a focus on house-made pasta and noodles, and a curated wine list that combines Wells' passion for sustainability to offer a diverse range that is "user friendly and, most importantly, delicious".
Portley, whose 15-year career as a chef has included stints at Black Star Pastry, Porteno, Bodega and, in Newcastle, at Subo and The Edwards, has created a menu that marries his experience across a diverse range of cuisine with their shared love of snack-style dishes.
"We like to go out to places where you get to try lots of things," Portley tells Weekender.
"That's the way I want to eat and that's the way I want to feed people. Hopefully they come in with an open mind to let Steph talk them into some interesting wine options and then try some snacks that are going to pair really well with that."
The snack menu, available daily from 2.30pm, includes house-baked sourdough focaccia with giardiniera pickle; meatballs with marinara and doenjang; tomato, ricotta, peach and mint salad; oysters served natural or fried with tonkatsu sauce; and antipasti plates.
Snacks can be paired with wines by the glass from producers across the Hunter region, Australia and overseas, or from a concise choice of cocktails, aperitifs and house-made non-alcoholic drinks.
"We wanted to have a neighbourhood wine bar that is open for drinks and snacks in the afternoon," Portley says.
"We have found that there aren't many options other than pubs. When you finish up at the beach for the day, it's three or four in the afternoon, sometimes you want to go somewhere and get some nice wine or some really good snacks.
"That's what we were always searching for and knew that this was the experience we wanted to offer to our guests."
Snacks are also available on the lunch menu alongside sandwiches made with the seed-crusted focaccia, as well as mains which showcase Humbug's house-made pasta: spaghetti with clams and dry ramen; mafaldine with white sausage ragu; and macaroni with corn, fontina and kosho verde.
The menu is centred on pasta and noodles which Portley and his team of chefs make in-house on a La Parmigiana pasta extruder. Pasta is a frame of reference to start with but Portley's approach to flavour is anything but traditional.
"The idea behind focusing the menu around pasta and noodles was not because we have any particular ties to Italian food, it's more an affinity for noodles," he says.
"Noodles are a really universal platform to showcase just about any kind of food and while the menu is very Italian leaning at the moment, we take inspiration from other styles of cooking."
The refined casual menu mirrors the fit-out and design of the space which is filled with colourful works by local artists and layered timber finishes. Wells designed the venue with ambience and comfort in mind, and has overseen the wine list which explores traditional styles and lo-fi wines with a focus on sustainable and organic producers.
"I've created a list that is concise, so it does not overwhelm our guests. I just want people to come in and feel welcome to explore and hopefully be intrigued more than anything else," Wells says. "It is supposed to be accessible for everyone, fun, and especially not pretentious. Don't worry about how to pronounce the name of the wine, just try it and see how it tastes."
Walk-ins are welcome at the bar or book online at humbugnewcastle.com.au
