Estancia Osteria aims for 'fire on the table' at Briar Ridge

James Orlowski is partnering with Gabriel Rodrigues to open Estancia Osteria, aiming for a mid-April launch at the classic vineyard owned by Jaclyn Davis.

Newcastle-based Orlowski worked with Rodrigues in Sydney on several dining consultancies. But coming out of COVID, they could feel the changes in the industry.

"We decided this industry is getting tougher and tougher," Orlowski says.

"I was looking for a fresh start. Either it would be a restaurant, or another segment of the industry," Rodrigues says.

"I was looking to go into training at TAFE. At least it would be a way to pass on my skills to chefs who want to learn. You can't have all the chefs at a high level in the same kitchen," Orlowski says.

"We both have very unique backgrounds. Gabriel is both Brazilian and French trained. I'm from New Zealand. I spent 10 years in Peru. My style is more modern Australian. Latin American. So the combination of live fire cooking and the French techniques will work really well together."

"We've worked well together in the past. We thought it's time to put it all together in one place," Rodrigues says.

"We want to cook the best way we can," Orlowski says. "We want to keep it simple, focus on technique and quality, and bring back the old hospitality of long lunches, never stop eating. Controlled drinking, of course."

The two chefs settled on the Hunter Valley as the location was available, and perfectly suited their taste for adventure.

"It's so beautiful," Rodrigues says during an interview with the two of them on the outdoor deck of the restaurant, located adjacent to Briar Ridge Vineyard's cellar door, which sits halfway up a hill with a sweeping, sloping yard, cattle grazing in the paddocks across the lane. "What a place, nice, clean, and it's [the restaurant] getting fully renovated."

Orlowski envisions Estancia will be open from midday, with the emphasis on clients enjoying the lost-in-time holiday feel.

"I don't like this idea of closing down the whole building at 2.30pm to 5pm," Orlowski says. "Then you drive around, bouncing around, find a pie shop or a fish and chip shop - anything to eat. Or McDonald's, or Red Rooster. We want to make sure we have something available all day, at least an osteria-style menu."

In the classic Italian style, an osteria is closer to a wine bar that serves simple meals.

"We'll have big cuts of lamb shoulder, obviously for the lunch or dinner service. But we will definitely have food available all day. Lots of wine pouring. Beer. Negronis, Aperol spritz," Orlowski says.

Rodrigues says the menu will include the likes of hand-made pasta, a lot of small, smoked meats ("Whatever is on special, whatever is good, whatever the people who are working with us recommend").

"There will be a lot of fresh ingredients, a lot of work behind, a lot of techniques, very simple overall, to be welcoming to the clientele. It's not a place where people come and find things confusing, or never had before. We have a lot of familiar classics, lot of skewers, lot of flavours, lot of punchy elements in dishes, bringing something special ..."

Relaxed does not mean slow: service and speed are an important part of the style Estancia expects to put forth.

"We come from a background where we keep it realistic," Orlowski says. "Small, simple, sharp menus, well executed. Very quick. So you're not waiting. You're getting food and wine when you order it. You might want more, you order more. You're not going to be restricted."

Rodrigues backs that up: "There will be a lot of great bites that will come fast, that suit your very own time. You've had two glasses of red, you're feeling tipsy, now it's time for a bite. Can I have something? Boom. There's something on the table."

Think croquettes, kingfish ceviche, toasted flatbread with hint of mussel butter, cured meats, chorizo, and lots of cheese.

The two chefs have been onsite cleaning up, making renovations, and experimenting with the menu. Two weeks ago on a Thursday night they served a seven-course meal for seven people, cooking from a Hibachi.

It was an impressive night, pushing them to use their "fire to the table" skills, ending with plates of dessert fruits featuring honey from Briar Ridge hives, charred stonefruits, lemon curd, a campari compote of raspberries.

"They smashed it," Rodrigues says of the guests. "You could only hear tink tink tink. They destroyed it."

Welcome to Estancia Osteria.