Review: Miss Peaches (new menu, summer 2015) – Newtown (Sydney)

Through a narrow door and up some stairs nearby The Marlborough Hotel is the passage through to Miss Peaches now well-established as one of the most popular diners in the area. There is a cool breeze blowing in and sitting high above one of Newtown’s busiest streets has afforded me the perfect view to people watch. The night my guest and I dined was a Thursday night which means the crowd pouring in are here for one thing, Roadhouse Rockabilly Night.

Miss Peaches now boasts a brand new All-American menu with all the comfort foods from a Southern influence. Tamara and Mick, the crew who look after us, are the picture of hospitality for the entirety of the night. Upon purveying the menu, everything sounds delicious and perfect for cheat day so I ask Tamara if we could leave it up to the chef to decide on our dinner. “How hungry are you both?” she asks. Very, we reply. It’s not long before a plethora of smalls and mains reach our table and we excitedly dig in.

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Mac ‘N’ Cheese ($8) is one of my guilty pleasures and I secretly hoped that this would be on the chef’s recommendation list. Thankfully my prayers are answered and this dishy little bowl of macaroni, creamy cheese sauce is instantly my MVP. The toasted breadcrumbs are what makes the mac and cheese for me, I love a little crunch in every bite to accompany some heavy cheese and carbs.

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My dining guest gets all up in Miss Peaches’ fried oyster and smoked duck po’boy ($16). With seasoned Pacific oysters battered and fried, house smoked duck breast and a Louisiana remoulade, there’s a lot to be excited about. I had a fair bit of difficulty eating it and provided dinnertime entertainment for my guest as he watched me struggle to fit equal parts potato bun and filling into my gob.

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While okra is a pretty common theme in Southern cooking, the Slow Cooked Okra and Tomato ($8) fascinates the both of us tonight because of its uniqueness. Okra isn’t something I tend to order and Miss Peaches’ rendition has it cooked to absolute tenderness with tomato and Creole spices.

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The watermelon salad ($17) is about the only remotely healthy thing on the menu so I’m glad it’s included in the line up. The presentation might appear simple but to get that balance of flavours just right requires a fair few ingredients. On the plate we have basil infused compressed watermelon, pickled cherry tomato and salty crumbled feta all dressed with caramelised chardonnay vinegar. It’s nothing extraordinary but my palate welcomes the switch to lighter food after the richness of all dishes thus far.

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While I confess to not have had any of the Crisp Pork Belly Burger ($16), my dining partner again makes quick work of it, citing the balance of flavours to the crispy skin as one of this dish’s big draws. What I did love about the burger and the aforementioned po’boy are the awesome hot and crispy fries that came as a side.

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The red beans and rice with smoked Andouille sausage ($19) is comfort food to a T and tastes exactly like it came from grandma’s kitchen. A generous ladling of red beans, vegetables and smoked sausage completely blankets the fluffy rice. It’s equally unpretentious as it is just simply tasty food.

The live band are a talented bunch although the increasingly loud and fast-paced music makes it a tad difficult for conversation. Still, the infectious good vibes and honest to goodness food make Miss Peaches a real winner for a chill night shared with a good friend.

Miss Peaches

Address: 201 Missenden Rd, Newtown NSW 2042
Contact: (02) 9557 7280
Website: www.misspeaches.com.au

All images by Samantha Low for the AU review.

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