Gee, those handsome, clever cooks from the Three Blue Ducks sure know how to keep us well-fed. Many moons ago they put the tweezers down and yearned for a new dawn – one where everyday eats ruled. Now, with two venues in Sydney (Rosebery and Bronte) and a third mega-venue (and mega-popular) at The Farm at Byron Bay, there is a comforting confidence behind everything they do – and it shows on the plate.

Two of the original ducks, chefs Mark LaBrooy and Darren Robertson, now share their time between the trio of venues, but they’ve recruited Masterchef winner Andy Allen into their flock to man the pans at Rosebery in the bones of the former Kitchen By Mike space.

Inside the cavernous, industrial room, the menu is not designed for ‘dining’ as much as for ‘eating’. Punters sit at communal tables, or on the balcony, or in the al fresco area and feast on the crowd-pleasing menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A wood-fired oven inside (a relic of the days Mike and his famous sourdough) is supported by the motherload of Argentinean-style wood-barbecues, where they roast whole beasts on weekends. At breakfast, barbecued chorizo joins white beans, chimmichurri and eggplant for an electric start to the day. Sweet potato hummus and poached eggs are bang on with hay-smoked salmon, and the breaky poke of seaweed, avocado and kimchi ain’t too shabby either.

At night, take your pick from the 10-plus NSW craft beers on the drinks list, then wrap your laughing gear around grilled king prawns with chilli and avocado, grilled wallaby skewers with pepperberry and blood orange, or jump into a slab of the slow-cooked lamb from the barbie outside. This is real food that’s good for the soul as much as it is for the hip pocket – no wonder their guests are coming again and again and again.

Must eat dish: Three Blue Ducks BBQ lamb
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