Hatch Hurstville, Swanky Pub Dining and Caviar Cornettos

Hatch restaurant at Humphrey's Hotel Hurstville brings elevated bistro dining to Hurstville. A unique dining option in the sea of dim sum, noodles, and the cheap cheerful Asian offerings of the area.

The entrance is off the main drag of Forest Road, you will find Hatch at One Hurstville Plaza. Look for the bouncers under the words "trading hours" and the Humprey's Hotel sign.

We visited the week they opened in November 2023. The restaurant had already created quite a buzz in that short period of time.

Within days of its opening received Hatch received One Chef Hat in the 2024 Good Food Guide Awards. Not bad for a fledgling restaurant.

Though new to the Hurstville dining scene, this newborn has a very experienced "parent" in the hospitality industry. Mitchell Waugh's Public Hospitality Management Group and Executive Chef Scott Greves.

Even so, I am confused as to how Hatch received one hat so quickly after opening. My thoughts on that are at the end of the review.

Come join me as I feast on caviar cornettos, pig's head fritti, and perfectly cooked duck.

Sara xxx

Our visit to Hatch at Humphrey's Hotel was independently paid for and anonymous. We have an "own time and own dime" philosophy for restaurant write-ups.

What's in this post

• The look and feel
• The Service
• Hatch at Humphrey's Hotel menu
• Final Thoughts
• Hatch FAQ's

The look and feel

The entrance of Humprey's Hotel has a rather uninspiring and almost secretive look. You are met with black, burgundy curtain-covered windows and a couple of bouncers (who are lovely by the way).

Don't be fooled by the entrance. Head up the stairs or elevator to the first floor. Here you will find the light, bright, and glitzy Hatch.

The vibe is marble table tops, paneled ceilings, natural woods, neutral jungle-feel wallpaper, and mosaic tiled pillars. Plus impressive chandeliers that remind me of a bunch of grapes.

All this is centered around an open kitchen. I'll elaborate on that a little later.

The Service

The staff are lovely and cope well with the fact the restaurant has only been open for a couple of days. Yes, there are the expected hiccups that come with fresh staff at a fresh restaurant, but they handle it in their stride.

Management has their thumb on the pulse and checks in to make sure our dining experience is all going well.

Hatch at Humphrey's Hotel menu

To start the evening we order a couple of their signature cocktails to enjoy while perusing the menu. The Hatch H and Frankly my dear.

Hatch H ($22) is a tall drink served over large cubes of ice with Skyy vodka, Grand Marnier, bitters, and freeze-dried mandarin with pomegranate served in an ice cup. It's a pretty drink with clever unexpected garnish.

Frankly My Dear ($22) is also a long drink, made with Gordon's gin, Italicus, Starlino Arancione, butterfly tea, orange bitters and soda. Even with the topping of whipped egg foam, it's a little sweeter than expected.

We start our feast with four of Hatch's signature dishes, including caviar cornettos ($30 each), which have been all the buzz of social media during the three days Hatch has been open.

The mini waffle cones are filled with créme fraiche, topped with caviar and chives. Instead of chocolate in the tip of the waffle cone, there is the surprise of black garlic aioli.

The house-made charcoal focaccia is served with whipped butter and first press olive oil. The focaccia is gorgeously soft with a crunchy crust.

With the condiments already mixed in, the venison tartare ($24) arrives hidden under a mound of grated parmesan. Due to a dietary restriction, we have the hot sauce-cured egg yolk on the side. My only complaint, we would have been happy for a couple of more slices of the charcoal crostini.

The pig's head fritti ($25) is made with pressed slow-cooked pig's head, a layer of black pudding. Served with hollandaise, pork jus, and salad with hidden asparagus to cut through the richness of the fritti.

We could have easily dined solely on Hatch's signature dishes and their snacks and sharing range. Instead, it's on to the mains.

I opt for the pan fried duck breast ($34). Perfectly pink pan fried duck breast is served on top of roasted red grapes, chard, parsnip purée, and a decent amount of port jus. The skin isn't crispy although the fat is rendered perfectly. I am a duck fan, and a fan of this duck I am.

Josh decided on the squash ravioli ($28), which I am glad about as I had my eye on that as well. The pasta of the ravioli is silky and thin, but a little inconsistently filled with roasted squash filling. It is deliciously creamy and served with beurre noisette. The charred greens, crispy sage, and aged parmesan complete the dish.

The dry-aged burger ($28) is Mac's choice. The medium rare burger patty is a rich offering of brisket, chuck, and bone marrow. Served with truffle aioli, a fried egg, braised onion, and triple-cooked chips.

Though there is plenty of food, the plate looks naked and in need of something green. The chips? Crunchy as anything and fly off Mac's plate. One needs to share, right?

Final Thoughts

I was very surprised when Hatch received one hat so soon after opening. I'm quite confused about how they got it. Those awarded hats by Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide were announced on 23rd October 2023. Hatch opened on the 15th November 2023, we visited 3 days after they opened on the 18th November 2023. Please explain? No seriously, I would like to know.

The food is good but on our visit had its faults. Those I put down to opening a couple of days before our visit. Did the Sydney Morning Herald team have the same thoughts, due to Hatch's parental group, guess it would work its way up to a hat?

The other elephant of our dining experience was the noise. Oh my lord, the restaurant is super noisy. Sitting close to the open kitchen we found ourselves shouting at each other to be heard over kitchen noises and the music.

We had to ask the waitstaff to talk louder and repeat themselves as it was difficult to hear them. I stopped counting how many times I said "what?" and "pardon".

TOP TIP: Ask for a table away from the kitchen, or better still, out on the balcony.

Hatch FAQ's

Cuisine: I would call it Australian cuisine, or contemporary, a touch of influence from around the globe, but yet making it their own. Steaks and fish are well represented on the menu.

Go-to Dish: The caviar cornettos were fun, next time I would order a dish that is served table side like the whole John Dory or a larger share cut of beef.

Great for: Losing your voice. No, seriously, grab a table away from the kitchen if it is date night or a group celebration. Just grab a table away from the kitchen!

Cost: On average starters range from $25-$30, and mains $35-$80. Share plates $120 - $260.