The a la carte dinner menu is small but the selection is interesting and there's an additional menu of platters and skewers we made use of in putting together our meals.
First up was the soup of the day - a steaming bowl of Asian-inspired chicken broth, delicately spiced with star anise and sesame oil and deriving its heat as much from the fresh ginger and pepper as chilli. No one flavour dominated and it was delicious but my friend kept slapping my hand away. You see, the soup was hers, not mine.
I'd gone for half a dozen tempura Clevedon oysters - crispy, juicy, rich and dipped in a tangy rice wine vinaigrette - and an order of the chiu chow chilli prawns. Chiu chow cuisine is among the best in Hong Kong and this plate of fried prawns took me straight back there.
Chef Heath Wildy seems to know his way around an Asian spice market and the balance of heat, sweet, sourness and saltiness was a taste explosion. Shaved radish salad made a cooling side dish.
Mains from the dinner menu at HBL can be ordered as small or large and we opted for small servings of the beef sirloin and barbecued chicken breast.
My Wakanui Blue sirloin had been slow roasted for four hours, yet was served pink, on a smear of butternut squash puree (divinely sweet) and accompanied by sautéed wild mushrooms that lent an earthiness to the dish. The beef bordered on being chewy but was tasty and I forgave it. It was an uncomplicated, bistro-style dish and, this is what neighbourhood dining is all about.
The chicken breast was cooked well - by which I mean it wasn't overcooked. Our fears have led us to overcooking chicken more often than not and it's a shame as even the breast meat can be moist and juicy when cooked correctly. Combined with a crunchy, panko crumbed chicken leg and served on mashed potato with celeriac slaw, my dining friend proclaimed it "divinely comforting".
Desserts sounded too tempting to pass up and when they arrived I couldn't stop staring. The plates were bursting with colour and texture, petals and sparkles and I adored them. They were like a kid's party spread. Tasting them was another story - they were definitely designed for adults.
The chocolate fondant was sweet and bitter with its molten chocolate centre. It came served with an ice cream ball crumbed in chocolate cookies and deep fried, which, unbelievably, wasn't greasy. The lemon meringue pie was tart, silky smooth and the crust short and buttery. The only letdown was the meringue topping was seriously under-cooked.
The Herne Bay Local lives up to what it is says it is - a cosy little bar and eatery where you can settle in and be pleasantly surprised by sensational food and friendly staff who'll make you feel like a regular. The real locals have already discovered this, so be sure to make a booking.
From the menu: Chicken Broth $12, Chili prawns $12, Clevedon Oysters half doz $22, Wakanui Blue Beef Sirloin (sm) $22, BBQ'd Chicken Breast & Japanese Schnitzel Leg $20, Rocket & parmesan salad $6, Hot chocolate fondant $12, Lemon Meringue Pie $12.
Drinks: Fully licensed.
