One look around this restaurant and its lush surrounds, and you can see why it’s called Lucky Duck – you can definitely call yourself lucky to spend time here. Although the rest of the Hunter Valley is pastures, grape vines and gumtrees, Leaves & Fishes in Lovedale – the property where Lucky Duck is – is more like Byron Bay. Or even Bali. There are tropical plants around the path leading into the restored timber house featuring colourful and ornate stained-glass windows, lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and a deck that sits above a dam full of silver perch.
The verdant landscaping isn’t all that sets this newish restaurant apart from other Hunter Valley venues. While the region is full of eateries with menus that are Modern Australian (with some European thrown in for good measure), Lucky Duck features fun, bold and super-tasty Asian food.
The dishes are share-style. On the small plates menu, there are fresh and tangy offerings such as the hiramasa kingfish with yellow curry and kaffir oil; a pineapple and cashew salad; and half-shell scallops with seaweed butter. Then some more indulgent picks, like a drop-dead-delicious prawn toast; Szechuan-spiced chicken wings with a pepper caramel and roasted peanuts; and – of course – duck bao. The large plates include barramundi over coals with burnt cos lettuce, kombu dashi and edamame; and local mushrooms with a yuzu ‘bernaise’.
Lucky Duck began as a pop-up. It was a concept introduced into the space until the restaurant group – the team behind Newcastle gems, including Alfie’s Italian + Wine Bar, Meet and Frenchie’s – were ready to set up Alfie’s 2.0, the Hunter Valley edition. Alfie’s, a share-style Italian restaurant in cool Newcastle ’hood New Lambton, proved so popular that the team decided to introduce the concept to the Valley also. But Lucky Duck also proved popular – not only did visitors to the Hunter start flocking there, but the locals fell in love with it. They couldn’t pop-down. So, lucky for the Hunter, Lucky Duck has become a Hunter Valley mainstay.
Group Executive Chef Rafael Tonon has evolved parts of the menu, and they’ve done a refit to hard launch the place. There are fun touches like a red duck neon light, who looks over the dining room like a cute little mascot.
Although the food at Lucky Duck is sophisticated, the vibe is relaxed, and it’s a family-friendly affair – there’s a kids menu, and you can get bags of fish food to feed the hungry perch (they’re $2 a bag, and all profits from the sale of the fish food are donated to the Hunter Wildlife Centre).
Lucky for you, the restaurant offers a complimentary evening shuttle service every Friday and Saturday from 6pm for both locals and visitors staying within a 15-kilometre radius of the restaurant. Head over for dinner – or lunch in between wineries – and you can count yourself a lucky duck, too.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.