YOU can certainly expect duck on the menu at Ducks Nuts – and good duck, too.

Three of us headed to Dickson to discover more about this newly renovated bar and grill, and were glad we did.

At the front door is a “strict” dress-code sign: “Fashionable, upscale attire required. No high-vis, work boots or thongs after 4pm”. We looked at each other and confidently marched in.

The space is enormous and each zone has its own personality and look and feel. It’s well thought out and just a little bit fancy. The bar area is massive (you order your meal and drinks here).

We kick-started our Ducks Nuts venture with, you guessed it, duck. Specifically, duck tortillas. The staff told us that there were two tortillas to the serve and kindly suggested we might like a third for an extra cost to make sharing easy. Nice touch.

They were fabulous – the duck cooked perfectly and with pork crackling providing a perfect crunch. All ingredients married well with the pack-a-punch plum sauce ($24 for three).

I fussed over ordering the Peking Ducks Nuts burger, not wanting to overdose on duck, but needn’t have worried. The burger was loaded with tender duck, a fresh Asian slaw and a beautiful hoisin dressing ($19). For those not keen on bread, order Ducks Nuts burgers “nude”.

One of us went for the rump steak from the menu’s “Meat Locker” ($26 to $35). She chose classic gravy from the list of sauces and shoestring fries instead of mash. The meat came medium rare as ordered and at 300 grams was a decent size for lunch.

The crumbed pork cutlet was the third dish. As with the others, it looked attractive on the plate and we were impressed with the thickness of the cutlet ($26). It was served with grilled apple and a slaw combining brussels sprouts and parmesan. This was confusing because the wording on the menu, at first glance, implied that sprouts would be served as well as slaw. Anyway, the pork was juicy and tender but with a bit too much “crumb” factor.

We ordered at 1.10pm and by 1.45pm still weren’t eating. When we enquired, we were told a table of 30 had snuck in just before us. Fair enough, but surely the kitchen could have squeezed in three tortillas or let us know about the long delay. But it was all handled well with a second apology and staff asking us, at the end of our dining experience, if we enjoyed our lunch “despite the delay”.

Ducks Nuts, 30 Woolley Street, Dickson, 6230 7675.

Photos by Andrew Finch

Lamb rib eye.

Roast duck tortilla.

Ducks Nuts, Braddon.

Ducks Nuts, Braddon.

Ducks Nuts, Braddon.

The Peking Ducks Nuts burger.