Good afternoon everyone, the following post is a guest post from my friend Jeff. He recently traveled to Sydney, Australia, and sent me this very interesting post. Warning, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you will probably want to skip this post. Without further ado, take it away Jeff!
On a recent trip to Sydney, I made it a mission to try Kangaroo meat prepared in as many ways as I could. This obviously isn’t something you come across frequently in the States and, to my surprise, wasn’t something dotting the menus throughout Sydney either. With my smartphone as my guide, I was able to track down a few, and to varying degrees, was delighted by my findings.
1) Moo Gourmet Burgers
Moo Gourmet Burgers is a small restaurant chain in Sydney. I believe there are at least 4 locations throughout the city that prepare a variety of beef burgers and a nice list of specialty burgers including a duck and bacon burger, lamb burger, and of course, a kangaroo burger. Fries (chips), salads, smoothies, and Moo Brew beer are also available. I made my stop at the Newtown location for lunch.
This was my first experience eating kangaroo and I really enjoyed it. Though the toppings are the thing that really made this burger. The meat, prepared well done (not by choice), was a little dry and could have been beef and the burger would have been just as good. Burger came topped with caramelized onions, tomato, homemade mayo, rocket (arugula), and beetroot relish on the bottom. I wish places here in the US offered beetroot relish as a condiment. I don’t believe I’ve run into that before this trip and it seems almost a ubiquitous offering in Sydney. Wash it all down with the Moo Brew Pilsner. Definitely worth a quick stop at one of their locations for lunch while wandering the city.
My Roo Rating: 3/5 Roos
Kangaroo Burger in Sydney – Moo Gourmet Burgers
2) The Australian Heritage Hotel
The Australian Heritage Hotel, a pub located in The Rocks, is known for its pizzas. The varieties are eclectic and they offer duck, lamb, prawn, and a Pepper Kangaroo pizza. Since I was ordering a pizza for myself, I thought I would get The Coat of Arms, a half kangaroo and half emu pizza, just to give that a try. The pizza came out topped with marinated meat, tomato, peppers, and drizzled with a lemon flavored mayo. A sauce drizzle was a common feature of pizzas I saw in the city, and to be honest, is not something I’m a fan of. I’d much rather dip a slice in a sauce then have it added for me. You can tell from the photos that Emu and Kangaroo meat are indistinguishable from one another when cooked this way.
I found the pizza to be more of a novelty than anything. It tasted fine, but I was disappointed that I couldn’t really tell much of a difference between the meats or toppings because the mayo drizzle over powered much of the flavor. If you go, ask for the mayo on the side, if you want to get the full flavor of the kangaroo and emu.
My Roo Rating: 2/5 Roos
Kangaroo Pizza in Sydney – The Australian Heritage Hotel
3) The Meat & Wine Co.
The Meat & Wine Co. has several locations in Sydney. I made my way to Circular Quay. The restaurant in the lobby of the InterContinental Sydney. Apart from steakhouse favorites, they have a large selection of flame-grilled skewers and, among them, kangaroo served with chips. I ordered medium-rare as suggested. I’ve had skewers at other restaurants before but I have never had them served this way. The roo hung above the plate of chips, skewer keeping the meat warm. Each piece removed one at a time and just as hot and delicious as the last. Finally, I could taste the kangaroo without flavor distraction. The fried potatoes a perfect crunch and complement. The restaurant has a large selection of wines to pair and the staff were able to make great recommendations. If you’re looking to try some kangaroo while in Sydney, The Meat & Wine Co. is a must dine.
My Roo Rating: 5/5 Roos
Kangaroo Skewer in Sydney – The Meat & Wine Co.
4) The Dining Room – Waterfront Restaurant at the Park Hyatt Sydney
The Dining Room was situated inside my hotel (Park Hyatt Sydney) and I was thrilled to see a kangaroo dish on their menu. I didn’t have a reservation but the maître d’ found a spot for me, a table for one. As I said, apart from just trying lots of kangaroo, I wanted to try kangaroo prepared in different ways and The Dining Room offered a hand cut Darling River kangaroo tartar. I’ve always been a fan of beef and tuna tartar, so loving this was easy. Served with a quail egg and a potato beignet, the dish was light and refreshing. The restaurant is directly across the water from the Sydney Opera House which elevates the experience. If you’re staying at the Park Hyatt Sydney or nearby, drop in and see if they have availability. If not make a reservation for another time, the other food is great too.
My Roo Rating: 5/5 Roos
Kangaroo Tartar in Sydney – The Dining Room
5) King Street Brewhouse
King Street Brewhouse is situated on the promenade at Kings Street Wharf overlooking Darling Harbor. They have a large outdoor dining area, but it is a sports bar and they had football on so I took a table inside. The roo on this menu was simple; a grilled kangaroo filet, medium-rare, with sweet potato mashed potatoes, broccoli, and a red wine jus. Unfortunately, the meat was cooked unevenly, with half the filet overcooked and chewy. The parts that were medium-rare were fantastic and came close to being as good as the flame-grilled skewer. The mashed sweet potatoes were very good, but without seasoning, the steamed broccoli, was bland. If the meat was grilled evenly, I’d forgive the presence of broccoli and give the dish 4 roos. It may have just been an off day in the kitchen, so it might still be worth a stop if you’re by the wharf.
My Roo Rating: 3/5 Roos
Kangaroo Filet in Sydney – King Street Brewhouse
6) Waterfront – Dockside Group
A short kangaroo hop from the Park Hyatt Sydney, with views of the harbor and opera house, is the Waterfront restaurant. Serving a range of seafood, steaks, and pizzas beneath covered outdoor seating, the Waterfront’s kangaroo loin fillet & crocodile tail medallions called my name as I strolled by. The dish comes with jus, potatoes au gratin, tomatoes, and herb butter. I had never eaten crocodile, so I was excited at the prospect of trying both meats at the same time. The crocodile was tasty, though a bit tough, but was enjoyable nonetheless. The kangaroo loin was a perfect medium-rare and seasoned very well. If I had not tried the skewer at The Meat & Wine Co. I would certainly give this 5/5, as that dish set a bar for grilled kangaroo that will be hard to beat. Definitely worth a stop for lunch or dinner if you’re in the neighborhood craving a couple of native Australian species on the same plate.
My Roo Rating: 4/5 Roos
Kangaroo Loin in Sydney – Waterfront – Dockside Group
7) Bonus Roo – Kangaroo Jerky
If you’re reading this on the way to the Sydney airport, don’t fear! In the duty free shops at the airport, you can find your absolute last resort when it comes to eating kangaroo. Jerky! Tough, no matter what it says, chewy, spiced to death jerky, right at the airport!
My Roo Rating: 2/5 Roos
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- Kangaroo Jerky at Sydney Airport 1
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- Kangaroo Jerky at Sydney Airport 2
Thank you Jeff for that great tour of Kangaroo options around Sydney. I have never been to Sydney or eaten Kangaroo, so both of these are on my to-do / to-eat list. If you have had Kangaroo meat in Sydney, please share your experience below. Are there any restaurants in Sydney that serve Kangaroo that Jeff missed? Please share your thoughts below. Have a great day everyone!
You can get Roo in any supermarket in Australia…..
That’s not the point.
I have eaten kangaroo before and loved it. I have made bolognese with kangaroo before, too.
I actually didn’t like it as much. I’ve eaten it inside the Star Casino in Sydney a couple years back.
if you are in Australia, please do not contribute to the commercial slaughter of kangaroos in our country. kangaroo slaughter and culling is a national disgrace perpetuated by the myths (by farmers) that kangaroos are pests. Kangaroo imports have been banned in the US, due to animal welfare concerns https://www.kangaroosatrisk.org/california_background.html, and in Russia over unacceptable levels of e coli. https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2014-08-18/kangaroo-meat-ban/5677656 And the industry has recently been the subject to a parliamentary inquiry in NSW over animal welfare and protection https://markpearson.org.au/were-about-to-make-history/. They are a totem animal to our aboriginal people and deserve more respect. So if you can possibly resist the urge to shove yet another animal carcass in your mouth for the sake of being cool, remember Australians do not eat kangaroo as a rule, and if you care at all about our country, neither should you.
Oh keep quiet. Prove your statements and while many Aussies do not eat kangaroo, kangaroo has been included in the diets of the Aboriginals.
I thought I already did prove my statements. I provided links to the actual parliamentary inquiry, as well as the information regarding the banning of kangaroo meat in the US and Russia. But obviously, you didn’t take the time to click on those links. And in response to your comments about aboriginals, they hunted kangaroos but were careful never to slaughter any more than absolutely necessary. There are also tribes of aboriginal people who never hunted them because they are a totem animal to their people. And just because they ate them, doesn’t mean they support the current practices. In fact, this article by Aunty Ro, aboriginal elder and journalist illustrates how the offensive the commercial kangaroo slaughter is to our indigenous elders.
https://markpearson.org.au/guest-blog-aunty-ro-mudyin-godwin-responds-to-the-guardian-on-commercial-kangaroo-killing/
But because you requested me to prove my statements, I will, and bear in mind that some of these are actually Parliamentary papers and legislation, as well as things uin mainstream media that you could have easily found yourself.
1) The slaughter of kangaroos in Australia is the world’s largest killing of any wildlife species. Period. Ten times worse than the killing of seals in Canada, for example:
https://www.nationofchange.org/2020/05/23/kangaroos-are-victims-of-the-worlds-largest-commercial-slaughter-of-terrestrial-wildlife/
https://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/kangaroo_shooting.php
2) There are bills in various states of the US calling for the banning of kangaroo imports due to concerns for their numbers and welfare:
https://www.kangaroosatrisk.org/california_background.html
3) Russia banned the sale of kangaroo meat over scares over the high risk of e-coli contamination
https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2014-08-18/kangaroo-meat-ban/5677656
And there is currently an Inquiry before the NSW Parliament regarding the welfare of kangaroos https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2707#tab-hearingsandtranscripts,
which has come up with disturbing allegations like this,
“The government study into the treatment of joeys by the industry is particularly
disturbing. This was published in 2014. The researchers observed shooters swinging large furred joeys by their
hind legs and smashing them against rocks, against their ute rails, stomping on their heads while hitting them with
iron bars and then threw them in the dirt and walking away with their mother without even checking they were
dead. The research found that dependent out-of-pouch joeys still feeding from their mothers were abandoned by
the shooters and left to die alone—99 per cent of shooters made no attempt whatsoever to locate the out-of-pouch
orphans or put them out of their misery, which is in clear breach of national industry code of practice for the
humane shooting of kangaroos and wallabies.’
But you can read the outcomes for yourself. It’s all public information.
And for other visitors to this site, hopefully you’re not all opposed to hearing an alternative voice, especially when we now have enough research and evidence before Parliament to make people think twice about eating our national icon. Thanks for taking the time to read.
Linda,
Thank you and yes you did. I am sorry for being brash with you. It is all this stress associated with the current situation we are all going through. I have not been with my kids for months and all. I see them often, but we are not in the same house. So I am sorry for being rude. Yes I should have just clicked on the links.
Hi Anna, sorry to hear you’re not doing Ok. Hope the situation improves, and thanks for having an open mind. Best of luck.
Best you take your own advice about keeping quiet Anna. As an Indigenous Author & Indigenous Woman Kangaroos are a Sacred Totem Animal to many of we Indigenous people so they are not eaten & or hunted & never have been. I’d strongly suggest you educate yourself on Indigenous Culture & Lore before commenting on something you clearly know nothing about. You can also educate yourself on the appalling & unhinged Government legislated profit driven commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry & listen to both my Opening Statement & Yuin Elder Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison’s Opening Statement at the recent NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Health & wellbeing of Kangaroos & other macropods in New South Wales & then you can read the transcript from that Inquiry & the evidence given that show the Commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry is NOT sustainable,is brutally cruel especially in regards to the bludgeoning to death of Kangaroo Joeys & dangerously unhygienic,given the carcasses of Kangaroos after they’ve been slaughtered are left unrefrigerated for between 7-12hrs hanging on the side of a Shooters Truck with Wild Boar Carcasses. Wild Boar Carcasses also now spreading swine brucellosis. And the findings from the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry show that the killing must stop given severe evidenced declines in NSW,yet former Environment Minister Sussan Ley signed off on allowing the slaughter to continue in NSW for another five years. So again before you speak another word. Educate yourself.
The Commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry is a brutally cruel,dangerously unhygienic & completely unsustainable Government sanctioned profit driven industry of mass indiscriminate unmonitored slaughter in which entire mobs of Kangaroos are gunned down & joeys are torn from their slain mothers pouches & legally bludgeoned to death. Their deaths are not counted. Kangaroo populations are ESTIMATED by the very Government who profits from their slaughter by using percentages that inflate numbers to biologically impossible levels. In 2021 myself Aunty Ro Mudyin Godwin,Indigenous Author & Knowledge Holder gave evidence before the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Health & wellbeing of Kangaroos & other macropods in New South Wales as did Yuin Elder Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison, you can listen to both of our Opening Statements before the Parliamentary Inquiry here https://linktr.ee/burragorang in that link you can also scroll through the links & also read the Transcript from the Inquiry showing evidence of the following;
a)The Commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry is completely unsustainable with evidenced declines of increasing localised extinctions.
b) Impacts of Drought,Bushfires & impacts of Climate Change are being disregarded upon Kangaroos with the slaughter after the catastrophic NSW bushfires increasing in NSW areas.
c) The industry is brutally cruel with evidence showing kangaroos neck shot to take them down then beaten with their heads severed. No head shots seen in the overwhelming evidence provided. Body shots including legs,spines blown off. Joeys are legally bludgeoned to death & the numbers of joeys slaughtered & or who flee that will die after their mothers are gunned down who will die of predation,starvation & or dehydration are not counted.
d) The Commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry is dangerously unhygienic with kangaroo carcasses being left unrefrigerated hanging on the sides of shooters trucks for between 7-12hrs,with Wild Boar Carcasses packed tightly & bleeding out together so cross contamination issues especially re swine brucellosis a major but ignored concern. Kangaroo carcasses after hanging with no refrigeration are then loaded hot into chiller boxes which are recycled shipping containers fitted with a fan where temps have been recorded at 23degrees Celsius with Wild Boar Carcasses & Kangaroo carcasses again hanging together. They remain in the Chiller Box for upto another 12days before being transported to the Processors.
All recommendations as a result of the NSW Kangaroo Inquiry were ignored by the former Liberal Environment Minister Sussan Ley who signed off on the slaughter to continue for another five years in NSW. Remember this is a Government sanctioned PROFIT driven industry. All findings can be accessed via my Linktree https://linktr.ee/burragorang as can other links showing the unhinged reality of the Commercial Kangaroo Killing Industry including the link to the Documentary ‘Kangaroo. A love – hate story’ in which those such as Terri Irwin,Brolga from the Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs,Ex Kangaroo Shooters,Indigenous Elders all speak out exposing this industry of Ecocide. To you Grant,what a disgrace you are to even be associated with such a brutally cruel & dangerously unhygienic industry of commercial wildlife slaughter,you might want to educate yourself on zoonotic disease & viruses which you can learn about in my Linktree.