INSIDER TIPS
Kylie Kwong, Dan Hunter and Christine Manfield are just some of Australia’s leading chefs to reveal their favourite regional restaurants to C0untry Style.
1 THILE
When time permits, Thi and partner Jia-yen Lee escape their tiny mod-asian, mod-australian eatery — the one that’s taken Melbourne by storm — and hit the highway home to Sydney, stopping in the Victorian High Country for dinner at the landmark Japanese-influenced Provenance in Beechworth. “The food is complex, generous and delicious,” Thi says. “And you can stay in this awesome pub in nearby Stanley — it’s really affordable, with massive fireplaces, cheese platters and a great wine list.”
2 TROY RHOADES BROWN
The pleasure of visiting Dan Hunter’s Brae in Birregurra, Victoria, begins before you even arrive, says Troy Rhoades-brown, chef and owner of Muse Restaurant in the Hunter Valley. “The drive to the restaurant is beautiful, then you get to Brae… the rolling hills, the gardens, the dam and the restaurant — it’s so fitting in that landscape,” he says. Troy was so caught up in the dining experience he failed to take any photographs or make notes beyond the bread which, as a chef, he does whenever he eats out. The experience proved indelible however. “Every part of the meal was stunning,” he says, including the bread. “One of the best sourdoughs I’ve ever tasted.” The wines, the considerate service and the accommodation all came in for praise. “Everything is thoughtful and refined,” says Troy.
3 JO BARRETT
The co-executive chefs at the acclaimed restaurant at Oakridge Wines in the Yarra Valley, Jo Barrett and Matt Stone, like to aim high. “We love growing food as much as cooking it,” says Jo. They’re working to grow most of their ingredients; getting in chooks, teaching their team cheesemaking and even helping out with ‘milking’ on the salmon farm for their top-quality Yarra Valley Caviar. Their regional restaurant stand-out is the hugely creative Igni in Geelong: “Such a high level of food and service… They really nail it,” says Jo.
4 MARTIN BOETZ
“I’ve got two suggestions,” says Martin Boetz, chef and owner of Cooks Co-op in Sackville, NSW. “The first is my friend Joe Campbell’s restaurant in Blackheath. It’s called Fumo, which is Italian for smoke, and Joe’s cooking is based around the fantastic W.J. Amos wood-fired oven that’s in the restaurant. Just thinking about it gives me oven envy. The other is the pomegranates they grow at Reiby Farm in Lower Portland, just up the Hawkesbury River from my place. They are the deepest red I have ever seen and I cannot wait to have them on the menu each year.”
5 JAMES VILES
In his line of work, James Viles travels extensively. Not only is he chef and owner of Biota Dining in Bowral, NSW, he does consultancy work, presents guest chef dinners around Australia and has led culinary tours to both the Top End and the Flinders Ranges. But when it comes to recommending a regional dining experience, he looks first to his own backyard. “After working a shift in Sydney, chefs head to late-night openers such as Golden Century and Frankies,” he says. “Here in the Southern Highlands we’ve got Bernie’s Diner in Moss Vale, a restored milk bar. The boys and I phone our orders in and go there after work to smash smoked pastrami sandwiches on caraway rye and have a beer. That’s our thing.”
6 ANALIESE GREGORY
From Sydney’s Quay to Europe’s Michelin-star kitchens, Analiese now heads up Tassie’s foremost destination diner, Franklin in Hobart. She’s often off hiking and diving — given Franklin’s wild-foraged focus — and scoping out pit stops, including the island’s best fish and chips. That might be the legendary Dunalley Fish Market, which Analiese describes as “an old wooden shack on the water, very chilled, with rays swimming about and you get what you’re given: just really fresh seafood”, or the equally famous fish and chip shop The Gulch (on the main jetty) at >
Bicheno. “Choose your fish — they have their own fishing boats — and go from there. Brilliant.” Also: oysters opened straight off the lease on Bruny Island or a wallaby rendang pie at Roberts Point Kiosk at Bruny Island ferry terminal.
7 LACHLAN COLWILL
Barossa-born chef Lachlan, who heads up the restaurant team at Hentley Farm, finds plenty of regional dining opportunities to boast about in his own backyard. He was a fan of Fino even before the restaurant relocated from Willunga to Seppeltsfield, but now he’s a regular. “It feels like a restaurant that could be anywhere,” he says. “Sure, they know me — I can walk there from my house — but they treat everyone like a neighbourhood friend and that makes you feel so special. They love to share their wine discoveries and there is always a sip of something special.” For a perfect Barossa afternoon experience, Lachlan recommends Turkey Flat’s cellar door in the old Schulz family butcher shop on the edge of Tanunda. “It’s just an excellent cellar door,” he says.
8 ALLA WOLF-TASKER
“I often say that the place gets all the facelifts and I get none,” jokes Alla Wolf-tasker of Lake House, Daylesford. After 35 years, there’s little the Lake House creator can’t tell you about nurturing producers, community and guests, let alone 120 staff and her hotel and spa. This doyenne of regional dining nominates Du Fermier in Trentham, run by once-upon-a-time Lake House chef Annie Smithers. “It’s beautiful country cooking with a French theme. The kind of place you dream of finding on trips to Italy and France. What Annie cooks — and grows — is what you get. And she insists on making everything herself.” Oh, and stop at Passing Clouds winery on the way. “Terrific wine and casual food.”
9 CHRISTINE MANFIELD
The smoked mullet dish that looks like an echidna and the feeling of love in the air are two reasons why Sydney-based chef, author and tour leader Christine Manfield nominates Fleet in Brunswick Heads as her ultimate regional dining experience. “It’s a stand-out,” she says of the tiny 14-seater in the NSW town that locals like to call Brunnie. “It would work perfectly in a city but its location brings something valuable to the experience. It’s unassuming and intimate.” The professionalism of co-owners Astrid Mccormack, on the floor with Rob Mudge, and chef Josh Lewis in the kitchen are part of the appeal. “You feel the love in all they do,” she says.
10 DUNCAN WELGEMOED
His role as guest editor of e-magazine Rare Medium accounts for a spike in regional travel experiences for chef Duncan Welgemoed of Adelaide’s Africola. “I’ve been diving with sharks in Port Lincoln, SA, and wrangling cattle in Mexico, Central Queensland.” His adventures have unearthed some great produce; he cites game birds from King Island, oysters from Coffin Bay and free-range pork from Boston Bay Smallgoods at Port Lincoln. His visit
to Hughes Pastoral, outside Emerald in central Queensland, was an experience to remember. “They produce grass-fed wagyu beef and it’s some of the best I’ve ever tasted.” When Duncan wants to wind down, he heads out of town. “Lost in a Forest, a pizza bar inside an old church in Urailda in the Adelaide Hills, is really fun with an Ochota Barrels’ wine in hand.” 11 EMMA MCCASKILL “It’s always been there, ever since I was little,” says Adelaide girl Emma Mccaskill of the Port Elliot Bakery on the Fleurieu Peninsula — a days-off destination. “Their chocolate éclair is delicious: they use a doughnut dough, with fresh cream and chocolate glaze.” She might also stop at the equally historic Salopian Inn in Mclaren Vale, saying there’s “always really yummy, colourful food”, or go raking for pippies (in season) at nearby Goolwa Beach. After stints at Tokyo’s Michelin-starred Narisawa and Penfolds’s Magill Estate restaurant, Emma is now at The Pot, a 20-year-old Adelaide icon in its own right. 12 ANDREW MCCONNELL Owner of eight Melbourne restaurants, including Cumulus Inc, the Builders Arms Hotel and Supernormal, Andrew loves nothing more than a road trip. One he remembers well is the NSW South Coast trip he took with his family. “We stayed in a caravan park at the mouth of the Clyde River as guests of oyster farmer and winemaker Steve Feletti. One morning, Steve took us up river to his oyster lease in his tinny. We spent the morning fishing and pulling up the different oysters from different parts of the river and eating them. We drank a wine I’d never heard of before, made from the French grape variety picpoul, which is drunk with oysters in France and which Steve has gone on to make here. The weather was crisp and there was no wind. Everything just came together and it was one of those days.” 13 DARREN ROBERTSON When it comes to favourite food experiences, for Darren it’s “breakfast, coffee and a crossword at New Brighton Farmers’ Market on a Tuesday morning”. The co-owner and chef at Three Blue Ducks swapped Bronte for Byron to open a restaurant at The Farm (see Kylie Kwong). “Go to the Nomadic Kitchen stall,” says Darren. “Rob the chef is ex [London’s] River Café, and cooks food from around the area so simply, but really tasty. Eggs, zucchini, loads of oregano, garlic, olive oil, sourdough, tarts, all sorts of great gear.” Coming in a close second for Darren is “eating a freshly cooked spanner crab with lemon, chilli and a bit of mayo, from Mal Starkey’s Seafood House on Stradbroke Island, sitting on the cliffs with the family overlooking Deadman’s Beach.” 14 ANNIE SMITHERS There’s a lot of love for Annie’s fabulous country kitchen. “She’s living the dream!” Anchovy’s Thi Le enthuses. A dream of growing produce for a fixed daily menu, and selling the rest, plus house-made Toulouse sausages, terrines and pork pies. But where’s Annie’s dream escape? The Lake House. “I gave a class there recently then had an afternoon lunch via room service,” she says. “It was this beautiful grazing platter. Absolutely perfect for that moment in time. >
“We spent the morning fishing and pulling up the different oysters.”
Salami, prosciutto, cheeses, relish, olives, lovely bread and dips.” Annie is planning a getaway there for next year. She has praise too for Istra’s traditionally made smallgoods in nearby Musk.
15 DAN HUNTER
“My tip is Captain Moonlite,” says Dan Hunter, one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs. It’s a near neighbour, a mere 50-minute drive from his own restaurant Brae at Birregurra. The seaside restaurant in the Surf Lifesaving Club at Anglesea is run by Matt Germanchis, a chef who’s cooked at leading Melbourne restaurants such as Pei Modern. Dan is really impressed by the simple dining room and the view right down the beach, but even more with the food. “The Captain is at its best in summer,” he says. “It’s a simple, summery menu that’s done well. Matt has a way with octopus, it’s very good, as is the lamb. It’s just a nice place to be.” Lunch is always followed by a dip in the ocean.
16 PHIL WOOD
Since taking up his role as culinary director at Pt Leo Estate, Phil Wood has been busy exploring his new home (he moved from Sydney where he was executive chef at Rockpool) and has discovered some beauties. First, Harry’s Mussels at Flinders Pier. “You can buy them fresh straight from the punt or cooked from the food truck: they’re sweet and taste like the ocean.” Next on the list is Hawkes Vegetables’ farm gate, “a potato farm where you can buy incredible kipfler potatoes, as well as just-cooked potato chips.” Main Ridge Dairy is one of those places where the product matches the experience, explains Phil. “You can taste cheese, see them making the cheese and visit the goats.”
17 KATE LAMONT
Chef, author and restaurateur, Kate is happiest commuting between her cafés in Cottesloe, Perth, and Smith’s Beach, Margaret River, either on the stoves or serving customers. “I get to go to two amazing beaches, spending half the week south and half
“What Annie cooks — and grows — is what you get... she insists on making everything herself.”
the week in Perth.” Her trips take her past Yallingup Woodfired Bakery for gugelhupf (bundt cake). “My favourite is speck and walnut, although it is hard to go past the chocolate one!” she says. Coffee fixes come from Yallingup Coffee Roasting Company. “And Bunbury Farmers’ Market is amazing for fruit in season, vegetables, lots of mushroom varieties and locally sourced beef, lamb and chicken.”
18 ALI CURREYVOUMARD
Melbourne-seasoned (with the Mcconnell group), this Tassie-born chef now cooks at The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery in the Derwent Valley. “We wouldn’t be half the restaurant without the produce and the relationships we have.” She’s also a fan of Bicheno’s The Gulch (see Analiese Gregory)
for “the best fish and chips ever” and just-caught crayfish. “They cook it in seawater and serve it like that. Add a Boag’s XXX, so good.” Further afield, she’s mad about Fleet, the tiny fine-diner in Brunswick Heads, NSW. “It’s one of my faves in the world! Fresh pina coladas, unbelievable food, intimate, amazing service — by the end you feel like best mates!”
19 MAT LINDSAY
In 2017, Mat and fellow Sydney chef O Tama Carey, created the menu for the first Grazing Down the Lachlan, an outdoor food and wine event held on the stock route and Aboriginal song lines of the Lachlan River outside Forbes, NSW. Guests were bussed into the site and provided with a plate of food and a glass of wine at each ‘feeding station’. “It was a zero-waste and fully sustainable event,” says Mat. “Everything and everyone — native produce, ingredients, beverages, caterers and volunteers — was from the immediate area. At the mid-way mark, we grilled whole mutton glazed in quandong on massive cast-iron barbecues, which we served on rolls with saltbush salsa verde. It was pretty special with a cold beer and view of the river.” Chef Mark Olive, from television series The Outback Café, is curating this year’s event.
20 KYLIE KWONG
The owner of Potts Point restaurant Billy Kwong, Kylie’s mantra is “celebration, collaboration and community” — a philosophy shared with the team behind The Farm restaurant at Byron Bay, a food store and eatery on a working farm. “I love their vision of ‘grow, feed, educate’ — plus, sustainably grown and harvested produce, super chilled style, enormous appeal for all age groups and walks-of-life, in a beautiful, uplifting community space.” A similar ethos fuels Kylie’s other Byron Bay pick: 100 Mile Table, the casual eatery owned by her former colleague Sarah Swan. “Love the excellent quality coffee! Love the aromatic, perfectly balanced green curry of fish! Love their down-to-earth approach.”