TOP DISHES FROM OUR HATTED RESTAURANTS

Richard Cornish @foodcornish

When The Age Good Food Guide 2023 awards were handed out, the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges region was recognised for its strong culinary culture. Five restaurants awarded one hat and two with an unprecedented two hats. We asked the chefs to pick the dish that best represents their restaurant.

Two Hats

LAKE HOUSE, DAYLESFORD lakehouse.com.au

Local food legend Alla Wolf-Tasker was again awarded for the ongoing excellence in food and service presented at her family-run kitchen and dining room at Lake House. The three decades-old fine-dining restaurant, with its widely spaced linen-dressed tables, overlooks Lake Daylesford. "Mother nature is our teacher," says Alla. "We grow much of our food at the farm at Dairy Flat, and we need to change with the seasons. At this time of the year, we have a savoury tart made with a parmesan crust filled with the bounty of the season," she says. The tarts are filled with a goat curd custard topped with vegetables from the garden: eggplant, tomatoes, green leaves, and tiny peas finished with a tangy citrus dressing. "It is a homage to the bounty of the season."

KADOTA, DAYLESFORD kadotarestaurant.com.au

From its traditional charred timber walls to hand-made chopsticks, Kadota reflects the Japanese culture of attention to detail. Chef Aaron Schembri has designed a beautiful and perfectly paced Japanese set menu. "Our food has a Japanese backbone with a local focus," says Aaron. He takes baby eggplant from his garden and makes a modern variation of the classic miso fried eggplant nasu dengaku, setting them on almond puree with pickled blossoms, shiso and sancho leaf, seeds and flowers from the garden and little smoked herring eggs.

One Hat

BAR

MIDLAND, CASTLEMAINE barmidland.com

In this art deco dining room inside an 1872 hotel with its wrap around veranda is served food that is exclusively from Victorian farmers, fishers and foragers. “We use traditional technique and sustainable ingredients such as wild shot venison,” says chef and co-owner Alex Marano, formerly of The Good Table and Movida. His most popular dish is a tart of chickpea flour, milled at Harcourt, filled with Echuca yabbies, vegetables and herbs from his own kitchen garden.

BEPPE KITCHEN AND BAR, DAYLESFORD

beppe.com.au

With its team of Italian chefs working in this charming former home in Raglan Street, Beppe opened just days before pandemic lockdowns. It survived selling takeaway but blossomed when the state opened up.

"We are a comfortable place for people to slowly enjoy some Italian classics," says co-owner Sam Mackley. "Our gnocchi alla sorrentina, made with local potatoes in a Napoli sauce, dotted with Mount Franklin basil and mozzarella, represents our warm, comforting style."

DU FERMIER, TRENTHAM anniesmithers.com.au/du-fermier

This autumn, Annie Smithers celebrates 10 years at her French provincial farmhouse-inspired restaurant cooking simple dishes beautifully. "One of my favourite dishes is lamb navarin," says Annie. "The lamb comes from farmer Bruce Rolfe, whose farm I can see from my veranda. I grow the root veg in my garden, and the thyme and garlic. With a splash of white wine, it is a classic, honest French dish made with all the things I love."

KUZU IZAKAYA, WOODEND kuzu.com.au

Kuzu Izakaya embraces the spirit of the laid-back bars in Japan, offering down-to-earth but delicious Japanese dishes with western influence. Chef and co-owner Japanese-born Eriko Pannam trained at William Angliss in classic European cuisine and offers a delicious little dish of scallops. "I make a sauce of cream, a little mustard, white wine and miso," she says. "I cook scallops, shimeji mushrooms, and asparagus in a hot pan." Front-of-house manager and co-owner Gareth Rowland suggests a match with a Bindi "Dhillon" Col Mountain Rosé.

MIDNIGHT STARLING, KYNETON

In Kyneton's historic Piper Street is this inviting Eurostyle bar and bistro with its bare floorboards and wood panelled walls. Chef Steven Rogers loves working with Macedon Duck which he dry ages to develop flavour and help crisp the skin. "We roast the breasts to order and serve with carrots cooked in garlic butter and stock, a little braised lettuce and shallot with a rich sweet sauce made with plum puree and jus. It goes great with a Lyons Will pinot noir.

THE SURLY GOAT, HEPBURN SPRINGS thesurlygoat.com.au

Chef David Willcocks' Hepburn Springs restaurant is set in a historic weatherboard building overlooking the bushland reserve below. It is the place to meet local foodies and winemakers who appreciate his skill in the kitchen. "I love using the lesser-loved fish such as gurnard and season it the French / North African spice mix vadouvan and poach it in oil with potatoes and onions," he says. "It is simple, no more than four things. It under promises and over delivers. That's The Surly Goat."

The Age Good Food Guide Favourites

BAR MERENDA, DAYLESFORD

Young fun modern bar with bar dishes based on local ethical produce. barmerenda.com.au

FOOK SHING, KYNETON

A pan-Asian fusion restaurant from dumplings to massaman curry. fookshing.com.au

SAULT, DAYLESFORD

Seasonally influenced fine dining based on the kitchen garden all set on a lavender farm. sault.com.au

SPAGHETTI BAR, KYNETON

Small, neighbourhood trattoria located on Kyneton's historic Piper Street. spaghettibar.com.au

TANSY'S KYNETON

Seasonal fare in a 40-seat French farmhouse style cottage.

THE OXFORD DINING ROOM, HEPBURN SPRINGS

Enjoy high tea in this historic building. bellinzona.com.au

WILD FOOD & WINE, CASTLEMAINE

From devilled eggs to steak tartar, a fun vibey room in a historic fire station. wildfoodandwine.com

Bookings essential (03) 5348 1218 kadotarestaurant.com.au

Open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday 1 Camp Street, Daylesford

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