Towering sandstone escarpments surround this elegant homestead in the belly of Megalong Valley, their golden hue warming the dining room and setting the tone for the celebration of produce and provenance to come. Raw baby vegetables plucked from the kitchen garden commence the set menu with confidence, underscoring the property-to-plate persuasion. Charred padrón peppers also delight in their simplicity, as does a finely marbled wagyu rib-eye crowned with garlic flowers for mild bite. Of the few ingredients sourced beyond the 600-hectare plot, rainbow trout is a triumph – its crack-crisp skin and pink, buttery flesh levelled up by a salty hit of Yarra Valley trout roe and the punch of horseradish. Just-picked alpine strawberries atop sweet-sour goat’s milk gelato and luscious beef-fat caramels round out the faultless cooking and refreshing lack of fuss. Engaged service and a fun-yet-approachable drinks list quietly prop up the excellence of this destination diner, which holds rank with the country’s best.
