5 Chef-hatted Venues for Special Occasion Dining

There are those times in life when the ordinary just won’t do…whether a milestone birthday, engagement, wedding or simply a special family get-together.

As we focus on Party Season this week, we also continue our culinary drive around the country of Chef-hatted venues where you can expect nothing short of extraordinary; here are five to add to your bucket list:

Experience the best of the Mornington Peninsula in a relaxed bespoke environment at Moke Dining on Cook Street in Flinders. Once through the leadlight windowed door, take in a refined ambience of chandelier lighting, polished wooden floors, an open fireplace and potted greenery, setting the scene for memorable shared dining from a weekly changing menu.

 

There's an impressive wine list from local vineyards, interstate and overseas, along with local beer and cocktails to accompany dishes such as prawns, seasoned with local yuzu to start, or ora King tyeé with jalapeño. Main courses like boned, rolled and roasted pheasant, served with chestnut purée and pickled persimmons are sure to entice, or perhaps roasted blue eye cod with chestnuts, cabbage and brandy, enjoyed with a glass of Chardonnay.

Sip an estate wine on the outdoor deck overlooking the vines and mountains at Mimosa Wines, a family-owned and operated vineyard, restaurant and cellar door on Bermagui Road in Bermagui. Nestled in the heart of the Far South NSW Coast, Mimosa is a modern restaurant offering à la carte lunch and a more refined set menu for degustation dinners.

 

With scenic seating options inside and out on the deck, expect a relaxed fine dining experience paired with a boutique Australian and New Zealand wine list. Start with an entrée of Bermagui bluefin tuna kohlrabi, umeboshi and rice; while those with larger appetites opt for Narooma mahi mahi, sweet potato, curry leaf and apricot. Make sure to leave room for a dessert of blood orange, saffron, buttermilk and almond.

For long lazy lunches, intimate dining and elegant events in the heart of Peregian Beach, head to Bask restaurant on David Low Way. Expect stylish, sophisticated, yet casual dining with white-clothed tables, fresh native flowers and potted greenery; on balmy days, take to the alfresco area next to the square to sip a cocktail while perusing a creative Mod Oz menu.

Embark on your memorable culinary adventure with an entrée of seasonal oysters and apple cider mignonette, or pork hock and pea croquettes with horseradish cream; celebrate a special occasion with mains like duck breast, duck liver pâté, roasted radicchio, turnips and port gel, or share Angus rib fillet with Jerusalem artichokes, pan jus and sides of house vegetables, twice-cooked fries and truffle aioli.

Proudly standing in the Mount Kembla region since the 1800s, Ruby’s on Harry Graham Drive is a much-loved, fine-dining restaurant delivering degustation menus to tempt all tastebuds. Nestled in the historic mining village of Kembla Heights, Ruby’s first traded as the village store and post office to a community of coal miners and their families; named after a famous resident Ruby Moore, the store has undergone much careful restoration and is now home to one of the area’s signature restaurants.

 

Start your feast with scallops, nori and lime or confit ocean trout, onion soubise and pickled fennel, moving onto mains such as roast duck breast, braised leg, baby leek, silverbeet, chestnut and pine mushroom oil; or pork tenderloin, smoked hock, carrot purée and Ductch carrot, enjoyed with a glass of Artemis Pinoit Noir from the Southern Highlands.

Home-style cooking prepared with love is on the menu at Essen Restaurant on McGregor Terrace in Stanthorpe. With a name meaning to eat in German, a vine-covered pergola shades the front door of this quaint and rustic venue, where cosy table settings and potted greenery set the scene to share honest food with good friends and family.

 

From a weekly changing menu showcasing produce from the garden and Granite Belt region, expect choices such as beef carpaccio, khmeli suneli and local mushroom, followed by wood-fired line-caught fish with herb butter, a late Winter salad and pumpkin seed oil vinaigrette; finish with a decadent dessert of Essen garden cumquat and chocolate floating island.