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Cullen

Following the hands-off winemaking lead of second-generation matriarch Vanya Cullen, Matt Egan is similarly softly-softly with his cooking. Earthy satisfaction rules the roost here: juicy seared scallops contrast with the meatiness of Augusta abalone in a mollusc-centric curtain-raiser, and dense cubes of goat’s cheese and beetroot take turns adding oomph to fluffy chickpea pancakes. Poached chicken breast, gnocchi and zucchini in broth both comforts and luxuriates, while nutty clusters of quinoa partner brilliantly with pan-fried whiting. Their value may be questionable, but satisfying desserts such as lemon cheesecake are as homely as the exposed stone and timber of the dining room and veranda. Breezy service adds to the laid-back, family feel, but blessed is the household whose cellar is as handsomely (and historically) stocked as this Margaret River pioneer.