Milky light pours through tall windows, framing neighbouring convict-built barracks and illuminating a room that’s simple, spare, peaceful: the style neither country nor city but bearing the best qualities of both. The conversion from asylum to Derwent Valley dining destination, about 35 minutes’ drive north-west of Hobart, shows the kind of confidence that similarly emboldens the kitchen to keep things simple and strictly seasonal: the likes of charred cabbage and apple with no more support than radish and gribiche. A fluffy golden ricotta dumpling, its richness lightened by the gently sweet rainbows of braised watermelon radish and brassica leaves, adds technical proficiency to the seasonal ethos. The drinks list, meanwhile, is short, bold and resolutely Tasmanian, with a smattering of bottles from the mainland propping it up. Seasonal, old-fashioned fruits star for dessert, though the crowd-pleaser is a scoop of sourdough ice-cream, made with the kitchen’s left-over wood-fired bread: simple, sustainable, memorable.
Phone:
(03) 6262 0011
Website:
Bookings:
Bookings recommended
Features:
Licensed
Vegetarian-friendly
Wheelchair access
Private room
Accepted card types:
American Express
Eftpos
MasterCard
Visa
Chefs:
Rodney Dunn & Stephen Peak
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot at the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 50.
