Millbrook

Farm-to-table fare backed by a killer setting.

Special-occasion restaurants thrive on big ideas and here it’s all about making best, sustainable use of a stunning location that’s about far more than its looks. You might take an hour to get here from Perth, but the food has not: your two or three courses are heavily sourced from Millbrook’s on-site farm, chosen today on seasonality and peak freshness.

The result, of course, is a menu that changes daily, subject to choices in the garden. Key questions before service might be: Which winter leaves will we encase in two crisp filo triangles with jersey curd for starters? What root veg will we arrange atop a carefully-laid row of sliced flat-iron steak with earthy turnip-top dressing? Is the Savoy cabbage good to go, bringing sweetness to today’s cut of pork?

You might take an hour to get here from Perth, but the food has not: your two or three courses are heavily sourced from Millbrook’s on-site farm, chosen today on seasonality and peak freshness.

For all the care (they even make the plates) there can be occasional wobbles, but so few are the restaurants in the state, even the country, that harbour this level of ambition and adaptability that drilling down on the seasoning or composition of a single dish seems to be missing the point. Then there’s a smile from the staff, a glass of chardonnay from owner Fogarty Wine Group’s excellent collection. And that’s before plentiful golden honeycomb, with thanks to the estate’s bees, arrives with flourless chocolate cake and coffee ice-cream, showing off what this farm, and kitchen, can do once again.