Grandma's Little Bakery

Location: 5796 Federal Highway, Collector NSW 2581
Phone: (02) 4848 0240
Link: www.grandmasbakery.com.au

Cuisine: Italian, Greek

Grandma's Little Bakery is a snug little cafe located at the Fedra Olive Grove, along the Federal Highway on the way to Sydney.

We haven't booked, and it turns out that they have a full house. We're given two options - get take away, or sit outside. The sun is shining, so we opt for sitting outdoors.

As luck would have it, it starts raining but the wonderful waiter finds us a table inside. Seated inside the cosy dining area, our dishes are brought out.

Wow. Out come two platters larger than we had imagined.

Grandma's gourmet lamb 'basket pie' served with side salad

So it turns out that the 'basket pie' is literally a 'basket' of crispy flaky pastry filled with a generous serve of braised lamb and beans. An assortment of sides are nestled against the side of the pie. A pesto, a tomato salsa and a fresh garden salad. 

slow cooked osobouko & Grandma's tomato marinade served with wild rice

Soft and tender pieces of slow cooked beef that literally falls off the bone with a light prod of the fork sits surrounded by a rich tomato gravy. The wild rice is textural, aromatic and soaks up the gravy beautifully. On the side are a slice of freshly baked bread and a minty pesto to add a refreshing contrast to the richness of the rest of the dish.

Overall Impression: 8.5/10

Grazing

Location: The Royal Hotel, corner of Cork and Harp Street, Gundaroo NSW 2620
Phone: (02) 6236 8777
Link: www.grazing.com.au
Cuisine: Modern Australian

It's not often we venture out of the 'city', but when we do, we go in search of good food.

After visiting a few wineries and Robyn Rowe Chocolates, we arrived in Gundaroo for a late lunch at Grazing.

The restaurant operates from inside an old hotel and the owners have managed to keep much of the historical vibe through the set up and decor. There is even a live fireplace in most of the rooms.

The menu is extensive and very appealing. There are a number of entrées that seem relatively light, and the list of main comprises mostly of comfort food and game. Country cooking at its best.

smoked Tumut rainbow trout terrine with cucumber salad,
fresh horseradish and coriander seed pastry tuile

The smoked trout terrine is smooth, fresh and delicately flavoured. The tuile it sits atop is crisp and aromatic, which works well in contrast to the terrine. Unfortunately for me, the menu didn't warn me of the huge mound of rocket that the dish came with - I would have much preferred more cucumber. But it was an excellent dish to start off the meal.

kangaroo tail and beetroot tortellini with garden beetroot relish,
goat’s cheese and wattle seed burnt butter

I'm not the biggest fan of kangaroo, but my friends who tried this were very happy with the dish.

Braised shank and slow cooked breast of duck with sourdough
dumpling, white bean puree, cauliflower and braising jus

Duck. One of the most difficult meats to do well and Grazing did it beautifully. The duck was still pink inside, the duck fat was well rendered, and the meat was juicy and tender. The braising jus had a nice rich flavour which complemented the dish beautifully.

the ‘Grazing Pie’- Cod, scallop, mussel and riesling pie with
root vegetables, creamed leek and potato mash

Pie. Doesn't sound all that fancy, and certainly not the typical dish I'd expect on the menu for 'fine dining'. But just read the description and tell me you're not salivating. The pie was rustic-looking and sat on top of a rich creamy leek and potato mash. The golden brown puff pastry encased a steaming mixture of soft flaky pieces of fish and fresh scallops and mussels with a creamy white wine sauce. The only thing missing was some freshly cracked black pepper, which would have brought the dish up a whole new level. 

Aside from the mash being a little over seasoned, it was the perfect winter warmer.

The desserts definitely brought us back into the fancy fine dining world.

strawberry semi freddo cone with maple and hazelnut crunch,
Persian fairy floss and strawberry clouds

After a relatively heavy main, I opted for the semi freddo as a refreshing end to the meal. Strawberry yoghurt was frozen into a cone shape and coated in maple flavoured crushed hazelnuts. The cone was surrounded by fluffly fairy floss, cubes of strawberry flavoured aerated cream and crispy sugar crackers. It was the ultimate combination of textures and flavours.

garden grown quince crumble with candied fresh fig and cinnamon custard

Another winter warmer - quince and candied figs topped with a crunchy crumble, baked and served with a side of cinnamon flavoured custard.

fennel pollen scented free standing crème brulee with fresh
blackberries, carnation milk sorbet and puff pastry ‘biscuit’

Definitely an abstract take on a classic dessert. Rather than being served in a ramekin, the crème brulee was set into a square shape, and the custard was infused with fennel pollen. I personally found the flavours a little odd, and missed the dark toffee crunch of the traditional version.

The service was friendly and helpful, although the dishes took much longer to come out than expected. The dishes were good value for money (entrées $17, mains $33, desserts $16) and the ingredients were fresh and locally sourced. Totally worth the drive out.

Overall Impression: 9/10