The River, Moruya

LOCATION
On the Moruya River, Moruya.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The River, Moruya would have to be the feather in the cap of south coast and capital region dining. Awarded a well-deserved hat in the 2008 SMH Good Food Guide, the chefs at The River have continued to grow, learn and create fabulous meals using the freshest ingredients available locally. The peaceful setting is well known to anyone enjoying a weekend away from the capital – the Deua National Park’s pristine wilderness along the north bank of the river and the nearby beaches of Batemans Bay lure many people to take the 45-minute drive out of Canberra.

The food is nothing short of extraordinary and the flavours unexpected and surprising. The menu has some strong French influences, mostly due to the classically-trained chefs Tobie Patrick and Peter Crompton who aid Tim Safferty. All three are firm believers in what they call “real food” – sourcing produce and ingredients from (quite literally) their own backyard, supplemented with produce from reputable distributers and regional suppliers. While the menu is always changing to remain fresh and seasonal, certain favourites remain constant: a heavy dose of seafood and freshly shucked delicious Tuross oysters feature among these. Start with a delightful Roquefort and prune terrine served with a warm endive and walnut salad or the locally-caught tuna carpaccio with Greek vegetables and dill creme fraiche. For mains it’s hard to pass up on the assiette of pork – roast loin with braised cabbage, slow-cooked pork belly with apple puree and crispy trotter with a ham and parsley mousse. Very reasonably priced tasting menus are available for those who cannot choose.

Russell Buzby