LOCATIONOn Mount Barker Road, just 20 minutes from the city.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAStirling is a beautiful place for hills dining, especially when the weather welcomes you outside. At The Table take the opportunity to dine on a deck alongside gums and monstrous pine trees and try to spot a resident koala. The Table is Michelle and Callum Campbell’s new culinary home. You may remember them from their Brown Dog Cafe days (and their much loved breakfasts) on Goodwood Road. Chef Michelle (with her fondness for Dr Seuss) still serves her green eggs and ham here. Do not panic, they are scrambled with basil pesto. Wonder what she would do with a cat in a hat? Mains are where the Italian flavours kick into meats, seafood, pasta and interesting salads. The wine list was built in cahoots with known sommelier Michael Murphy and stars Adelaide Hills labels with a token Italian drop or two.
If the wind starts to blow in the willows, then take yourself inside where the decor feels like an autumn day all year round. The lofty farmhouse-style ceiling with wooden rafters and skylight brings billows of sunlight in. Stone walls and floorboards mix it with orange retro wallpaper and seating. A banquette is upholstered in funky Italian fabric and the open view kitchen brings everyone together. From it come generous bowls of king prawn linguine, beef ragu rigatoni and risotto porcini. Of course there is a veal dish – medallions with pancetta, bocconcini and sage with housemade gnocchi and pumpkin puree. Local producers are first priority. Grass-fed Northern River rib eye comes on the bone with tallegio cheese and quince jus. Order the South Australian whole black mussels steamed with chilli, garlic, tomato, basil and white wine and you will get a kilo of them. On Sunday nights look forward to gourmet pizza and Callum singing acoustically. Cosy, ain’t it?
Roz Taylor