LOCATIONSimone's Restaurant is located in Bright at the foot of the alpine resorts in the heart of the North East of Victoria. Bright is around 31/2 hours drive north of Melbourne.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIARun by George and Patrizia Simone for more than two decades, Simone’s restaurant has helped put Bright and the Alpine Valley region on the gastronomic map. Patrizia Simone presents classic dishes deeply rooted in her Italian heritage and with a focus on local, seasonal ingredients. She is well served by the location. An area of natural beauty, Bright and the surrounding areas are highly reminiscent of Patrizia’s native town of Perugia in Umbria and offer a wealth of fresh ingredients to service the seasonally-driven menu. The restaurant itself is situated in a 19th century cottage in the heart of Bright and has a warm and homey ambience with candlelit rooms scattered with family photographs, decorative crockery and picturesque landscape paintings. Anthony Simone joins his mother in the kitchen and brings his love of smoked and cured meats and traditional preserving into the mix as well as making all the pasta with his grandmother Maria.
The lovingly crafted menu features dishes which service the excellent produce at hand and changes frequently. Entrees might include handmade gnocchi with taleggio, gorgonzola and black truffle, boned, smoked and grilled Harrietville trout cooked under ash or shaved calamari baked with herbs and served with cannellini bean puree, tomato and crispy tentacles. Mains often feature local meats such as Yackandandah rabbit infused with pancetta flavours, saltbush rack of lamb, aged Alpine Angus and roasted Eurobin kid goat. Simone’s also boasts an extensive wine list showcasing many local wineries as well as some excellent Italian varieties. Bookings are essential for this deservedly popular country dining experience.
Angela Costanzo