PROFILE BY BEST RESTAURANTS
There's little doubt that the lovely gardens, the magnificent old trees and the view across the lake to a hillside of vines add immeasurably to the pleasure of eating and drinking your way through a lazy lunch on the balcony or garden tables at Joe Chromy's cellar door. Even on a day with mist on the water and rain pelting down, the atmosphere of the historic building that houses this cafe is one of cosy and cosseted relaxation, and an inducement to the enjoyment of good food and wine. And if the food is good, the wines are even better with multi-trophy-winning winemaker, Jeremy Dineen, nominated as a finalist in this year's national Young Winemaker of the Year.
The menu sits firmly in the popular cafe mainstream. A gourmet platter, frittata, pasta, risotto, homemade pie and Caesar salad sit alongside entrees like mussels in a tomato and fennel broth and mains including chicken, blue eye on Parmesan gnocchi and King Island porterhouse. The beef and onion pie is a proper pie with the flavoursome, juicy and tender meat fully enclosed in good, crisp pastry. An open duck lasagne is a somewhat less moist and juicy combination of confit duck with diced tomato and a trendy cauliflower puree. The chicken Caesar comes well composed and pleasingly dressed. With excellent wines and the food seasoned by the view, it is no surprise to find the cafe usually fully booked and buzzing whatever the day and whatever the weather.
Graeme Phillips