THE Sweetwater Cafe is the casual dining option of the heritage-listed, 1854-built Chateau Yering historic country house — once the home of the de Castella family, who established the original gardens in 1854.
The executive chef of the hotel's upmarket, dinner-only Eleonore's, Matthew Macartney, also oversees the menu here. It features lots of local produce and reflects the seasons. Regional labels comprise a 20-strong wine list, from which a Medhurst rose leaps out ($8.50 a glass, $34 a bottle).
With a slight chill in the air, the soup of the day ($14) gets the nod from my husband — a thick tomato and lentil blend spiced up with local chorizo sausage. I choose seared plump scallops atop a puff-pastry tart of braised witloof with garden herbs ($20).
"We get a lot of rabbits in the garden," the waitress says. This coincides with the arrival of my rabbit pie ($36) — a generous pastry shell covering a wonderful mix of tender rabbit with mushrooms and lardons with a side serve of Dijon mustard and cornichons.
My husband's hapuku is succulent and served with prawn ravioli, lemon beurre blanc, green vegetables and ruby grapefruit.
Desserts (all $15) are tempting — quince and ginger cheesecake, lamingtons filled with cream, lemon tart, mousse-filled pastry horns or a choice of pastries or cheese platter — but we decide on a coffee before setting off to enjoy the atmosphere of nearby Healesville.
Sweetwater Cafe, Chateau Yering Historic Country House, 42 Melba Highway, Yering, 9237 3333. Cafe open daily 7.30-10.30am, noon-5pm. See chateauyering.com.au. To stay: nearby options include Chateau Yering, chateauyering.com.au; Yering Gorge Cottages, yeringcottages.com.au; Araluen Lodge Bed & Breakfast, araluenlodge.com.au.
Reviewed by Tricia Welsh
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