As many of you will know, I am a big fan of the Orange region, and have been lucky enough to visit many times (shout out: Mel!).
It is the perfect place to escape for a winter weekend.
This last trip in late March was a family affair, and we really spoilt ourselves.
We had dinner Friday night at Lolli Redini, an Italian restaurant in town. Two courses for $60, 3 is $75. When you consider this is a hatted restaurant, you appreciate what good value this is. The meal was just wonderful: I had a risotto w/ pan seared prawns to start, the veal for the entree, and part of my fathers chocolate dessert to finish up. The whole of the meal was just wonderful, the service lovely.
http://www.lolliredini.com.au/
Our destination for dinner on Saturday night was Tonic restaurant, in the small village (it isn't a town: it really is a village!) in Milthorpe, about 15 mins south east of Orange (i.e. on the Sydney side of Orange).
I had eaten at Tonic twice before: once for breakfast, and once for dinner. Each time I was very impressed, particularly with the dinner: it was just gorgeous.I am very sorry to say I was disappointed on this visit.
The Milthorpe Town Hall is next door to Tonic, and is used as a reception venue for weddings, and the Tonic kitchen does the catering. This is a brilliant side-business I'm sure. Unfortunately on the night we were there it seemed that the kitchen couldn't keep up. I would definitely recommend Tonic, I know how good it can be, but perhaps check first if they will also be catering a function before making your reservation.
http://www.tonicmillthorpe.com.au/
The absolute highlight of our trip was our lunch at Racine, the restaurant at La Colline, a vineyard just outside of Orange (about 10-15 mins from the town centre) on Saturday.
I had eaten there once before, but the restaurant has since changed hands. The current chef & team were behind the restaurant at Mayfield Vineyard, also in Orange, that received allot of positive attention in the last couple of years. They decamped to the restaurant at La Colline about 9-12 months ago (I think).
This meal was quite possibly one of the best I have ever had in my life. Everything was just perfect: the setting, the service (a lovely, friendly, endlessly obliging waiter named Mark), and the meal was just amazing.
This is a picture of my brilliant dessert, a quirky take on peach melba. An ensemble of total yumminess: berry coulis w/ a biscuit base, vanilla ice-cream, topped w/ a poached peach, and a toffee cage sitting on top of it all. It was just wonderful.
I cannot remember exactly what I had for my entree, other that it was delicious. My main was a 'poached' fillet of ocean trout that just melted on the tongue: one of the best pieces of fish I have ever had.
The wine we ordered with our lunch was also wonderful: Mark recommended La Colline's Pinot Noir, which was a revelation. It was unlike any Pinot I have ever tried, and I promptly bought a few bottles to take home with me.
2 courses are $60, 3 courses are $70.
If you eat pub-grub for all of your meals in Orange (and you can, the pubs are great), make 1 meal a foodie meal & spend it at Racine.
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