Chiswick

In the leafy, grassy oasis of Woollahra's Chiswick Gardens lies a long, low pavilion, once the iconic address for weddings-christenings-bar mitzvahs. These days it's all about easy, appealing food, tight-rowed tables, warm yellow lamp light, outdoor nooks and bar stools, and a gleaming open kitchen complete with wood fire. Garden notes frolic across the menu, whether in teensy herb garnishes, a peppery parsley vinaigrette or a garden salad that's truly worthy of the name, squeaking with just-picked greenness. Flavour is here by the spade-load - in translucently delicate duck ravioli or crunchy brandade balls with a feisty tomato sauce. Ten-hour Moran family lamb flops off the bone, whole chooks glisten, fabulous steak shows off its wood-fired crust, while a perfect pork chop sits snugly with seeded mustard, roasted apple and vinegary celeriac straws. Only awkward (yet willing) service takes the edge off. Oh, and a fridge-y blueberry bombe Alaska.