Harrisons

Owner and chef Spencer Patrick might have chosen a more relaxed lifestyle in adopting Far North Queensland as home, but his heady Michelin-starred days live on in a level of dining sophistication unparalleled in these parts. An amuse bouche of curried cauliflower, raisins and spiced nuts that awakens taste buds; an entree of perfectly seared Hervey Bay scallops with pickled daikon, citrus caramel, fragrant Vietnamese dressing and a crunchy-sweet sesame wafer attests Patrick's acclimatisation to the region. There's still plenty of his classic sensibility - assiette of pasture-fed angus beef comprises fillet, ox cheek, crisp bone-marrow croquette, sticky-sweet pieces of brisket and silky smoked pomme puree with a jar of perfect horseradish hollandaise. Even house-made ice-cream achieves an unlikely elegance - flavours such as miso and gingerbread or raspberry and thyme served in an ice bowl set with rose petals, sticky honeycomb, meringue and shards of almond brittle.