Palate at The Gallery

Lismore gets a seriously elegant and effortless bistro; the local art gallery gets a sophisticated cafe; and the natives, well, they just get lucky. Bentwood chairs, muted tones and wood panelling provide a reflective dining space, enlivened with upbeat music and beyond exemplary service. Roasted pumpkin and goat's cheese tart with fig and rocket salad is a restrained rendition of a classic. More innovative is salmon and spanner crab dumplings, the dainty seafood mousse wrapped in lightly fried zucchini with a gazpacho dressing. Mains such as pan-fried salmon on lentils and crisp bacon; quinoa, ricotta and spinach gratin with ratatouille and fetta; or sirloin with truffled mushroom ragu, are rich and filling rather than balanced and refined. Desserts return to hedonistic artistry. caramelised pineapple and dark rum parfait is an inventive foil to rich chocolate mousse and crisp filo, while a pear and Drambuie souffle arrives like a mega-sized cappuccino, partnered with vanilla gelato.