The Australia Hotel

Sitting at the gateway to the Hunter the Australia Hotel has, unsurprisingly, a good local wine list. Why bother venturing further afield when you can pull up a pew in the beer garden and taste the region's best offerings? Others have had the same thought as we squeeze past the crowd and head to the dining area. A starter of garlic prawns is a sizzling pot of king prawns in a creamy sauce. They're cooked well but the flat sauce disappoints. The pappardelle is delicious, with chicken tenderloins, mushrooms, onion, bacon and wilted baby spinach in a cream and parmesan sauce.