The Long Apron

The Long Apron is the jewel in the Spicers Group’s rather impressive crown. It is intimate, impeccably run and verging on formal, but manages to be both special and relaxed, and dining here is a rare experience. Chef Cameron Matthews produces clever, original dishes showcasing a mastery in matching texture and flavour. Some aspects are micromanaged while others are more organic, relying on what’s at hand in the kitchen garden. With ‘Foragers,’ diners sift through vegie garden leaves using a rosemary skewer to find local Glasshouse snails – some as mini kievs, some braised – accompanied by potato in two guises; Parisienne cream infused with hay and spheres coated in panko crumbs and hay ash. There’s a sweet course of choc mint that plays on the local flora, made to look like the growth on the rainforest floor and infused with three types of mint from the garden. It’s clever, clever stuff, but heartfelt and truly sublime.

And … Interested groups can book the chef’s table and dine while watching the kitchen team at work.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe ... Intimate, hushed, countryhouse.
Best bit ... The imagination that goes into the plates.
Worst bit ... The wine list.