The Olive Tree Restaurant

The Olive Tree has one of those settings that makes you want to hit the pause button. Opening onto the grounds of Wyndham Estate, the alfresco surrounds are a little too charming and laidback to inspire fast-paced dining. Rustic furniture and nanna-style vintage crockery add to the country feel, while luxe touches include pathways to Hunter Valley's oldest vineyard and, even closer, flourishing blooms and herbs - some snipped by the kitchen staff, mid-service. Salt-cod fritters, with caper aioli, fried sage and heirloom tomatoes complement the mood nicely, as does asparagus with fig and slow-cooked artichoke. The chargrill menu, a choose-your-own adventure of steak, sauces and side dishes, is fun to try; less enticing were oversized rubber bricks of haloumi teamed with quinoa tabbouleh and roasted Italian vegetables. Chocolate mousse cake, with double cream and raspberry syrup on the side, makes the task of calculating ingredient-proportionate spoonfuls a thoroughly enjoyable activity.