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The Shed at Terindah

Gnocchi with kale and mushrooms.
Gnocchi with kale and mushrooms.Eddie Jim

14/20

Context, context, context. The message drummed into every cub reporter has proven its value on the journey from murders to politics to restaurants. No matter what the topic, context buffs out the edges. Try a rare sunny afternoon in the middle of winter. Add the previous night's pub chicken parma, a memory in desperate need of erasing. And – seriously – dogs. Two well-behaved mutts belonging to other diners, playing on the lawn with the management's well-fed Labradors and two children (mine) who are miraculously behaving themselves.

No, we're not in Melbourne any more, Toto. We lay our scene on the Bellarine Peninsula, which has fewer good restaurants than any beachside location only 90 minutes' drive from a major city deserves. And maybe I was genetically predisposed to like The Shed at Terindah Estate, but chances are I'm not the only one susceptible to the charms of its short blackboard menu, edited to the whims of the seasons and local growers, and to its rugged access down a potted dirt track in the Bellarine hinterland.

The name hides its light under a bushel. This particular "shed" is Australiana in the tradition of architect Glenn Murcutt – corrugated iron and glass, timber and steel, with concrete floor, rusted modern chandeliers and a curving, honeyed wooden ceiling like the upturned hull of a boat. The sleekest hay barn you ever could imagine, dignified with a sparse fit-out of rugged wooden furniture. A well-kept lawn flows down to rows of vines; a rusted iron horse sculpture rolls on the grass; and beyond it all there's the stillness of the bay and the Melbourne skyline spearing into the blue-tinged distance.

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Sleek: The Shed at Terindah.
Sleek: The Shed at Terindah.Eddie Jim

The Shed is one of those places that does simple and does it well, with a healthy regard for the quality of the produce. What you have here is a roll-call of local suppliers, some of them mainstream, many of them boutique, including Sea Bounty's first commercial harvest of native angasi oysters from Port Phillip, which you should consider your patriotic duty to support. It shouldn't prove too difficult: meaty, briny and assertive, these babies are brimful of character. A riesling would have been tops to go with them but the list is confined to Terindah Estate's own wines, so a pinot gris will have to do. Other than that, they're a faultless way to kick off lunch.

Jerusalem artichoke soup with buttered crustless brioche toast makes a decent impression, although its heat – the first unguarded mouthful takes the skin off the roof of my mouth – is more cafe than restaurant. Or maybe I've become inured to a world where tepid food is a marker of distinction. Fish cakes made from flathead caught off Portarlington are impressive in a way fish cakes rarely are (we ordered them for the kids, who went nuts for the house-made crisps on the top) with a sprightly tartare.

Choosing from four mains, the gnocchi are brilliant. The potato dough is steamed (a French choux pastry technique), which makes the little dumplings so light they'd be levitating were it not for the silken slick of goat's curd, from neighbour Drysdale Cheese, anchoring them to the plate with lightly fried kale and shimeji mushrooms.

The healthy regard for simplicity done well extends to the confit duck leg with salted golden skin, a rustic bean stew ("cassoulet" on the menu) and a herby red cabbage slaw. There's not much to it but it hits the spot.

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Two lesser areas of The Shed – service and desserts. The former is a classic case of a syndrome known as "it's quiet so we'll relax". There aren't too many degrees of separation between charmingly laid-back and roughshod.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the latter – a glass-set chocolate mousse with biscuit crumbs and orange granita, and a poached quince and berry trifle with blueberries in vanilla custard – just a sense that they stray from the program at hand. They feel like desserts put together by committee, which only puts the menu's savoury strengths in stronger relief. It meets its humble ambitions then exceeds them, and for that I like it.

THE LOW-DOWN

The best bit The view, the vibe, the dogs.
The worst bit Uninspiring desserts.
Food Contemporary
Go-to dish Gnocchi with kale and mushrooms, $29.
Licensed Wine list Short list of estate-only wines
We drank Terindah Estate pinot gris, $9/$35
Vegetarian One entree, one main
Noise Easy breezy
Value Fair
Service Needs work 

Twitter: @LarissaDubecki or email: ldubecki@fairfaxmedia.com.au.

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How we score
Of 20 points, 10 are awarded for food, five for service, three for ambience, two for wow factor.

12 Reasonable 13 Good if not great 14 Solid and enjoyable 15 Very good 16 Capable of greatness 17 Special 18Exceptional 19 Extraordinary 20 Perfection

Restaurants are reviewed again for The Age Good Food Guide and scores may vary.

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