Courtney's Brasserie

There's much to love about Courtney's - the historic building, the cosy dining room and the explicit provenance of the menu. The restaurant sources produce from a 200-kilometre radius, listing suppliers such as Oakdale Nuttery for pecans, Healthier Eggs Farm at Quakers Hill and Eddie at Werombi Farm for lettuce, celery and pumpkin. The young and talented kitchen crew knows how to take this produce and run with it. A double-baked cheese souffle is a wonder, cleverly paired with a puree of deep flavoured beetroot. A rich cassoulet of seasonal vegetables is more Moroccan then French in seasoning, but who cares when vegies taste this good? Baby heirloom carrots served with herb-crusted organic lamb rump are a highlight, but the meat was overcooked, and hiramasa kingfish was more than slightly seared in a dish with fried calamari. More souffle magic pops up at the end of the meal in the shape of a commendable blood plum version, with plum sorbet and vanilla anglaise.