Picton Bowling Club lures Sydney dining luminaries

Just over an hour's drive from the Sydney CBD, the Macarthur town of Picton has an impressive new drawcard beyond its historic buildings and botanic gardens – the town's bowlo.

The Bowling Pheasant has opened, with a gold medal-worthy team. Its triumvirate of owners include former Rockpool Bar & Grill executive chef Khan Danis (he was also founding co-head chef at Totti's Bondi), MG Garage kitchen star Lee Hokianga and produce pioneer Jamie McDonald.

Hokianga and McDonald moved to the area years ago, opening local powerhouse Pheasants Nest Produce. When Danis relocated to the area during the pandemic, he wandered in to say hello and grab some of its made-from-scratch delicacies. He has known the couple for decades, McDonald supplied produce and Danis and Hokianga met when they cooked together at a SMH Good Food Guide young chefs dinner in the 1990s.

"We couldn't do this without someone like Khan," McDonald says. "There was the opportunity [to take over the food operations at the Picton Bowling Club] and the three of us decided to do it together. We've rebuilt the kitchen, put in banquettes and installed pressed metal around the bar."

The Bowling Pheasant will use Hokianga's house-cured ocean trout. And despite the pedigree of its team, the mantra is simple but flavoursome food. Think tomato salad, free-range schnitzel with gravy and tarragon butter, an octopus dish, pesto lasagne. There's even devilled eggs.

Danis says the dessert line-up will include some cakes made by a local woman. "She makes the best carrot cake I've ever had," the Rockpool veteran says.

Open Sun lunch, Tue-Sat lunch and dinner.

10 Cliffe Street, Picton.