In the scenic empty lands of New South Wales, located 4 hours away from the hustle bustle of busy Sydney, lies a little town called Mudgee. Here you will find lots of wineries, family-owned small businesses and a unique farm-to-table Australian restaurant called Pipeclay Pumphouse. They’ve been awarded 2 hats from the goodfood guide.
We had their lunch 6 course degustation for $95 per person.
We had their lunch 6 course degustation for $95 per person.
Degustation
We started with their unique charcuterie board. This was 3 slices of truffle salami each, a ball of pork and fat that had cured overnight, and a cured pork parfait with pistachios and seeded mustard, accompanied by a salted cracker.
Every element on the board was flavourful and delicious. The textures contrasted with each other well. We could also taste how clean and organic the dish was because there was no processed oils, leaving us ready for the next dish.
Every element on the board was flavourful and delicious. The textures contrasted with each other well. We could also taste how clean and organic the dish was because there was no processed oils, leaving us ready for the next dish.
Mick’s first reaction to this heirloom tomato carpaccio with olives and capers was so 🤤🤤🤤 that I took a bite without even taking a photo!
This was heirloom tomatoes grown in their own backyard, with basil oil, olive soil, and basil cream. It was very aromatic and light in flavours. The tomatoes were sliced paper thin, bringing out its sweetness rather than its acidity. The basil cream was rich and smooth. The fried capers were crunchy garnishes. We loved this dish!
This was heirloom tomatoes grown in their own backyard, with basil oil, olive soil, and basil cream. It was very aromatic and light in flavours. The tomatoes were sliced paper thin, bringing out its sweetness rather than its acidity. The basil cream was rich and smooth. The fried capers were crunchy garnishes. We loved this dish!
Next was a heavier dish: mussel mariniere with house made bread. This was amazing! 🤤
The mussels were tender and fresh – I can’t believe someone imports this daily. The sauce was the creamiest, milkiest, smoothest sauce. It reminded us of warmth and soulful food. And finally, the bread was as fluffy as a cloud, having been made from their freshly farmed milk too. I wanted to lick the bowl but Mick asked for my manners 😂.
The mussels were tender and fresh – I can’t believe someone imports this daily. The sauce was the creamiest, milkiest, smoothest sauce. It reminded us of warmth and soulful food. And finally, the bread was as fluffy as a cloud, having been made from their freshly farmed milk too. I wanted to lick the bowl but Mick asked for my manners 😂.
This was a simple salad with lemon and orange dressing to accompany our main dish…..
The main dish was a tender braised beef cheek with carrot and Paris mash.
This cut of cow was flavourful but also felt lacking at the same time, like it was a shadow of what it could have been. The texture was almost melt-in-your-mouth but it needed that oomph of beef or salt or savouriness for us to love the meat.
The accompanied carrots were soft and sweet. The mash was a perfect balance of creaminess and fluff.
This cut of cow was flavourful but also felt lacking at the same time, like it was a shadow of what it could have been. The texture was almost melt-in-your-mouth but it needed that oomph of beef or salt or savouriness for us to love the meat.
The accompanied carrots were soft and sweet. The mash was a perfect balance of creaminess and fluff.
Dessert
This was a palate cleanser of raspberry and lemon sorbet. It was refreshing and sweet. The most surprising aspect was the citrus dust (green powder) which tied the entire bite together.
Finally we had our baked yogurt cake with Spencer cocoa chocolate and almond. The almond had been candied and hardened into a candy, giving it a crunchy texture that contrasted well with the soft sponge of the cake. The chocolate was a good balance of milk and cocoa. Overall it was a nice dessert.
Service
The male server was quite… snobby. We don’t want to conclude a strong assumption but based on how he spoke to us and how he spoke to the other Western patrons, we suspected he was racist.
The main incident that stood out for us was when he brought out our dishes and Mick was in the middle of responding to someone on his phone. The server placed the plates down and sighed. It was a loud one, accompanied with an eye roll. I understand we are supposed to give him our full attention and we may not have been fast enough for his liking (because it was nearing the end of his shift) but that doesn’t excuse the attitude.
The main incident that stood out for us was when he brought out our dishes and Mick was in the middle of responding to someone on his phone. The server placed the plates down and sighed. It was a loud one, accompanied with an eye roll. I understand we are supposed to give him our full attention and we may not have been fast enough for his liking (because it was nearing the end of his shift) but that doesn’t excuse the attitude.
Review
We can see why they were rewarded two hats, giving the fact that this restaurant is located so far from Sydney and still able to provide fresh seafood. The menu started off strong for us but the beef cheek ended it on an average note. We do love the concept of farm-to-table. We will probably never return because we see no purpose to visit Mudgee again.
Thank you for reading! Happy eating!
Thank you for reading! Happy eating!
