What shall we have for dinner?
Two lists, a few answers in between and a kitchen that works from the bay and the paddock. Prices are given at the table, and every dish can be made smaller or plainer on request.
Which plate belongs at the start of the evening?
The dinner list changes by the week, and Lucy Duncan writes it on Monday when she knows what the boats and the farms have promised. Each list has the same four headings, so a returning guest can find the plate they remember and a first-time guest can find the one that suits them.
Most guests begin with something small from the bay, move to a main from the bay or the paddock, and finish with a pudding or a pot of tea. A few prefer to eat only soup and bread, and a few arrive for pudding alone. All of these are acceptable, and the host will arrange the table to match.
From the bay and the paddock
To begin
Chocolate lamingtonsSoft squares of sponge dipped in chocolate and rolled generously in fine desiccated coconut.- Pumpkin and sage soupRoast pumpkin with browned sage butter and a spoon of thick cream, served with warm bread.
- Garlic prawns on toastLocal prawns sauteed in garlic and parsley butter on grilled sourdough, with a lemon cheek.
- Wattleseed damperBaked daily with roasted wattleseed for a faint coffee flavour, served with salted butter.
From the bay
Seared beef filletA thick beef fillet served pink on creamy mash, with crisp vegetable chips, purée and a dark jus.- Grilled rock lobsterHalf a lobster brushed with herb butter and grilled, served with chips and a lemon salad.
- Crumbed calamariTender rings in a light crumb with lemon aioli and a small pile of shaved fennel.
- Snapper with peas and mintA thick fillet seared crisp, on crushed peas flavoured with mint and a little cream.
From the paddock
Chocolate lamingtonsChocolate-coated sponge squares rolled in coconut and served simply with an extra scattering of coconut.- Kangaroo filletSeared medium-rare and sliced over beetroot relish, with a spoonful of creamy mash.
- Beef and mushroom pieSlow-cooked beef cheek with field mushrooms in a short pastry case, served with gravy.
- Chickpea and pumpkin tagineA warmly spiced vegetable stew with apricots and almonds, served over fluffy couscous.
Beside the plate
Roast pork loinThick slices of pink roast pork with crisp golden crackling, served with roasted sprouts and a green herb sauce.- Garden greensWhatever is freshest, steamed briefly and finished with lemon oil and sea salt.
- Roast pumpkin and fettaWedges of pumpkin roasted until sweet, with crumbled fetta and toasted pepitas.
- Hand-cut chipsThick, golden and salted, served in a paper cone with a pot of tomato relish.
What do guests ask about the menu?
Is the fish really local?
Whiting, snapper and prawns come from boats operating out of Ceduna and the oysters from Smoky Bay, and they are delivered the day they are landed. If the boats do not go out, the dish comes off the list and Lucy Duncan writes a different one.
Do you cater for vegetarians?
Each list includes at least two vegetarian plates, and there is always a vegetable soup. Lucy will also adapt a main on request, for example replacing the lamb with a larger serving of the tagine.
What about allergies?
Please tell Felicity Morrison when you book, and again when you order. The kitchen keeps a written record of allergies for each evening, and it can omit nuts, shellfish, gluten or dairy from most plates without difficulty.
Is there a children's menu?
Children are offered smaller portions of the same dishes, usually fish and chips, a little pie or a bowl of pasta. Lucy is happy to leave sauces off, and there is a high chair at the corner table.
Do you serve anything to drink with dinner?
We serve tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade, juice and sparkling water. The lemonade is squeezed fresh in the afternoon, and the tea is brewed in individual pots, with milk and sugar on the side.
Puddings and the tea room
Puddings
Beef fettuccineWide ribbons of pasta tossed with seared beef, mushrooms, chilli and herbs in a rich savoury sauce.- Sticky date puddingWarm and dark, with butterscotch sauce and a ball of vanilla ice cream beside it.
- Lemon tartA thin sweet pastry with a sharp lemon filling, served with a spoonful of thick cream.
- Apple and rhubarb crumbleTart fruit under a golden crumble, with hot custard poured at the table.
The tea room
Stovetop coffeeFresh ground coffee prepared in a stainless-steel stovetop pot and served hot by the cup.- Flat white or long blackGood coffee pulled slowly and served in a thick china cup on a saucer.
- Lemonade with mintFresh lemon juice, sugar syrup and sparkling water over ice, with crushed mint leaves.
- Scones with jam and creamTwo warm plain scones with raspberry jam and thick cream, served on a china plate.