Sunday 22 September 2013


Simon Burr's Long Lunch - Sunday the 6th of October at noon.
Hosting occasion - 'Art in the Sticks - family' Exhibition at 'Cluain'
23rd September 2013
Over the long weekend in October, an addition to Christa and Hamish's annual art exhibition is a Long Lunch.
'Art in the Sticks' is true to its word. Artists from the region gathering to exhibit their talents on the beautiful Macdonald family property 'Cluain.' The farm yard focus will be on the shearing quarters and shed where the work of painters, sculpture, furniture design, photography, and jewellery will be at home for Saturday and Sunday the 5th and 6th of October from 11am.
Featuring
Painting - Hamish Macdonald
Painting - Susie C
Furniture - Gray Hawk
Jewellery - Traci Chambers
Millenary - Rose Ampt
Photography - Michael Collett
Sculpture - Mark DeNys
See 'Art in the Sticks' Facebook Page for detailed profiles of the Artists an the exhibition.
'Art in the Sticks' extends to some colour on a plate this year, where guests are invited to dine within a stilted shearing shed that has been standing since 1952. Hamish's Grandfather  built the unusual, raised shed with timber gathered and trimmed from the property. Gathered and trimmed from the property on your plates are fundamental elements of the fare that Chef Simon Burr will prepare. Mutton, artichokes, herbs and eggs will be gathered from the surrounding greenery of the exhibition to be crafted into three courses. Seafood to start before the mutton takes on a middle eastern feel. Simon's 'Baby Brie' cheese I have written about in a previous post will come out of hibernation to compliment platters in the concluding mouthfuls. Coffee I shall roast and blend particularly for the event will be brewed to create dessert coffee pots - espresso set with cream and dusted with dark chocolate.
The ambience of eating in a space with filtering light cascading from the high roof and slatted floor won't be all to remind you that a restaurant is not where you sit. The artwork and the artists themselves will line the shed and table respectively - an opportunity to learn of their profession and the stories behind their exhibiting pieces.

There are many of these scattered in Robe and Lucindale with directions to guide you there.
Call Hamish 08 8769 6016 or Simon 0418 738 934 to book your seat for the Long Lunch.

Sunday 15 September 2013

Robe Providore
16th September 2013 
The Robe Providore has had a visual transformation over the past few weeks. Evelin and Anthony spent tiresome days planning and shifting the previous work space into a fluent, generous one. Customers can fill every region of the room now. The counter runs parallel to the back of the cafĂ© in a long protrusion from the right wall. Slattered recycled timber from a near by shearing shed stretch across the counter front, where the backing is of the Providore signature red. Upholstered seating rims the space to the left in shades of red one would see in a ripening stonefruit tree. The vibrant gloss fire engine red of the railings and doors blend with the new and unique 'red board' that performs as her ancient relative the 'black board'. The 'red board' to the right boasts rotating specials, soup and wine in chalk.          
   Farewelling the pizza oven, an odds and ends hide out and a dividing wall - a staircase was born! An incline to a future dining room that invites with upholstered seating and fresh white paint on the walls. The timber steps are beautiful. Yet to be completed, but an addition to look forward to.
   The baked goods that Matt and Anthony perfect are the next best thing to fill your nostrils with than freshly ground coffee, in the wee hours of the morning. A bread shelf of recycled timber in the arce of a wave is home to the sourdough and baguettes the boys punch out daily. Croissants, almond and raspberry danishs, cinnamon scrolls, pain au chocolat, custard sea shells. An artful craft is that of making pastry for such decadent mouthfuls. Time and effort we can taste as the texture is like nothing else.
The breads and selected pastries can be purchased from 'Robe Fresh' and 'Robe Foodland'.
    Indeed, lots of visual change upon arrival. With menu in hand the changes continue with Anthony's newly invented 'Spring' menu.
Have room for brioche amongst your breakfast... There is a thick, fruit filled, house baked fruit toast to use to soak up butter... 'Meeks Butcher' from Penola is here in bacon and pork sausages... Macadamia dukkah, fresh herbs and goats curd atop the 'Smashed Avocado', a dish available Breakfast and Lunch with some variations to test the self of habit in you.
   Both Breakfast and Lunch menu's have a 'something light' and 'something more' section to cater for stomachs throughout their sensitive to less sensitive states. An egg and bacon brioche bun can sit comfortably in the palm of your hand. An offering of the egg and bacon roll without the grand size that can inject lead in your shoes for the morning. The bun is pleasantly rich and mildly sweet. Great with some runny yolk to bath it.
 
 
 
 
'Big Kids boiled eggs' has a small army of truffle scented cheesy soldiers ready for a digestion march.
The 'Eggs Benedict' remains with a change to its base of sourdough to briouche. The 'Eggs Salmon' plates mightily pretty with hues of vivid purple of beetroot, crimson green of al dente asparagus, pink salmon and a ladle of dill dotted hollandaise. Built on the square tinned baked brioche that is taking the Providore Breakfast menu by the horns.
   Lunch time fold over tortillas for 'something light'. Filled baguettes for ease of fast takeaway or dine in. 'Fish of the day' will change with availability of the fresh, finned, furless things and the price will reflect so. 'Marinated chicken salad' is a flamboyant, light plate comprising of mango, lettuce, macadamia dukkah, cherry tomato, cucumber and baguette to nest the tender chicken. Brioche appears at lunch too with an epitome of pork and bun working as one. 'Roast pork brioche bun' with apple slaw, chilli jam and beer battered chips. In the centre of the board, Anthony smears a little aioli with a dehydrated pork crackle crumb. Also, a sweet, aromatic 'thai green curry' and a 'portugese toasted chicken wrap' are evident on the 'something more' lunch section. Kids can peruse a menu for both breakfast and lunch as well. Hot and cold drinks for young and older. No one is left out.
   A small but thoughtful wine list is the key to having a glass of a Rymill Sauvignon Blanc or Tim Gramp Grenache over your grazing, lazing, gazing outing. Perhaps not available with an early breakfast of muesli.
    Robe Providore is open 7.3 am until 4 pm each day excluding Tuesdays, where the doors are closed and the muscle behind the flavours, smells and textures rest.