Good Food Guide 2004

Bellingen is a pretty town and the enticing glow of the 1910 cottage, just off the main street, only hints at the delights inside. On cooler nights, you can sit of the bistro chairs by the open fire in the cosy, cream coloured, softly lit dining room. Warm weather entices you outside along the verandah as ebullient host Toni Urquhart flits from table to table spreading good cheer and offering the insider tips on Husband Ray’s honest country fare with Asian twists.

You might start with the handmade potted bread and oven dried tomato salsa before a refreshing salad of sweet rabbit tenderloins with mild chorizo, prosciutto and rocket.

Carnivores moan with pleasure over veal steak with sweet potato mash and mushroom ragout, and the marinated lamb rib, on a crunchy-edged potato cake with brown sugar-soy glaze. It’s hard – because the potions are so generous, but leave the room for blissful steamed banana sour cream pudding with butterscotch.