There’s a high bar to clear when discussing Sydney’s best restaurants. The post-pandemic dining scene has brought us some of the most innovative restaurants the country has seen, with names like Saint Peter, Firepop, and Lennox Hastie’s Firedoor, which exclusively uses an open flame to cook everything from steak to caviar amongst the most notable. However, rent increases, staffing issues, and produce prices have forced some of the best chefs to look outside the city.
Some are moving to Canberra, and others have found refuge in smaller rural communities, spawning destination restaurants that challenge any in the city. Head Chef Simon Furley has achieved this at Rowlee Dining and Bar at Rowlee Wines in Orange, NSW.
Simon has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, on board luxury yachts, and at ski chalets. Most recently, he worked at Homage and Beechmont Estate at Queensland’s Scenic Rim.
He’s brought his love for traditional cooking techniques, hyper-local ingredients, and a no-waste approach to the Rowlee Dining and Bar with a season a la carte menu designed to share. There’s a dedicated snack menu if you want to try a few nibbles with your Rowlee Wines and a view of the vines. However, no weekend in Orange is worth your time without trying his concise lunch and dinner menu.
RELATED: Here’s how we’d spend a weekend in Orange.
Rowlee Dining and Bar is an extension of the Rowlee brand for owners James Manny and Nicole Samodol. Nicole’s family planted the original wines at Rowlee, and today, they produce some of the finest Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, and Syrah that we’ve tried amongst the vast array of wineries in Orange.
The architects have created intimate spaces that reflect the ethos of this land and draw up to 100 guests in to settle in for a relaxed experience, whether that’s in the ‘Dining Room’ (40), the ‘Lounge’ (20), the ‘Bar’ (20) or at the ‘Verandah’ (20).
“The building has been draped in autumn’s palette, exuding a soft and welcoming atmosphere whilst receding into the hillside overlooking the valley. Russet hues and golden highlights are harmonized with gentle lighting, crafting an inviting and serene retreat for connoisseurs of wine,” said Andrew Benn of Benn & Penna.
Our lunch was spent in the restaurant’s dining room. It’s an intimate space that overlooks the lake and would make the perfect place for a long lunch with your immediate family or an intimate date night to watch nature’s television with livestock from neighbouring fields. Sometimes, small groups mingle outside, and with a vista like this, it’s not hard to see why.
“Here, you can enjoy communal, share-style dishes, delicious drinks, generous hospitality, big views, and cosy corners. At Rowlee, slow, sunlit lunches can extend into an evening under the stars,” said Nicole Samodol, Rowlee Wines Owner.
The seasonal menu changes often, but I started with a round of Mother dough flatbread with whipped house butter (how good is salt and butter) from the snack menu. The portions are perfect for two, but those eating with four or more people should double up on starters and the first course options to avoid disappointment.
Speaking of which, the Hay-fried chicken with pumpkin skin sauce and garden curry. I could have easily had this solo dolo as a main, and I’m genuinely unsure how Head Chef Simon Furley has created such an outstanding dish from something as simple as fried chicken. Maybe it’s not that simple after all. This is amongst the best food I have ever eaten, and as someone who hosts a weekly food series online and has dined at the finest restaurants in the country, this is on my Mount Rushmore of dishes. I would drive the 3.5 hours from Sydney to Orange to eat this Hay-fried chicken.
If you love Peking duck and other DIY-style courses, you’ll love the raw beef, fermented pepper, and crepe dish that lets you choose your adventure with these well-balanced flavours.
By this stage, I was already harbouring a bit of a food baby, and I had a choice of three options for the second course: Dry-aged Bangalow pork chop, Grilled Bay Lobster, and Slow-roaster chicken crown. Of course, I went with the lobster, but the pork chop was also high on my list.
Seafood 400km from the coast? Yes. This lobster was soft, buttery, perfectly cooked, and left to bathe in this delicious shellfish sauce. Maybe I should’ve saved some of that flatbread to dip, but in any case, the sauce was perfect on its own, warm and heavenly on a brisk day. This dish was unreal, and I paired it with a glass of Rowlee Heritage Chardonnay. Few things in life are better than balanced, buttery wine with seafood.
If you have a penchant for skipping dessert, I highly suggest sticking around because this Apple, pine, and caramel course tastes even better than it looks. I could have chosen the Cuvee chocolate, garden mint dish, or Orchard gelato with fennel and olive oil, but I thought it was best to pick the showstopper. What a showstopper it is. Between this dish and the Hay-fried chicken, I will be heading back again soon.
I have to get serious for a second because I’m humbled that I get the chance to do a few of these trips every year and have been hosted at some of the most expensive and luxurious locations around the country (and world) while writing and bringing our readers the most important news in food and wine that I can find. However, this experience stood out among the best of the year for me.
Orange has always been a favourite town of mine to visit, and I’ve loved discovering The Union Bank restaurant, Hey Rosey, and other restaurants popping up in this wine-loving place. Still, my lunch at Rowlee Dining and Bar was as memorable as any lunch I’ve had recently.
Here, you have an experienced and passionate chef who has been handed the keys to a new restaurant by two experienced and passionate owners. With their trust, Head Chef Simon Furley has delivered an outstanding menu. This place is special, and if the reviews I’ve read online are to go by, I’m not the only one who thinks so.
You can book a table at Rowlee Dining and Bar via the link below. More information and menus can be found at the website I’ve linked, too.
The Author, Ben McKimm, was hosted at Rowlee Dining and Bar for this review. He drove to Orange, paid for fuel, and spent two nights in the guest house at the vineyard.
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