The Recreation

Wine fiends, be warned. The cellar at this reimagined corner hotel, with its exposed brick walls and cosy wine-bar entry, is stocked with gems and curiosities. If you venture beyond the intriguing single-page “short list” (hello, Patagonian pinot noir), a “little grower” champagne or a Suze-spiked Americano may be needed to keep thirst at bay while browsing the full tome.

Happily, a co-owner is typically at hand to pour wine at the table or decant a big-ticket Barolo. Stonking wedges of terrine – a mix of quail, turkey and pork – make a robust lunch or entree; a main of crackle-skinned barramundi fillet is lapped by herby buttermilk-caper sauce.

Juicy half-chicken, lightly smoky from the wood grill, might come slicked with sherry glaze and vivid romesco. Cheese or dessert? Sumptuous whipped Brillat-Savarin “cheesecake” with poached quince has you covered both ways while you interrogate the dessert wines.

Good to know: Loved what you drank? The Rec bottle shop is here for you.

Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.

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