Red Star Cafe

115 Main Rd 
Hepburn Springs, VIC 3461

03 5348 2297

Time off in Victoria's spa country is always a pleasure, but like most places out in the country you need to be in the know if you want to find the real gems. So we asked a lot of locals where they would recommend for breakfast if you were a hung-over-out-of-towner. Almost eveyone we spoke to suggested we try Red Star on Main Rd. It was decided, just before we made the journey home back to reality we would stop off here to fuel up for the drive home.

There was a nice vibe when we walked into this place with it's funky red furniture, shelves filled with books upon books on various topics and kitsch art adorning the walls. Very laid back, infact so laid back that we ordered at the bar and sat where we wanted. There were a few young families and what I can only assume were regulars reading the paper. A definate locals haunt.

Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides $14.50

Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides $14.50 plus extras $3-$4 each

Our breakfast arrived incredibly fast which was perfect considering how hungry we both were. I ordered the basic Red Star Breakfast with 3 sides. The toast wasn't really toasted, more like warmed through and neither the avocado or the spinach were seasoned. On the upside the eggs were perfectly poached and the black pudding was lovely. Hubby did better as he ordered the same brekky but substitued the sides with hollandaise, sausages, beans, bacon and also some black pudding. Pretty good hang over breakfast.
Was it a brilliant breakfast expeirience? No, but it was just what was needed considering the state we were in. Is this really the best in the area, is there nothing else or am I just a pretentious city person that expects too much? I don't know, but the ingredients were fresh and the service was quick, and if I'm back in the area in the same frame of mind, then I'll be back at Red Star appreciating my well needed coffee and wishing I hadn't had that last drink.

Ratings out of 10
Food 5.5/10
Service 5/10

Atmosphere 6/10

Value  6.5/10

Red Star  5.75/10

Would I return? Yes

Dulce de leche (cheats version)

Dulce de Leche literally translates to 'sweet of milk', and it is a delicious caramel that must be tasted to be believed. I have been wanting to write a post about this beautiful sweet gooey stuff for ages, but unfortunately my husband has a huge sweet tooth, so every time I would buy some condensed milk in order to make it, he would open it and start eating it from the can. But recently, as I flick through my foodie mags I have seen a lot of recipes that call for Dulce de Leche, a product which apparently can be found in speciality stores, pfft I say pfft.
In Chile we call it 'Manjar' and it is included in many of our insanely sweet pastries and desserts, although it is very popular throughout Latin America. Dulce de Leche can also be used in cakes, biscuits, bonoffee pie, on toast, or my very favourite way-with a spoon straight out of the can, needless to say I was a chubby child. Traditionalists will have you believe that you are required to heat milk and sugar and stir until the milk reduces and the sugar caramelises. This takes ages, and since I have better things to do with my time e.g: laughing at my daughter's attempts to put on her shoes or dance(that kid is so uncoordinated), I will give you the cheats version. The version that has been used in my household since I can remember.


Ingredients

-can of condensed milk


Method
-Place the can of condensed milk in a large pot and fill with water.
-Boil water and ignore for 2-3 hours.

-The longer you boil it the thicker and more caramel-y the condensed milk becomes.

WARNING

Do not under any circumstance let the water fall below can level as this will cause the can to overheat and explode, as my brother discovered much to my amusement. Months later he was still finding sticky caramel in odd places, mainly behind the fridge. If the water level starts to drop then immediately top up.

-Leave the can to cool before you open it

Don't be surprised if in the morning you open the fridge to find it looking like this.
Seriously, how my husband is not fat is beyond me.

Enjoy!

Lake House

4 King Street
Daylesford, 3460


(03) 5348 3329


I read somewhere that Alla Wolf-Tasker's mother wept when she saw the paddock that Alla had bought right next to Lake Daylesford all the way back in 1980. It was infested with blackberries and rather swampy. Yet this visionary knew exactly what she was doing. This was step one to building her dream of a gourmet restaurant in country Victoria. 4 years later Lake House opened its doors and it was time for Alla to prove that she was not just some crazy lady with a wild dream, but a great chef with amazing foresight.
Today Lake House is regarded as one of Australia's best country restaurants which takes not only immense pride in serving brilliant modern Australian cuisine made from locally sourced produce, but also it's impeccable service, beautiful restaurant and stunning surrounds. The restaurant has won a myriad of awards including Australian Country Wine list of the Year and currently holds 2 Hats from The Age Good Food Guide, so even though it is a bit of a hike(1 hour drive from Melbourne) it is worth a visit.


The day had been spent soaking in the mineral waters, being scrubbed and massaged so taking into account the long drive and all that exhausting pampering, we knew that an early dinner would be the only way to go. This early evening was still warm and the sun still shining, this was a blessing as when we walked into the dining room we were able to see it in all it's sun drenched glory. Cocktails ordered through recommendation and enjoyed on the beautiful terrace overlooking the lake. We didn't even need to see the menus because our meal had been planned well in advance, Eight Course Tasting Menu with matched wines please.

Prints by Alla herself. You talented woman.

House baked corn bread

Oyster

Sashimi mackerel, slow cooked octopus, fennel and smoky paprika

Open ravioli-John Dory, marron, clam, Vichyssoise, apple

Smoked Skipton eel, Istra pancetta, heirloom beets

Boned quail tempura, shiso, umeboshi

Rabbit-loin salad, crumbed croquette, Lydia's cottechino, lentil vinaigrette

12 hour suckling pig, blood pudding, morels

Pre-dessert

Apple, fennel, pistachio

Cheese platter

Selection of petit fours

The corn bread which is baked on site was a fun way to start, especially considering the oyster wasn't great. It's pretty hit and miss when it comes to oysters and unfortunately this one should have been left off the menu.
I love mackerel, but it is one of those fish that has to be super fresh in order to get the best of it, sadly this sashimi was overly fishy.
The open ravioli was for a lack of a better word-wow. The marron was perfectly cooked and teamed with the apple, it was just a beautiful dish. Could of had more and more.
The eel was another winner, not only was it beautiful to look at, it was even more pleasant to eat. The smokiness of the eel, teamed with the salty pancetta and the sweet beets-lovely.
The quail dish was an odd mix of flavours and styles, the quail was cooked nicely enough but it just didn't work for me.
The rabbit was a nice piece of meat and next to a beautiful and soft croquette. The mix of textures made this course a winner. I really enjoyed this dish.
The pig, oh the glorious pig. My only complaint is that there should have been more. The delicious black pudding and the so so sweet morels-yum.
Dessert time. First a sweet creamy number followed a lovely apple dish. The addition of the fennel was spot on by the way.
Cheese, cheese and more cheese. Sadly our daughter has a severe dairy allergy so we don't usually keep any at home, this is why we normal eat up when ever we are out. They offered us a great selection which was immensely enjoyed.
Finally it is the end of our meal and we are presented with a selection of petit fours that seemed truly out of place compared to the rest of the meal. I've been fortunate enough to eat a  few top restaurants here and abroad, and I am usually excited when they bring out the final plate of goodies, but this was a bit of a let down. It looked and tasted like something I would get at the cinemas, in fact I remember eating something similar as a child, we called them 'Lolly Gobble Bliss Bombs'.
In all I truly enjoyed not just my meal here at the Lake House but the whole experience. Not only because of the great food and the beautiful restaurant itself, but also because of the professional yet friendly service which we received. A stunning way to celebrate our well earned night away sans baby and am already looking forward to our next visit.
Sure it was pricey and luxurious at $135 for 8 courses plus the $80 for matched wines, definitely not something that I would do every weekend, but worth it for a special mini break. So book your bed and breakfast, or stay where we stayed Hepburn at Hepburn-it is one sexy bungalow and right across from the Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa, and let Alla feed you. After all everyone has a bucket list, mine is foodie based and slowly I am working my way through it. Vue de Monde-tick, Flower Drum-tick and finally now, Lake House-tic. So many more ticks to go, but I'm getting there.


Ratings out of 10
Food 8/10
Service 8.5/10

Atmosphere 9/10

Value  7/10

Lake House 8.125/10

Would I return? Yes