You’re sitting in one of our state’s hardest restaurants to book. The room is cosy and humming; wide windows look out over vast gardens; the pace is languid. A single savoury doughnut arrives with a salty anchovy at its centre. Then, softly smoked bonito: supple and slick, abutted by a creamy daikon remoulade.

There’s a sense that nothing matters outside these walls, where chef Brigitte Hafner and sommelier James Broadway serve what might be the perfect long lunch. King George whiting is cooked simply over the kitchen’s open fire, and slippery pappardelle partners an oxtail ragu built on stock of intense depth.

You can wander around if the mood strikes you, through the gardens that flatter the plates you’ve been eating from. Three or four hours later, as dessert lands, you may be thinking: “This is how it should be”. Amen.

Good to know: Cancellations happen frequently so put your name on the waiting list for the best shot at a booking.

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