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Country town Bright set in the Ovens Valley. Opposite (clockwise from top left): Locavore

Michael Ryan; The Myrtleford Butter Factory; wagyu rump with wild cress, asparagus and sake

emulsion from Tani Eat & Drink; riverside in Bright; Cellar Bar Wine Store; local chooks.

Victoria’s High Country

Artisan food producers and award-winning restaurants make this striking slice of rural Victoria a foodie’s haven. Our Locavore chef Michael Ryan of Provenance shares the region’s top spots.

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TThe reaches of Northeast Victoria are a magical place. Historically, the region was known for its role in the gold-rush era of the 1800s; nowadays, it has a budding reputation for agricultural abundance, vineyards producing internationally recognised wines and great restaurants, all of which have seen the area bloom into a culinary highlight of regional Australia. The towns of Beechworth, Bright, Stanley and Myrtleford, in particular, are now renowned for an evolving, sophisticated food culture, making them a must-see for those driving between Sydney and Melbourne.

Michael Ryan, chef and owner of Provenance (88 Ford St, theprovenance.com.au) restaurant in Beechworth, has been in the area for four years. “I guess I ended up living here, as with most people, through chance and circumstance. Fortunately, it led me to an area that I truly enjoy living and working in,” he says. Provenance has an elegant dining room with a menu bias toward Michael’s love of Japanese cuisine. The chef visits the Asian country regularly, where he loads up on inspiration for his food, wine and comprehensive sake lists. Recently, Michael raised the region’s profile even further when, in The Age Good

Food Guide 2013, Provenance was awarded Regional Restaurant of the Year and Michael took out Chef of the Year. When hard-working Michael has time off with his wife and young daughter, he loves to explore the region he now calls home. Here he shares some of his favourite places to eat, drink and shop in Victoria’s High Country.

Beechworth Ford Street, Beechworth’s beautifully maintained main strip, has a colonial elegance exemplified in the restored shopfronts. Michael loves to explore the abundant foodie choices here. Cellar Door Wine Store (62 Ford St, cellardoorwinestore.com.au) is a charming wine bar and bottle shop owned by a duo he knows well, Aaron Taylor and Martina Brazdovicova. “Two of my former staff run this place, which is great for them, but not so great for me!” he laughs. The venue serves coffee, charcuterie and cheese plates, and, as many of the region’s wineries don’t have their own cellar doors, offers tastings as well. It’s the perfect spot to try and buy some of the region’s great wines, with names such as Giaconda and Sorrenberg among them.

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1. Downtown Beechworth. 2., 3. & 4. raw, pickled and dehydrated vegetables with puffed rice and umeboshi is one of the dishes from Provenance’s vegetarian degustation; owner Michael with wife Jeanette Henderson; inside Provenance. 5. Cellar Door Wine Store. 6. Bridge Road Brewers.

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Gigi’s of Beechworth (69 Ford St, gigisofbeechworth.com) has been a steady presence in the area since 1995, and it changed hands in 2007 when chef Allan Parker from Ricky Ricardo’s and Saltwater in Noosa snapped it up. Count on Gigi’s for top-notch house-baked bread and a seasonal, produce-driven menu. They even roast their own coffee. “It’s open on Monday and Tuesday, my days off, when I often don’t feel like cooking.”

Just up the road is Bridge Road Brewers (Old Coach House Brewers Lane, Ford St, bridgeroadbrewers.com.au). The brewery got its start in 2004 in local Ben Kraus’s father’s back shed and has grown into one of the highly respected boutique breweries in the country. There are up to 10 different styles of beers, including a hearty Robust Porter and traditional Belgian Saison; the Pale Ale, in particular, has a loyal following. “It’s a great place to relax, the pizzas are good and the beer, which is on tap and made on the premises, is excellent.”

For a classic, old-school country pub, Michael suggests a quiet drink at Tanswell’s Commercial Hotel (50 Ford St). Built in 1853, the heritage-listed spot is a piece of history.

Michael speaks highly of the food, with options including confit duck leg with cider sauce, and locally sourced apple, pear and walnut salad. “It’s well above pub standard, offering more bistro-style dishes. I like the lamb filo parcel with steamed broccoli, pine nuts and labne.”

Shopping is a treat in Beechworth, too. For a Parisian escape, Michael recommends The Growing Suitcase (74 Ford St, thegrowingsuitcase. com). Owned by Rob Cowell, it is one of only 20 shops worldwide that stock high-end

gardening and homewares brand Le Prince Jardinier. Also on Ford Street is Frances Pilley (33 Ford St, francespilley.com.au) carrying a unique mix of local and imported goods, from handcrafted furniture to luxurious throws.

“Chance and circumstance led me to an area that I truly enjoy living   and working in.”

1. & 2. Eclectic wares with Parisian finesse at The Growing Suitcase. 3. Cattle are a major source of agriculture in Myrtleford and the surrounding region. 4. Beechworth’s 60-year-old Tanswell’s Commercial Hotel.

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StanleyTen kilometres south-east of Beechworth, you’ll find the small town of Stanley. Here, The Stanley Pub (6-12 Myrtleford-Stanley Road, (03) 5728 6502), owned and operated by Sydney expats Shane and Annemarie Harris, is a must stop-and-see. “The Stanley is a gorgeous pub with a great beer garden,” says Michael. It certainly has country-pub charm with its long, low-set verandah, wooden bar and leafy beer garden. The menu, by chef Shauna Stockwell, oozes French technique and embraces the region’s produce; zucchini flowers from nearby Oxley or hazelnuts from Mt Buffalo, for example. “The food is of a very high standard,” says Michael. The urban experience of the owners also adds a contemporary edge. Shane, a sommelier with years of experience, guides you through matchings of the region’s wines, while Annemarie runs the floor with a sharp eye.

MyrtlefordA 20-minute drive from Stanley you’ll hit Myrtleford, a gem of a place that Michael enjoys not just for its charm, but for the

unexpected food producers, with whom he shops for both his restaurant and home pantry. The Myrtleford Butter Factory (Great Alpine Rd, thebutterfactory.com.au) is one such place. Chef Naomi Ingleton turned the space into a cafe and butter factory in September 2010 with her mother Brownyn, also a chef. The character-filled building was formerly a butter factory – the writing was literally on the wall. Together, they’ve created a warm, welcoming space and a range of salted, unsalted, cultured and flavoured butters. The garlic confit butter is delectable and Michael uses it at Provenance, as well as their buttermilk and butter curd. For those curious about the process, there are guided tours of the working factory, which was a finalist in the 2012 delicious. Produce Awards.

When you think of country Victoria, Lebanese food and homewares may not spring to mind, but you’ll find both at Red Ramia Trading Company and adjoining Cafe Fez

“Myrtleford is a gem of a place filled with charm and unexpected food producers.”

1. & 2. Simone’s bucolic setting and matriarch Patrizia Simone. 3. Choose from cultured and non-cultured butters at The Myrtleford Butter Factory. 4. Relax under the leafy canopy in the beer garden at The Stanley Pub. 5. Stunning local scenery.

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(145 Great Alpine Rd, redramia.com.au). “The Ramia family import Moroccan, Indian and Chinese wares, while Cafe Fez serves great authentic food,” says Michael. Explore the extraordinary cavern of tagines, lamps, furniture and ornaments, then rest up with Moroccan mint tea or a refreshing fruit soda of blood orange and cardamom or grapefruit and wild hibiscus. The menu includes woodfired pizzas and a generous mezze plate packed with dolmades, haloumi, peppers, labne and loads of Turkish bread.

Bright“You can’t mention Bright without talking about Simone’s,” says Michael. “Patrizia Simone is one of the pioneers of the food scene in Northeast Victoria and the first who truly showed what the area has to offer.” Simone’s Restaurant (98 Gavan St, simonesbright.com.au) has been operating in Bright since 1986. While the setting in the lush, green Ovens Valley is classic country Australia, the menu is guided by Patrizia’s rich Umbrian heritage. These days, her chef son Anthony runs the

restaurant (he has also worked in leading restaurants in Italy, the USA and Melbourne), while Patrizia focuses her attention on her eponymous Patrizia Simone Country Cooking School (18 Riverside Ave). Here groups of up to 12 people learn the art of authentic Italian cooking under her masterful guidance. Think a pasta master class, foraging for a feast or dishes from her beautiful cookbook, My Umbrian Kitchen.

Like any great chef-mentor, Michael has a number of former staff who have gone out on their own. Here in Bright, there’s alumnus Hamish Nugent, who started Tani Eat & Drink (100 Gavan St, tanieatdrink.com.au) with his partner, Rachel Reed, also a chef. Tani means ‘valley’ in Japanese and ‘water’ in Hindu, a perfect reflection of Bright, with the Ovens River meandering through the town. “It has fantastic modern, casual food, a great setting and is an exciting new addition to Bright,” says Michael. The contemporary, clean, thoughtful fare can be seen in dishes such as hot-smoked Harrietville freshwater salmon with buttermilk, dried orange and potato, or fresh cow’s milk cheese with raw honey and hop shoots.

WHERE TO STay + Provenance (see p 140; from $285 per night). stylish, comfortable and situated directly behind Michael’s restaurant in Beechworth. + The Stanley Pub (see p 142; from $145 per night). a country pub vibe with an urban sensibility from smart owner/operators. + Barnsley House (5 John st, Beechworth; barnsley house.com.au; from $155 per night). Boutique guest retreats for couples in the heart of Beechworth.+ Barwidgee Homestead Bed & Breakfast (1620 Myrtleford yackandandah rd, Mudgegonga; barwidgeehomestead.com.au; from $165 per night). Built in 1853, this historic, comfortable, B&B is conveniently close to Myrtleford and Beechworth.+ alpine Valley Cottages (2 alexandra Court, Bright; alpinevalley.com.au; from $220 per night). Cosy cottage accommodation by pretty Bright. + Villa Gusto (see p 144; from $285 per night). different colours theme each room, which overlook the beautifully tended gardens in the Buckland Valley.

1. & 2. Authentic Middle Eastern flavours at Cafe Fez, with matching homewares to buy at adjoining Red Ramia Trading Company. 3. Tani Eat & Drink’s hot-smoked salmon with buttermilk and dried orange.

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Ginger Baker (127 Great Alpine Rd) claims a charming location in Bright and the cool cafe makes the most of it with a courtyard overlooking the Ovens River. “It’s great food in a rustic setting with fantastic outdoor dining,” says Michael. Owner Tim Walton, who previously ran three Melbourne restaurants, apparently named the cafe after his neighbour’s cat. Stop by for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with simple share-plate dishes including roasted beetroot, goat’s cheese and candied walnut salad; crispy skin fish with capers and lemon butter; and calamari with chorizo.

A visit to Bright isn’t complete without popping in to Coral Lee (8 Barnard St). The cafe’s vintage wallpaper, old church pews, floral decor and record player are a trip back in time to the 1950s. “It’s a CWA book brought to life, with plenty of doilies and tea cups, and honest food,” says Michael. The menu is generous and earthy; try their signature pesto toast with poached eggs, beetroot and feta. There’s also a range of gorgeous teas from Bright Herbs and Organics

served in retro cups and pots. Our pick? Coral Lee Floral Blend, made from lavender, rose and lime blossom.

Just a few kilometres outside of Bright, in the Buckland Valley, is Villa Gusto (630 Buckland Valley Rd, villagusto.com.au), a beautiful expanse of well-manicured gardens and an award-winning vegetable patch, which provides much of the fresh produce for the restaurant. Chef Emma Handley’s menu is all Southern Italian, with Sicilian and Calabrian options and food designed to share, including crumbed eggplant cotoletta or handmade gnocchi with chilli ricotta

and spinach and basil from the garden. It’s a relaxed and peaceful environment – a piece of Italy in Northeast Victoria – with comfortable accommodation, too. d.

With thanks to Tourism North East and Tourism Victoria for their assistance with this story. For more information on the region’s food and wine festival, High Country Harvest (May 17–26), visit: highcountryharvest.com.au.

1. Bright’s cute, retro Coral Lee cafe. 2. & 3. Villa Gusto chef Emma Handley’s hands-on approach and the sprawling property’s manicured gardens. 4. Cakes and coffee for sale inside charming Ginger Baker cafe riverside in Bright.

“A visit to Bright isn’t complete without a visit to Coral Lee, with its vintage cafe feel.”

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