Short note: wine bars, wineries and restaurants I have known...

Over the years I have posted many short reviews to Google Maps, to the point where now I have had over 30,000 views of my reviews and over 460,000 views of the accompanying photos – and they keep on growing. I realised that many of these have never been posted to this blog, which is my main outlet for news about food, drink, produce and places to visit.

Short note: Wine Room Braddon Sep 2023
I discovered the little bar and restaurant, the Wine Room, almost by accident, well by word of mouth, which is the best accident of all. Someone told me about it and I've already told other people about it and so on it goes. Tucked away in a lane you could easily miss, behind coffee shop Gather – which has a good reputation of its own, though I've not tried it yet - this is a serious addition to the Braddon vibe. I've eaten there – and been very impressed. I've drunk wine there – most recently half an hour before I wrote these words – and enjoyed it immensely. 

They have a good focus on local winemakers but also a taste for the unusual and the interesting beyond this region. I had a rosé which was very different to any rosé I have had before and my companion had a sauvignon blanc which stood out from the usual generica that passes as sauvignon blanc. Whether you make a night of it or, as we just did, have a quick drink on the way through, this is a place with a beautifully designed fitout that's worth spending time and dollars in. The world needs more places like this.

View across the vines from Margan Winery, Hunter Valley.

Short note: Birch Sep 2022
We went here for a quiet birthday dinner and were extremely impressed. Moss Vale really has become the place over the years. Sometimes you feel that the food in restaurants like this can be merging into similar territory but I didn’t find that at all.