The Age Saturday 27th November 2010

SUNDAY LUNCH. The Pickled Sisters Cafe was featured in The Age travel section as an ideal spot for Sunday Lunch.

A vineyard platter full of local treats seems a perfect choice as we dine on the large deck under an umbrella at the Pickled Sisters Cafe at Wahgunyah, in the heart of the Rutherglen wine region.
Our platter features homemade chicken terrine and chutney; Rutherglen Muscat and chicken liver pate, which has a velvety texture; Butt’s smoked trout; spiced eggplant; Gooramadda olives; and Milawa cheese ($23.50) which is a tasty introduction to the fresh produce of the area and goes so well with red bubbles from the Cofield winery where the cafe is located.
We have already been given the thumbs up by a local who insists the twice Baked Milawa Goat’s Cheese Souffle on tomato sugo with dressed rocket ($19.50) is a stand out, so we put it to the test and agree.
Stewart Gilchrist and Marion Hansford took over the cafe in 2004. Good food was in their blood, Marion worked at Stephanie Alexander's acclaimed Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder for many years and Stewart from Scotland had clocked up more than 30 years working at different restaurants.
They met on the Isle of Arran where Hansford would often pick wild herbs on the roadside and collect seafood fresh from the trawlers. Their love of fresh local produce is reflected in the menu.
We selected Brimin Lodge Murray Cod Cappelletti with a cucumber and ginger veloute ($22.50) and a glass of 2010 Cofield sauvignon blanc ($7)  and ras el hanout crusted rump of Riverina Lamb with onion puree, dahl lentil cakes and  minted yoghurt dressing ($30) with a glass of  2005 Cofield cabernet sauvignon ($8).
Gilchrist is renowned for his scrumptious desserts. His passionfruit cream cannelloni with yoghurt ice cream and berry compote  and miille feuille of poached pear with pastry cream and chocolate sauce ($11.50 each) are a perfect finale to a memorable lunch.

Reviewed by Sue Wallace, who was hosted by North East Victoria Tourism.