Stockpot - Tawonga South

Atmosphere: **/5
Food: ***/5
Drinks: ***/5
Service: **/5

Mount Beauty, what an unexpected (however short) culinary tour!  Arriving in the area on a late Friday afternoon and news of a Music Festival in the area we rushed to find and book a restaurant and I am very glad we skipped the pub!

Not much to look at Stockpot is located next to a petrol station along the Kiewa Valley Highway as you enter into Mount Beauty from Bright.  The feeling of the peak winter season is all around you in this restaurant with the cosy interior suited to the cool nights of winter with an outdoor area facing onto the highway encouraging you to utilise the inside.

Being a (recent local) South Australian the first thing I recognised was the wine list.  Although many misses the Rockbare Shiraz for $35 impressed my fellow dinners and suited our diverse meal choices.  Although missing out on hearing about their heavy winter options of the gnocchi ragu with Guinness we decided to order tapas and pizza to share aiming to get the most out of our dining experience.

The spring rolls were a treat with duck providing an interesting twist on a seemingly straightforward entrée, although a little oily.  We also ordered dips with a wonderful pesto infused bread which was fresh and the dips tasted as through they were made on site.  I have had better patatas bravas, however it did not matter that much as the salt and pepper squid, spring rolls and dips were an interesting combination to put together. There is a lack of fluidity in the menu as there is no particular theme, this did not seem to be a problem until we got to our 'main' pizza, which was extremely oily.  Our next door neighbours in the cottage we were staying at who had ordered takeaway from the restaurant had also commented on the oiliness of the pizza.

The desserts here were wonderful! We were extremely disappointed that we missed out on the special sticky date pudding, however, being a country restaurant the waiters did not inform us that there were any specials but the relaxed country air had already washed over us by the time we had hit the restaurant and the waiters were so lovely and spent as much time as we needed with us.  The churros and chocolate pudding were so lovely and moist.  We also ordered a pear tart, however, I think with a majority of the table being females the chocolate dishes were always going to be the first to go and a favourite!
      

My friend and I were constantly reminded throughout this trip by the locals that Mt. Beauty and Bright are 'small towns' I don't quite know why the local store-holders were insistent that we remembered this but I think it serves a good place in this blog.  Stockpot was wonderful for a 'small town.'  This restaurant does not need to be compared within a big city context, and was wonderful for where it is and what it has to offer.