Review: The Long Paddock

The Long Paddock, 93-95 Main Street,  Lindenow, Victoria  3865.    Ph: 5157 1638

www.longpaddock.com.au        Email: eat@longpaddock.com.au         Instagram: @lindenowlongpaddock

Open Hours:   Monday:  7:30am - 3:30pm.   Tuesday: CLOSED.   Wednesday - Friday: 7:30am - 3:30pm.  Saturday - Sunday: 8:00am - 3:30pm.   Ring during holiday times as closed on some public holidays.

“Leisurely Lindenow lunches at The Long Paddock, it’s the pick of the crop.”

Location:              Lindenow, often referred to, and arguably worthy of the title, “market garden of Victoria", due the huge amounts of varied produce grown in the area, is just a short drive (under 15kms) from Bairnsdale.  The drive will provide some magnificent views over the Mitchell River valley and of the rows of produce at varying stages of growth. Entering Lindenow the main street with its wide nature strip and a quiet service road, I suspect made wide enough to turn bullock trains in years gone by. 

Set midway along the service road is The Long Paddock. There is an abundance of  parking in the treed service road and with a good sized pavement plenty of room for Al fresco dining, far enough from the main road not to be affected by noise or for that matter fumes of farm/commercial vehicles which ply the road. The building is quietly exhibiting the age of the area and although not enquiring of its origins, I would suspect an old bakery or similar. Simple entry through probably original double doors with a small step, leads you into the main service/work/display area. This combines the open plan kitchen on full view with some seating (tables for 2 or 4) around the windows and a functional service counter.

To be up front, I had heard good reports of this venue and on arrival I was a little concerned by the exterior, it was not what I was expecting, on the other hand, with plenty of cars parked outside and it seemed plenty of customers inside we were not deterred, in we went, what a pleasant surprise. The place has an immediate ambiance about it which gave me confidence in ordering.  Set off to the left is another room catering for small to medium groups plus some tables for 2 or 4. I estimate a total capacity of about 60. Seating is simple and comfortable, tables and settings similarly styled. Full table service and licenced. Wash room is tucked away to the rear with a separate anti-room. Décor is very simple, some art canvasses on the wall which are modern and seem a little out of place when you view the magnificent old wood fired oven set in the original brick wall at the end of the room. Now that gives the place so much character.

Menu:.                 There for lunch, the menu I would describe as semi-modern Australian.   Menus will and do change as does supply of local produce etc.. Some simple dishes aimed at the morning market such as thick cut raisin toast, butter & jam or maple toasted granola, yoghurt, poached fruit, milk or soy for those health addicts! Perhaps call in for coffee and enjoy warm scones, Mick’s jam & whipped cream, still hungry, let’s get into the real brekky stuff. Poached or fried eggs, bacon, home-made relish, toast (available until midday). 

If it is lunch you are after there is a range of options including, roast broccoli soup with buttered toast, or catering for vegetarian tastes, grain salad, roast cauliflower, nuts seeds herbs currants with Persian fetta. Pan fried gnocchi osso-bucco sauce with aged parmesan seemed popular around the room, and the confit duck leg with creamed parsnip roast brussel sprouts and poached quince looked delicious.  

A dessert menu included lemon tart and a cheese platter of “Shadows of Blue” with fig Eccles cake.      Dietary requirements and limitations are catered for, the menu then provides a wide range of dishes for those who enjoy something to tickle the tastebuds, something a little different, a little, dare I say, up market from the standard lunch.  

A good range of local wines are available some by the glass including Lightfoot & Sons,  Nicholson River, Tambo Winery, and Sarsfield Estate. Beers including some boutique style brews are also served to the table and include,  Bullant Brewery Summer Kolsch, Bullant Brewery Tambo River pilsner, Bullant Brewery Munich Dunkel,  then if you prefer, Sailors Grave Drowned Man IPA, Sailors Grave Southern Right Ale, Sailors Grave Down She Gose, Sailor’s Grave ‘whisky sour’ Berliner Weisse, and Sailors Grave Grapefruit & Marigold Saison.   A wide range of non-alcoholic beverages is also available.

  

Experience:       Our entry was greeted almost immediately by a smiling face (always a good start) who professionally asked our needs and showed us to our unreserved table. Drinks orders taken and menus all provided almost simultaneously. Plenty of time to digest (excusing the pun) the menu, I chose the corned beef pie with in-house relish and local leaves. The pie was a good size, baked with a top crust of golden brown. The pastry was thin, light and crispy but still able to hold its form, easy to cut even at the base, very enjoyable even on its own.  Cutting the pie open, it was full of succulent cubes of corned beef which were tender and tasty mixed with cubed potato and a little onion. The surrounding sauce really gave the taste buds a wake up, it had been well seasoned and with the occasion hit of mint and other herbs lifted the pie from “just” a pie, to a really enjoyable experience.  The accompanying relish and leaves added a fresh aspect to the dish. Recommend the relish, great combination, great taste.  

My wife ordered the roast beef and smoked mozzarella toasted sandwich with salad and pickles. The sandwich was well filled, the meat tender and the cheese adding to the flavour, it disappeared and I was only able to “divert” a small sample, tasted good to me. I will admit to also diverting the remaining relish, it was just too good to leave, I would eat a jar on its own.  

To finish we shared a lemon tart.  Now there are lemon tarts and lemon tarts, here you do get a lemon tart. A very generous serve, the pastry light and thin, the filling, well its lemon, its tart and it was awesome. For those who don’t enjoy that clean crisp tart taste, that I believe a lemon tart should have, mix it with the cream supplied to ease your taste buds. It was a great way to cleanse the palate after a quality meal at very good value. 

Our coffees which we had during the meal were well made, service was high quality, professional, friendly and with a well-timed and appropriate hint of humour by well -dressed staff, one of whom managed to read my mind when ordering!

Summary:           A pleasant surprise here, although the venue was busy (almost to capacity) service and quality was maintained.  Locals are lucky to have such a venue on their doorstep and it is well worth the drive out of Bairnsdale, indeed I would have no problem driving from Lakes Entrance to dine again in this country cafe serving quality food with good country service and very good value for your dollar. 

Make a booking then take a trip to Lindenow and savour the The Long Paddock, it’s the pick of the crop.