When the rain falls over the Adelaide Hills some of that water trickles into a creek that runs past the historic Bridgewater Mill.
That running water turns what was once a powerful mill wheel for the production of flour, but is now a magnificent water feature for diners, thanks to winemaker Brian Croser’s restoration of the property in the ‘90s and its subsequent use as the Petaluma Wines restaurant and cellar door.
Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily
And some of that rain falls on The Bridgewater Mills’ productive kitchen gardens where long-time chef Zac Ronayne and new owner Nicolla Randall find inspiration in the produce they grow there to create a truly seasonal menu for both the a la carte menu and the recently introduced platter menu.
New ownership meant that the area that was once used as a winery cellar door became available and the Randalls have filled it with a long table and clusters of lounges. This creates a more casual space both as a complement and an alternative to the Mill’s 20-year tradition of fine dining in the restaurant at the rear of the building and out on that iconic deck by the giant mill wheel.
The Bridgewater Mill head chef Zac Ronayne. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily
A new menu was designed to suit the new Wine Bar & Long Table, offering dishes for sharing between two or more people. For some of us the word “platter” on a menu is an unfortunate reminder of 1950s ballads, chewy sun-dried tomatoes and soggy over-spiced olives from the supermarket. If you’re one of those people, please keep reading and you’ll discover quite a bit of thought and effort has gone into the creation of The Bridgewater Mill “Platters” menu.
Served from 11am every day, the Platters menu offers five different seasonal plates from a variation on a ploughman’s lunch called the “Millers Lunch” that includes cultured butter and caper berries (the miller is obviously a bit further up the food chain than the ploughman), to a vegetarian offering that is certain to also please meat eaters, and a generous selection of cheeses and sweets.
The Veggie Patch. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily
The platters are a bit more expensive than what you might pay at a pub, but the handmade sourdough, terrines, pickles and desserts are interesting, artistic and created in-house by Ronayne and his team, using the produce from the kitchen garden. The servings are large enough to share and the presentation is excellent.
Favourite dish: The Veggie Patch – miso mushrooms, beetroot, green pea felafel, pickles, spiced olives, veggie chips and sourdough ($30).
The Carnivores Paddock. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily
Other dishes: The Millers Lunch – leg ham, aged gouda, mustard, green olives, caper berries, potato sourdough, cultured butter and a sweet treat ($35 or $55); the Carnivores Paddock – Wagyu bresola, chorizo, jamon, pork hock terrine, mustard fruits, pickles and sourdough ($40); the Cheese Producer – Woodside Swag, Tasmanian Pyengana, and French Brebirousse d’Argental and Fourme d’Ambert served with accompaniments and crisp bread ($40).
Something sweet/to drink: Sweet Spot – citrus tart, milk, berries and cookies, mango parfait with caramel and chocolate and hazelnut ($30).
The wine list is mostly Australian, and with another winemaker (Warren Randall) at the helm there’s some interest for wine buffs. Also being the owners of Seppeltsfield, the Randalls have put together a fortifieds trolley with a number of prized vintages. And they haven’t forgotten the Mill’s history either – there are many Petaluma wines on the list too.
Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily
With the development of the Wine Bar & Long Table, The Bridgewater Mill is now more accessible to more people on a more regular basis. It’s no longer about special occasions and fine dining; it’s the kind of place you can drop in for a coffee, a casual lunch, or a glass of wine, or plan to meet friends for Friday night drinks that might turn into dinner. And if you decide the Platter menu isn’t enough, you can also order from the a la carte menu and enjoy it in the informal surrounds of the Wine Bar & Long Table space. It’s pretty relaxed.
Look out for InDaily restaurant reviewer Nigel Hopkins’s coverage of The Bridgewater Mill’s a la carte menu soon.
Bridgewater Mill Wine Bar & Long Table
Mount Barker Road, Bridgewater, 8339 9200
Lunch from 12pm daily (closed Tuesdays). Dinner from 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
