Review: Tregan Borg does The Farmer’s Place, Freshwater Creek
The Farmers Place
675 Anglesea Road, Freshwater Creek
http://www.thefarmersplace.com.au/
OPEN : Sun – Wed: 9am to 5pm; Thurs – Sat: 9am to 10pm
The word rustic is often overused however not in the case of The Farmers Place. Built in a restored barn using loved materials, The Farmers Place is a sustainable and working farm/caf? (serving brunch/lunch and dinners on weekends) and a farmgate market all year round.
Just off on Anglesea Rd in Freshwater Creek it will take you around 15 minutes to drive from Geelong.
Built in a restored barn using pre-loved materials from the old Dimmey’s in Richmond (floorboards) craypots from King Island (light fittings) and rope from the mussel farmers in Portarlington, it’s a place to celebrate everything that is local, sustainable, and of course delicious.
We went on a Saturday morning for brunch, and it was a welcome change to the hustle-bustle and ridiculous queues at all the Melbourne hot spots. The drive was easy, and off a dirt road you arrive at the front door. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful garden built from recycled timer and the resident pigs and chooks. It was just the right amount of atmosphere, a friendly local buzz.
A decision was made to grab a sweet and a savoury breakfast with something in-between. The savoury option asparagus and broad beans on toast with goats curd and horseradish ($18) was a really great springtime dish. The sweet option of French toast, baguette soaked in vanilla custard, caramelised in butter sugar, served with rhubarb Turkish delight and segmented oranges with cr?me fraiche ($18), seriously good and seriously sweet. Almost a little too sweet for me, but lucky I had the savoury wheel of wood fired camembert with garden leaves and homemade vinaigrette ($22) to offset all of the sugar. I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t love melted cheese, and as the camembert bakes in its thick rind the inside just melts and when you cut through it oozes out to absolute perfect. Served with a warmed crusty zealey bay baguette (great bread from the local region) it was probably to top dish for me.
Lots of normal breakfast options on offer, eggs on toast, pancakes and museli and a good range of salads with character, I was almost tempted by the duck salad with morsels of great ocean road duck, shitake and salad greens with a blue cheese and buttermilk dressing ($26) but that’s one for next time.
Tregan reviews The Farmer’s Place
Dinner is available on weekends where the menu is much the same with the addition of woodfired pizzas which all come in at $25 and some larger meat share plates, like slow roasted lamb for $28 pp.
Prices are mid-range, but affordable and the variety of food is great. Dinners are only on Friday and Saturday evening, where all the salads are still on offer with the addition of a few larger mains such as
Being a working farm there is lots to do while you wait for you food, you can have a pat with the pigs, discover all of the seasonal produce being, shop around for some local smallgoods or just wander the property and take in the fresh air.
My immediate feeling was very family friendly, and so interactive for kids, something for everyone, with great food and a sandpit everybody wins. The good news is it’s open extended hours all through the Christmas break, so it’s the perfect excuse to get jump in the car and take the family along for a foodie road trip.
Tregan reviews The Farmer’s Place