With the cold well and truly settled in for the next several months, it’s easy to fall into hibernation and be so dismayed by the cold that a weekend adventure is out of the question, let alone leaving the house at all.

Though summer adventures of the past are all but a distant memory- no more salty air, crashing waves, cold beer and laughter- our cool climate brings the opportunity to indulge in gloriously hearty and rich winter fare accompanied by the nature’s drink for cool weather – red wine.

It is in this spirit that I recently ventured to Gundaroo for the first time in a quest for an autumnal adventure. It was cold, windy and raining. But the charm of the quaint old town somehow helped to lift the fog setting in.

A short 30 minute drive away, it’s hardly an effort to head out there yet it feels a world away. As you drive into the main street, all of the main attractions are laid bare. The Gundaroo pub, proudly serving the local cider Jolly Miller, the Cork Street Cafe, a few antique type stores and most importantly the royal hotel – home to Grazing, our destination for lunch.

It was with high expectations that we ventured to Grazing, with many foodie friends acclaiming it as the best food in the region. The quaint and charm of the Royal Hotel makes for a warm and intimate venue. Polished floorboards, high ceilings, large wooden tables, fire places and rugs make for a fabulously rustic and simple interior.

We’re seated and some bread comes straight from the oven for us with some extra virgin olive oil. It’s super cosy inside, outside of the cold, and the staff are friendly and prompt, perhaps even a little too keen (we had multiple staff check on us at different times).

Gazing at the menu, I’m impressed with the focus on local ingredients and wines. I also find myself slightly jealous of the kids’ menu, with such simple and pleasing delights as spag bol with parmesan crumbs and chicken pie at the neat price of $15.

After careful consideration we order the assiette of heirloom tomatoes and the charcuterie of local cold cuts to share. I had high expectations of the tomatoes as I once had tomatoes sourced from Gundaroo in a lunch salad at Silo and they were divine.

Unfortunately, though the fried green tomatoes and olive tapenade were delicious, the ripe tomato salad with basil and local feta spoiled the mood as it was stone cold and seemingly straight out of the fridge, and devoid of the rich flavour tomatoes hold when they are stored and served at room temperature. The clear tomato and chilli sorbet was an interesting touch, but was a bit too icy for my liking and I wasn’t convinced tomato was the right fruit for a sorbet.

The charcuterie was good fun, with local goodies such as chorizo, pressed tongue, lamb prosciutto, duck liver parfait and crispy pigs ears making for an impressive selection, neatly served on a wooden board.

It would have been nice for a softer cheese such as some bufala mozzarella or lebanese labne as an accompaniment, and perhaps some crusty sourdough too. It’s a reminder of Grazing’s locally sourced philosophy for all produce they serve – if they can’t get it they won’t serve it, and this context is important when judging the dishes.

Choosing a main was particularly hard, there are so many on the list I would like to go back for, particularly the kangaroo dish. We ended up deciding on the duck and the beef, both which did not disappoint and led me to understand the charm of Grazing and the food they serve. The mains seem to be formulated to satisfy in a most gluttonous and carnivorous way, with enough technique to make them good enough for any higher end eatery.

The meat here isn’t hidden behind a sickly sweet or fruity marinade, it isn’t dressed up to pretend to be something it isn’t. The crisp confit of duck leg was rich and tender as it should be, and was served alongside a sausage of duck, orange and boudin noir, garden parsley mash and a spiced eggplant and black mustard seed jus.

These flavours were the perfect accompaniment, they did not overshadow but rather complement the strong flavour of the duck. Because I can never get enough duck, the sausage of duck as an accompaniment takes it from merely a duck dish to a celebration of duck and the sausage did not disappoint.

The grain fed strip loin of beef, char grilled and served with cafe de Paris butter, garden rocket salad and petit shoestring fries is really what every beef dish should aim for. It is cooked to such perfection that the chef wasn’t happy with the first one he tried so he kept us waiting a bit longer for our mains. You don’t mind waiting for food this good though, and I liked the way the wait staff communicated this to us so we knew what was happening instead of just assuming the worst -disorganisation and incompetence.

When it did arrive, it was everything I could have wanted and I have been dreaming about it since – juicy, tender meat of exceptional quality smothered with cafe de Paris butter, with the thyme flavour coming through and where the butter dominated the cream so it wasn’t too heavy on the stomach.

The accompanying salad was fresh and the shoestring fries crispy. Though fries can always be fun, it really makes a different to enjoy them with a perfect steak, though I think a handful of local and roasted veggies could go well with this dish too.

We were too full for dessert; the mains had more than satisfied our appetite and I certainly didn’t want to risk spoling the divine aftertaste of that steak.

I would definitely suggest Grazing, whether it be for a group lunch or dinner or an intimate table for two, but I’d stick to the mains and perhaps indulge in the cheese plate or raspberry and rhubarb dessert afterwards instead of the entrees. I wish they had a shuttle between Gundaroo and the city, so one could take advantage of the superb wine list and how well it matches the local food.

The rustic, hearty and local nature of Grazing leaves you cured of the winter blues, and almost makes you wish that it was cold all the time, if only to enjoy this fare. At roughly $60 a head, for entrees, mains and a glass or two of wine, it’s a reasonable price tag too – almost identical to what you’d be paying in the city with a place devoid of the character and integrity of Grazing.

If only I had known about Dick Smith’s steam train, which is on his property close to Gundaroo township and is open periodically to the public, including on the weekend when we went.

What: Grazing Restaurant The Royal Hotel Where: Corner of Harp and Cork Streets Gundaroo When: Lunch – Friday to Sunday and most public holidays; Dinner – Thursday to Sunday Contact: (02) 6236 8777.