Winter-wearied and well overdue for a restaurant lunch, we recently escaped the city and made a beeline to Southern Highlands, specifically, the historic town of Berrima. Sundays without commitments are rare – swimming lessons, housework, husband’s work, roller derby training – the list goes on. So finding ourselves with an empty calendar was an opportunity too good to pass up.

We’d made an unsuccessful attempt to get a booking at Eschalot about five years ago. Being a bit time-poor (cue the sad trombone), I guess life got in the way and the ‘hatted’ restaurant fell off my radar for a while. It was worth the wait.

On entering through the back garden, we trudged past the veggie patch and herb garden, a clue to what awaited within the sandstone, homestead-style building. On spying the white damask tablecloths through the window, my eight-year-old daughter exclaimed ‘this looks luxurious’.

Our greeting was warm and sincere, a prelude to the service we could expect for the next few hours. Made up of a small number of separate dining rooms, Eschalot is all timber floors (gas) fireplaces and high ceilings. The walls are adorned with original artworks some of which appear to be for sale (the tell-tale red sticker gave it away). One tip: if you are planning a romantic dinner for two, request to be seated in a room with other such couples, rather than next to a group – the rooms are small and the noise does travel.

There is an offering of about six dishes for each course, with a notation that most can be adapted to cater for those following a gluten-free lifestyle. While the lines are blurred these days as to which cuisine is which, the flavours and techniques at Eschalot are primarily French.

There is no specific children’s menu, however, an offer was made to adapt almost anything on the menu if required. Luckily for us, Miss Eight is an adventurous eater, she proclaimed to want the duck prior to even knowing whether it was on the menu.

While winter is far from being my favourite season, I’m all for slow, comfort food, and I was delighted to see hearty meat dishes punctuated with heirloom vegetables and divine sauces. Seasonal produce is the flavour of the day.

Not wanting to over-indulge, we chose to share entrees. Being lovers of terrines, the smoked jamon terrine with beans and slow baked egg was an obvious choice. It arrived just as described, with a divine cheese filled brioche. For a lighter option, we selected the seasonal ‘salad’ in the form of a frittata topped with golden beetroot, baby turnips and smoked cherry tomato. The remainder of the house-made bread and fragrant olive oil from nearby Sutton Forest was perfect for soaking up any remnants.

For main course, we found the aforementioned duck on the last page of the menu, classified as an ‘Eschalot favourite’. Pan-fried magret alongside deck neck filled with pulled confit duck leg accompanied with carrot purée, fine slaw and fancy carrots…times two please!

I opted for the port braised lamb, with roast tomato, confit potato, broad beans and spinach nage. If there is something better in this world than slow-cooked, drunken meat that falls apart with one touch of your fork, I am yet to find it (OK, perhaps I’m exaggerating just it a little bit).

From an extensive wine list, selections by the glass are limited yet adequate. BYO is available from Wednesday to Friday. The glassware is delicate and our waiter was busied throughout the service with decanting aged reds – two signs that this establishment takes its wine seriously.

As is the norm in our household, I’m just as happy pilfering a spoonful of the others’ desserts than ordering my own. So when the sticky rice pudding with licorice ice cream (above) and the chocolate fondant (below) were ordered, I simply winked, requested an additional set of cutlery and ordered a long black! So…I might have taken more than my fair share, but both desserts were just so moreish.

As for the coffee, I’m all too often disappointed in the quality of coffee served in restaurants, so I was delighted to be presented with a rich crema-topped Vittoria coffee. The petit fours (below) were a delightful bonus!

Eschalot made a lasting impression on me and I plan to go back (I’ve already scoped out a few guest houses within stumbling distance). The beautiful combination of cosiness, Japanese plates, white linen and general ‘warmth’ will ensure this little regional gem stays on my ‘must get back to’ list.

The essentials

The Place: Eschalot Restaurant
Where: 24 Old Hume Highway, Berrima
When: Open for Lunch – Thursday to Sunday; and Dinner – Wednesday to Saturday
Contact: 02 4877 1977
Web: www.eschalot.com.au