winter has come to brae! two foodie friends waxing lyrical about dan da man! i wanted to believe but it's 8hrs by flight for me and another 2hrs from melbourne airport? hmmmm trepidation..... but like what michelle obama just said hope is contagious, hope is making a comeback! and so a birthday treat perhaps? took the plunge and here i am lounging at their humble abbot for the night, after an early memorably delightful degustation. it's the total package akin to total football. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, here in brae. arriving before check in time of 3pm, met by alex and was given a quick intro to what they try to achieve here. encouraged to take a casual, self guided tour of their property and engage their staff as we go. a slight drizzle ensued and lo & behold out came alex with brollies in hand. check in was a breeze, personal yet informative. thereafter just kicked back and soaked. a rainbow welcome as you peeked out. a comfy, home away from home. retro vinyl & record player, chill indeed. refreshed and recharged, only awaiting refilling. 5pm early bird, attention showered as you stepped in to their dining room. a celebratory blanc de blanc, what's not to like? a melbourne sake? let's do adventurous, no regrets! a warming broth of chicken and thyme simple, simply heartwarming. potato gem and black truffle truffle, enough said, nothing pompous, just pimped pommes de terre! baked custard of rainbow trout and saffron glazed with beetroot the beetroot was the clever gelling touch! sea urchin and serrano honey, romanesco and chickpea crisp umami sans ammonia and textures contrasted. fennel and swede marinated with cultured citrus and biodynamic cream definitely highlighting the produce with a nice nordic touch. cauliflower, lemon and sea plants on fried sourdough so effortlessly moreish! murray cod and crustacean butter, finger lime and rapini probably the healthier protein, the crisp skin, the perfect prawn partnership. brae farm vegetable garden mom will be proud you polished this clean! pork jowl barbecued with smoked eel a stalwart and highlight, leaving you wondering how they rendered it so. aged pekin duck roasted on the bone, pickled radicchio, sweet and sour plums unfortunately, not my favourite protein and least impressive of the gamut. duck liver cream, cocoa and pistachio this lifted the duck dish and would stand tall alone! half-time (choc) orange amazingly they coupled white chocolate with varied textures of orange! caramelised red kuri pumpkin and cultured cocoa nib praline shockingly not bacon, an accomplished pumpkin rendition! parsnip and apple fan of parsnips rejoice! how desserts like these satiate! the finale a trip to the kitchen for a chat and photo op. winter warmth in brae, do seize the day! ;) read more

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Bad food, worse service Not only was the food quality at Brae extremely poor, and the menu--which highlighted greasy fried potato, skewers of pure pork fat, a disgusting savory oyster ice cream, and rubbery fried chicken--completely out of sync with the price tag ($290 pp for lunch), but this was easily the worst service experience I have ever encountered. Just over 24hrs before our meal at Brae, I was contacted by my family to tell me that my grandfather was in the ICU and if his condition worsened, we should be ready to get back to the US. My fiancé immediately emailed the restaurant to notify them of our situation and to ask if we could cancel the reservation--hopeful that they would make an exception to their extreme 7-day cancellation policy given the severity of our circumstance. Their host, Seb, responded with an extremely obnoxious email about how it was within the cancellation period and that we would be charged 100% of the meal price if we cancelled. They then immediately submitted the full meal cost to our credit card without a response. We emailed back asking for them to help us find a replacement and to notify us if they could not. They did not do this; we had to call the next day to confirm. The next day, my family had not contacted us to get on a flight, so we went to the reservation because I couldn't get my mind around wasting $580. Upon our arrival, the person greeting us at the door jokingly asked how if we had had "no tragedies" that day. We were the last table seated for lunch, so there was no ambiguity about who we were. It was very clear there had been no communication about our situation. Even if we wrote the greeter off as ignorant, the man responding to our previous day's emails, Seb, served us during lunch and not once inquired about how we were doing. When these experiences come up in life, there is a certain level of kindness and respect that most people display that was entirely absent here. Given the food and service, I am not at all surprised that Brae was taken off the World's 50 Best list. This is not a world-class restaurant, and I strongly recommend that you spend your time and money elsewhere. read more

Brae is one of Australia's best restaurants and also places in worldwide top 100 lists. So obviously we were hoping it was good! We stayed nearby at Birregurra 1865 which I think pairs perfectly with the restaurant (and with the added bonus that the B&B owners will drive you & collect you from the restaurant again). Brae is a beautiful, small restaurant on a 30 acre property in the middle of nowhere (it's about an hour & half drive from Melbourne CBD). We were warmly welcomed and shown to our table. Australians do fine dining service right - casual, relaxed, cheeky and knowledgeable without being wanky/pretentious which can be annoying when dining in other countries. Every staff member we encountered was so lovely and friendly, it really made the night even more special. If you have dietary requirements you can let them know in advance, and if there's something on the set menu which doesn't take your fancy you can ask for something else. We were happy with the 14 dishes so stuck with that ($180pp, about £90) as well as the matching wine package ($120pp/£60). When you convert the prices to pounds it really is incredible value. The first 6 dishes on the menu are served as snacks - sometimes two to a plate. I loved each of these dishes - from the simplicity of the asparagus (served as two stalks on a plate, very minimal but just delicious), the incredibly refreshing pea tart and the impressive way of presenting a prawn two ways - the head, to suck out the juices with the body of the prawn wrapped in a leaf. I also really enjoyed the oyster even though I normally avoid them - I loved that it was served iced so it was almost like eating oyster ice cream. Weird but it worked perfectly. Onto the mains and I'll admit, there was a couple of dishes that didn't really work for me. The calamari dish had a too-powerful fishy taste for me - and I love fish. The broth was just a little overbearing for me. I am also not a fan of lamb and I was sorry to say the following dish didn't change my opinion - being washed in mussel juice didn't help. The broad bean broth though was one of the stand-out dishes and I can still vividly remember it now. There was a lot of strong flavours but they were really well balanced and the lovely creaminess of the yoghurt whey gave it a lovely finish. And the duck was the other highlight for me - I've never had such perfect duck in my life. I only wish there was a little more of the skin as it was just so lovely. I'm not really a dessert person but I couldn't fault any of these - the parsnip was an unusual thing to see on a dessert menu but the lovely crispness of it really worked. I enjoyed the matching drinks package - to call it wines is a little deceptive as there's a beer and sake in there too, but I was really pleased to see that for something a little different. The sommelier gave lovely descriptions of the wines which was really interesting and there wasn't one of them I didn't enjoy. The only negative thing I really have to say about Brae is about their water - they serve filtered rainwater and I just couldn't stand the smell of it. It didn't bother Graeme though so perhaps my sense of smell is just too strong, I ended up opting to have some of their lemonade instead to go with my wines. As others have said, this is a truly Australian restaurant and it was so lovely to relax in the countryside, enjoy the sunset and have a lovely evening of delicious food. - Reservations are essential and you'll probably want to book accommodation nearby as driving back to Melbourne after that meal would really be a struggle. - Brae are building their own accommodation onsite but it's very high end and around $500 per night, Birregurra 1865 is around $200. - Australian dining dress codes are pretty casual so don't feel the need to dress up too much read more

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To say that this meal was the most memorable that I had out down under would be an understatement. The overall experience was wonderful and wholly Australian; The two hour plus ride out from Melbourne into the countryside (dotted with kangaroo xing signs!) and onto a picturesque working farm. Once there, you enter a magnificently renovated farmhouse that houses the sleek dining room with windows looking out onto the farmyard with all the sheep grazing, as well as some looking into the partially open kitchen, where you see the kitchen staff deep in concentration on the serious work at hand. While we were the first to arrive to lunch that afternoon we were soon joined by some heavy hitters, power lunching businessmen who arrived by helicopter on the patch of just outside the dining room! This is perhaps a ostentatious representation if the serious wealth acquired down under over the past decade, and apparently one that happens up to a few times a week according to our server. Once inside we were treated to an extensive and eclectic (and correspondingly quite expensive)tasting menu carefully focused on Australian varitials of flora, fauna and every member of the animal family. The acclaimed chef, whose previous venture in another even more remote spot in the bush was featured on Anthony Bourdain, trained at a praised alter of molecular gastronomy in Spain, and it shows in dishes like a reformulated chilled oyster served in a creamy consistency. His focus and use of ingredients like raw wallaby, wattle (shrubs) and a fruit called quangdong make it impossible to forget what continent we were dining on, a fact only further enhanced by the surroundings. While the experience was a unique and wholly enjoyable one I will not forget, as well as one I would whole heartedly recommend to anyone visiting the area, it was not a perfect one. While some of those cerebral and completely unique selections we were presented with, like that shape shifting iced oyster mousse, the wonderfully gamey and rustic wallaby, and a the perfectly prepared duck with local flavors, were correspondingly delicious, others were merely complex and challenging. Also, the NYC snob in me couldn't help but notice that the staff is at least a few degrees less professional than one that would be holding down the front of house at this pricy an establishment (180 Au dollars pp w/o drinks). This could be due in large part to the generally more relaxed work ethic I at least perceived to be found throughout this great nation. Indeed the most common refrain, and one I think you are very unlikely to hear very often back in my city is simply "no worries", to the point that I began to think this might be somewhat of a problem (IE hearing it when I was told my flight had been delayed many hours and I was on the verge of missing my connection which was the only one for 10 hours time). Regardless of these issues the place is a singularly wonderful Aussie establishment and a great high point of my trip. read more

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Blown away by the quality of the food. Chef delivered a 10 plate degustation menu that explored smoke, bitter and mint elements in a well paced and well balanced evening. We ordered the half-pour matched wine as the full match is more fit for people not driving. There was a strong contingent of local wines mixed in with a few internationals. Did not enjoy the matched sweet sake but a minor complaint. Decor was minimal and focused. The dining area was as sparse as top sushi restaurants in Japan, with a equally goods view to the kitchen as to the newly manicured garden surrounds. Staff were well presenting and down to earth, did well to engage with customers to make a great evening. read more

Brae - Sea Urchin - Australian Near Me - Birregurra, VIC

Brae opened in 2013 by Dan Hunter is a modern Australian restaurant. Brae means a hillside or a gentle slope. Dan Hunter, the owner and Head Chef have previously travel around the globe and worked at various world's famous restaurants. The food was top of the range and the service was amazing read more

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Stunning sustainable food treated with respect and restraint by chef Dan. A very special & memorable food experience. read more

Brae - Ice oyster with powdered seaweed & beef tendon. - Australian Near Me - Birregurra, VIC

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Very underwhelming given all the hype about this place. We did a degustation and found there was nothing adventurous or exciting about the food served. The staff are polite but do not really engage much. It all felt a bit 'tight' too...compared to degustation anywhere else where they throw a few extra things in, you get exactly what's on the menu. The tide was out on our drinks most of the night and they definitely did not throw any extra wines/tastes our way. Given the bill for our 7 person table was over $2,200 we were all left feeling like it was a bit of a let down. There's very little sense of occasion and the staff do not help in this regard. It's good to tick the box, but I wouldn't go back. The whole experience was left wanting for more. Also, the wine list is over the top in its pricing which is pretty typical of the experience you get. read more

The degustation meal was uninspiring to say the least. The staff were worse. A simple request of the waiter to move to a vacant table was deferred to the verbose arrogant maître d' who stated in a condescending tirade that table locations were allocated in order of booking. A simple statement to the effect that it was reserved would have sufficed. I do not need to be lectured. Staff have been trained to be intrusive and interrupting by enthusing and self promoting over the course being served even the bread and butter! Worse still was an interruption of my wife's conversation to lecture on how crumbs had to brushed off the tablecloth. Surely this should be done with the minus of fuss or intrusion. Moreover this staff member interrupted yet another conversation to demand payment of the bill with yet another staff member suggesting the a tip would be appropriate. How rude and presumptuous! The lack of manners was appalling and will not easily be forgotten by us or others who attended. Interestingly, prior to booking the evening, I had invited another couple who declined the offer as they had been twice before and considered the staff ageist. A musical conductor is responsible for an orchestra's performance of which cohesiveness is an integral part. As Dan Hunter is that person at Brae, he needs to review and address his teams woeful performance as it was an affront to us. An old saying says states "A fish smells from the head". Rather, if you want a great meal with professional service set sail to Vue de Monde in Melbourne, the Lakehouse in Daylesford or Provenance in Beechworth. However, should you wish for an astounding dining experience try Biota in Bowral with their new Argentinian Chef preparing wonderful out of this world food in a visible, well oiled and happy kitchen with modest attentive and knowledgeable staff. The renovation of the old motel and its relationship to the exterior garden and courtyard is inspiring and adds to the ambiance. read more

I had a standout dining experience at Brae recently. Rated no. 87 on the world's best restaurant list and voted Australia's restaurant of the year 2014. Those are pretty big achievements. We hadn't realised it was so far out of Melbourne and had to resort to hiring a car and a driver, talk about royalty! But what a night it was, set in the middle of nowhere. One of the keys to their success is that the ingredients are either grown onsite or sourced from the surrounding area. We worked our way through a 10-plate degustation menu showcasing Australian produce. At times the ingredients had undergone many different technical processes from kitchen to plate in order to challenge our tastebuds. Some of the courses were able to be replaced for those that had allergies or were not feeling adventurous enough... Yes, I had to pass on the course containing blood. In my defense, I had eaten it the night before at another dinner. I enjoyed watching the chefs at work, everything happened quietly and effortlessly. At the end of dinner, you are given a copy of the menu to take home. One of my most memorable meals and a true fine dining experience. read more

Brae - One of these macarons is not like the others! - Australian Near Me - Birregurra, VIC