In the Hunter Valley for a wedding with a buddy, we drive into downtown Cessnock for a pub feed. Typical country town. All the women are pregnant. Even the kids look pregnant. There are four pubs. Peden's looks like the one where we'll lose the least teeth. I'm wearing a singlet. It doesn't help. They know we're city folk. I may as well be wearing a tux.
The bistro-style restaurant is an unexpected winner. My pork schnitty is rough-chopped with a home-made herb crumbing that blows my tiny city mind. It's served on a pizza tray with roast salted chat potatoes and a tidy little green salad with just the right amount of dressing. I'm a dressing Nazi -not too little, perish forbid too much -but they nailed it. They freaking nailed it man. My mate gets the lamb shanks on a bed of mash and red wine jus. Also a winner. Chimmichurri-style gremolata on top, decent lashings of. And the lamb is redonk. Tender. Falls off the bone like a nightie off a blonde. So much more than just a shitty schnitty and chips style joint, this food is really good, bordering on really, really good. We leave before being beaten up. It's the right call. read more