The weather is starting to get colder and Ballandean Tavern’s chef Grant Murphy’s thoughts are turning to hearty winter food.
Grant, who trained and worked down on the Gold Coast for eight years before returning home – first to farm and then being called back to cook, is a man who loves his job.
He’s also a man with an attention to detail which he believes sets the Tavern apart when you are looking for the perfect place to eat after a morning or afternoon touring around the region wine and enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
He makes all of his own sauces, from his homemade burger sauces through to his rich smoky Barbecue and everything in between. Grant even crumbs his own chicken snitzels, believing that the extra care and attention to detail shows in the food and sets them a little apart from your usual “pub grub”.
Spending time working on the “Australian meals” in a Thai Restaurant in his early days, observing what the Thai chef’s did means that when a curry appears on the specials board, as it does from time to time, it’s going to be worth ordering.
And knowing the cold weather brings hearty appetites, Grant has a winter menu that includes slow cooked meats teamed with chips and salad or the ubiquitous veg and mash as well as all the pub favourites.
“Of course, most people prefer the mash with the shanks,” he says conjuring up thoughts of slow cooked meats falling from the bone teamed with creamy mash – perfect after a day in the cold weather in the wine country. This is comfort food hearty, simple and tasty.
“We did a lot of seafood on the Gold Coast but it doesn’t really sell here, people want more hearty country-style meals,” he said. He has had two and a half years to fine tune his menu now – learn what sells, what people want.
And so, as well as the shanks you’ll also pork spare ribs and the slow roasted brisket – put in the Tavern’s new six-month-old ovens – on a very slow heat before he leaves at night and melt in the mouth by the time it hits the plate.
It’s been a tough time to be in the food business with Covid restrictions and for the Tavern – road works.
“We have had a more limited menu, we haven’t had pastas and salads on the menu,” he said.
But as the restrictions ease, the road works finish and the cold weather brings both tourists and locals back, expect the favourites to make their way back – some have already – as soon as the temperature dropped and Grant was quick to reinstate the ever-popular shanks.
Find the friendly Ballandean Tavern, 1 St Judes Lane on the corner of Eukey Rd in Ballandean phone (07) 4684 1044 for more information.
*This is an old article that we’ve digitised so our readers have access to our full catalogue.
