Bella Vedere
| Where | 874 Maroondah Highway, Coldstream, 3770—View map |
Contact | 03 5962 6161 |
Website | www.badgersbrook.com.au |
Open | Breakfast Wednesday to Sunday 8.30 am to 11.00 am. |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Diners, AMEX, Cash |
Diet | Vegan, Gluten free, Caters to special diets |
Seating | Inside |
Kids | Welcome |
Pets | Unwelcome |
Bella Vedere is why people move to the country
Francesca Fogarty and Ellie Parker 20 November 2008
Bella Vedere means beautiful view. True to its word, this Yarra Valley restaurant and bakehouse is surrounded by lush rolling green hills. Added to this is a vegetable garden teeming with fresh produce, guarded by a scarecrow, and rows of vines. To be honest, Bella's view is more than beautiful; it's inspiring. It makes you gasp excitedly.
Stepping through the heavy wooden doors, you realise you've arrived at a country gourmet haven. The dining room has the feel of a relaxed, yet stately country house. Heavy velvet curtains, stuffed game (Bruce the pheasant), and white tablecloths create stylish comfort. Adjacent to this room is a beautiful communal table complete with a giant vase of flowers and a view of both the vegetable garden and the kitchen.
Bella Vedere takes a very seasonal approach to food. They don't just say they do, they actually do. You won't find tomatoes on the menu until later in the summer, and when they are served they will be fresh, ripe and sweet. Surplus summer tomatoes are then preserved into sauce for use throughout the colder months. This, and other wonderful homemade preserves and treats from the garden, are sold to customers who want to take a little bit of country home. In case that wasn't enough, there are freshly made cakes, seductively resting on the kitchen bench top.
Grant McMaster bakes bread every night in the attached bakehouse. His wonderful loaves line the entrance, greeting guests with the aroma of freshly baked bread. The sourdough and olive are our favourites. These baskets of bread lead you to the communal table and a huge bowl of feather-covered eggs. The eggs, some of them Araucana blue, come from a farm in The Patch (Dandenongs), where the chickens are fed organically. Bella Vedere goes through 60 dozen a week.
Whilst the lunch and dinner menu changes daily, the breakfast menu changes with the seasons. The Winter menu features a roti egg roll - scrambled egg, coriander & spring onion wrapped in roti bread with chilli jam on the side. This dish is vying for Breakfast of the Year; the roti is delicate and crisp, with a light fluffy interior. It gently encloses the scrambled eggs, which are made with a touch of chili heat and a bite of spring onion.
The kippers on toast are salty and sharp. Served atop homemade bread that is buttered to the point of obscenity, they're seriously good. The side of lemon cuts through their salty, buttery fishiness to create harmony. If you're a big fan of the kipper, get in your car. They are a seasonal treat and can't be guaranteed to stay on the menu.
Then there is our old favourite, eggs Benedict, which arrived as two glorious mounds needing to be savoured immediately. A fresh, well-balanced hollandaise made for ample enjoyment and plate licking.
At the time of writing, the spring/summer menu is currently in place and features seasonal offerings such as Layers, honey and vanilla toasted granola with Meredith yoghurt, apple juice and vanilla pears. The farmhouse eggs baked in terracotta with tomato, spinach and cheese promise to be exquisite if chef Gary Cooper has anything to do with it.
Bella Vedere has a simple formula of honest,well made food. Most of the produce is sourced locally and since the menu is seasonal, it reflects your cravings. The food is well worth the drive and the view will make your day. Tim Sawyer's front-of-house magic will ensure that you feel at home and Cooper's food, combined with McMaster's bread, will seal the deal.