Located a stone’s throw from Bairnsdale is the incredibly quaint and adorable The Long Paddock cafe, with a honest and rustic homey feed (or rather country spread) to match. The dishes are simple with no bells and whistles, and our picks were absolutely flawless, absolutely memorable and absolutely gobsmackingly delicious.

Rolled only a mere hour before our arrival, the pan fried gnocchi were pillowy soft potato clouds that sent our taste buds straight to the heights of heaven, especially when teamed with a creamy, earthy and umami porcini sauce, fresh basil, herbed crumb and punchy profile from Gippsland’s Jensen’s Red washed rind cheese. This was without a doubt one of the best gnocchi dishes I’ve tried to date. The grain salad again exemplified simple executed to perfection. It was immensely fresh and flavoursome; the florets of tender roasted cauliflower and bursts of sweetness from the currants shining amongst a backdrop of nuts, grains and quinoa. Super moreish and a salad you could totally be friends with.

With a mouthwatering display a fresh baked treats on display at the counter, one simply cannot visit The Long Paddock without ordering dessert. Frangipane tarts are among my all time favourite desserts, especially when they come with a short and buttery pastry base, and TLP’s was no exception. The apple and almond tart was the perfect blend of sweetness (not overly) and covered in a generous amount of almonds. We also ordered a serving of scones (comprising THREE SCONES - SUPER generous might I add). Theirs were fluffy and had quite a bit more crunch that pushed the scone into American biscuit territory. Not surprising given the textural profile, the scones had a buttery composition that yielded delicious melt in the mouth sensations.

The chatter between my friend and I seemed to cease entirely when there was food in front of us - we instead spent much of this time nodding at each other in utter contentment after most, if not every, bite! Literally. The very definition of one excellent meal.

Pan fried gnocchi - with porcini cream, mushrooms, peas and Jensen’s Red.

Grain salad with roast cauliflower, currants, seeds, nuts, herbs and feta.

Apple and almond tart.

Warm scones with Mick’s jam and whipped cream.

The Long Paddock

95 Main Rd,

Lindenow, Victoria, 3865.

+61 3 5157 1638

https://www.longpaddock.com.au/

Disclosure: I dined as a guest of East Gippsland Marketing Inc. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.