By Franz Scheurer
Deep under the Mildura Grand Hotel, in the cavernous cellar, is where Stefano de Pieri has set up his restaurant. Stefano became a household name with his series “A Gondola on the Murray” on the ABC and I often wondered whether he was just a terrific showman or for real.
After a weekend trip to the Mildura region I can tell you with some authority that he is for real. An uncomfortable student, card-carrying communist, political activist in his youth, maturing into an environmentalist and uncompromising perfectionist, Stefano now focuses his talents on his restaurant and local environment.
Mildura is a fertile oasis in the middle of saltbush country and offers an abundance of local, seasonable produce, some of which is of astounding quality. Stefano seems to know it all, know everyone, take up anyone’s worthwhile cause, and fight for it as if his life depended on it. Be it marketing the local wine or telling the world about the many varieties of distinctive and delicious table and cooking salts, he does so with passion and conviction. No wonder Slow Food wants him to be president of the newly formed Mildura Convivium.
Descending into the dungeons of the hotel, you are greeted by lots of candle-lit tables in a number of small rooms and corridors. Fabulous tableware and glassware sparkles in the subdued light and you can’t help yourself letting out a huge sigh of contentment as you sink into you chair awaiting the magic to come.
And magic it is! There is no menu, the chef rules supreme. Whatever is fresh on the day is cooked according to the chef’s whim and presented in an ever-changing form. Stefano’s food is deceptively simple. Clear focused flavours that speak for the ingredients and allure your senses. He does what he does extremely well, his food is both refined and rustic, and his presentation pleases and surprises.
Being in a large country town, literally hundreds of kilometres from anywhere (culinary speaking) I would have expected the service to be ‘rural’, but to my surprise, the staff would fit harmoniously into Sydney and Melbourne’s best restaurants. Excellent service, knowledgeable, friendly, attentive and armed with perfect timing.
The wine list is extensive, coherent, and very appropriate to the fare. Mark my words: Stefano is a force to be reckoned with, Australia-wide, and he will contribute even more to the food scene in the future.
Score: 8/10
For more information or bookings:
Stefano’s Restaurant
Mildura Grand Hotel
Tel.: 03 5023 0511