Our good friends Jan and David invited us out to lunch. They suggested Wild Rocket @ Misty’s because they’d visited for Christmas dinner and thought it was wonderful. You’ve heard Wild Rocket @ Misty’s mentioned on the blog before because the owner/chef, Peter Brettell did the Chef, the Blogger and the Photographer workshop with me last year.
I love that Pete makes everything in house – all the breads, chutneys and sauces, plus he butchers and ages all the local beef he uses. He’s a nose-to-tail chef who wastes nothing.
I also visited there with Lorraine Elliott from Not Quite Nigella and I was eager for a repeat performance. We went in two cars because we needed to get back to work after lunch and we followed David who followed his GPS and we went up the mountain the back way. It was one of those trips where the car twists so much around the curves that you’re sure your bottom will get there before your head arrives.
We were right on time and while we were waiting for our drinks I took some photos of the outdoor seating area and the garden. Since I was there last, Pete and his wife Belinda have put edible plants everywhere. From chillis to broad beans to sweet corn and every herb imaginable, there’s a little spot somewhere for each one.
Each garden bed was perfectly cared for with no weeds and no plant looking a little thirsty. That’s no easy trick when you have a busy restaurant to run as well as small children to raise.
We ordered a lot of food and I apologize for all the photos but honestly, you wanted to see how cool it was, am I right?
Starters were avocado and scallops which both John and his dad ordered and within a very few minutes both their plates were clean.
Jan and David ordered the salmon and prawn roulade which was a tasty square of salmon with a prawn tightly wrapped around it and holding it all together were a ribbon of carrot and a piece of nori. It was really pretty to look at and they enjoyed the combination of flavours.
When I heard the soup special of the day I was intrigued and just had to try it. It was potato and beetroot and it was a lovely color. The soup had a bit of heat but not as much flavor as I had hoped for. I wanted to taste more beetroot.
Jan ordered soft shelled crabs but first asked our server if the shells were crunchy. They were deep fried and beautiful.
David chose the cuttlefish and it was well cooked and seasoned. It was very much like calamari, David said. I don’t think I’d ever had cuttlefish before and the presentation in the cone was cute.
John and Rob again ordered the same thing – the ploughman’s lunch which has a bit of everything. John ate every bite but Rob struggled with the amount of food on his plate.
The beef and pork meatballs in a fresh tomato sauce came to me along with roasted potatoes. The potatoes were a bit different in a meatball dish but it all worked together quite well.
Now you’d think that after all that food AND wine that we wouldn’t have room for dessert but you’d be wrong. There were two espresso panna cotta desserts,
one creme brulee for John – who we all know doesn’t eat sweets but he ate the whole thing AND the cookie too,
and one warm double chocolate brownie with homemade vanilla bean ice cream for me. When I moved the plate for the photo, the ice cream fell off its perch. I wasn’t about to try to put it back.
Yes, we waddled out of there full and happy and trying to decide where we’d dine next. If you’re visiting the Sunshine Coast of Australia and you’re looking for a top spot for lunch or dinner —
Wild Rocket @ Misty’s
142 Main Street
Montville, QLD 4560
(07) 5478 5560