At Tallwood Eatery, chef/co-owner Matt Upson has created a space that is reflective of the Mollymook community. The walls host a rotating art gallery, and the restaurant supports local growers, harvests energy from solar panels, and collects compost and coffee grounds to give to local gardens.

Staff are friendly and attentive with a good understanding of the food. A great cocktail list boasts all the classics, and the wine list is generous, with local and international offerings.

A special of tuna tataki with Asian salad, grapefruit and coconut is a standout, the incredibly fresh fish with perfectly balanced Asian flavours, the sour and sweet just right. Jackfruit buns with eggplant pickle are the only low point of the meal: the buns seemed to have been steamed and then oven-roasted, and lack finesse.

Beautifully moist lamb kofta with crisp and pillowy flatbread comes with labne and red pepper sauce, plus house-made hot sauce. Skirt steak with black garlic, leek and puffed grains is a lovely larger share plate, the steak perfectly cooked and paired with a well-balanced sweet black garlic emulsion and rounds of leek. The caramel miso semifreddo with black sesame biscuit and nashi pear is worth travelling for, the light and not-too-sweet semifreddo sandwiched between wafer-thin black- and white-sesame biscuits, with a nashi pear gel and chopped fresh nashi pear. It’s expertly executed and a dream to eat.

Tallwood Eatery is spinning out surprising dishes in an unassuming location in downtown Mollymook – it’s certainly worth a visit.

Must eat dish: Caramel miso semifreddo with black sesame biscuit and nashi pear