Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl – but unlike Barry Manilow’s dancer at the Copacabana, Lola Martinez kept the Goldfields’ miners entertained with her risqué spider dance, and it’s this Gold Rush identity who is the namesake and muse of the restaurant at newly refurbished The Provincial Hotel in Ballarat.

There you’ll find owners Simon and Gorgi Coghlan delivering the breakfast-through-after-dark dessert menus of chef Andre McLoughlin, who has created an approachable Euro-ish bistro menu of local heroes that teams hits from the grill – Sher wagyu and Hopkins River Scotch Fillet, for instance – with more refined fare.

Pretty-as-a-picture snapper crudo is a hot-night delight, while in winter chestnut veloute teamed with scallops is a warming win. A plate of Millhouse lamb deftly teamed with pea puree, whipped fetta and zucchini ribbons is delicious in its simplicity, though other plates, such as a rabbit raviolo overwhelmed with prunes and onion jam, make less out of more.  

A forward-looking wine list filled with minimal intervention drops continues the flavour-first, local-loving philosophy, including a good line in Latta Wines from young gun winemaker Owen Latta down the road. And the good news for those who make a dent in the cellar? A hotel full of stylish suites awaits.

Must Eat Dish: Snapper crudo