A trip to the Hunter Valley would be incomplete without slipping on a bib at Muse and succumbing to the culinary creativeness of chef and co-owner Troy Rhoades-Brown who takes the produce of the region to breathtaking heights. Muse is a restaurant that changes the perception of regional dining and could be happily at home going toe-to-toe with quality restaurants in any big city on the planet.

Floor to ceiling windows reveal the rolling valley hills by day, but at night it’s dark, sleek and as sultry as the big city siblings. A giant sandstone fireplace warms the space, while the theatre of an open kitchen anchors the long room filled with rows of high-backed formal leather chairs and dark brown tables tops. The waitstaff are real pros, which is hardly surprising with co-owner Megan Rhoades-Brown leading from the front. This is about as far from country comfort as one can get. Muse is where style, sophistication and serious service support the technical prowess of chef Rhoades-Brown, who champions the produce of the region without letting ego make its way onto the plate – and even better, it’s delicious.

Choose a dish from three options in each section of the four-course menu. Start with wood-fired cauliflower, pecans and raisins, then Jerusalem artichoke partners Little Hill Farm chicken. Peas, broad beans and wasabi add a touch of spring to gently steamed Murray Gold cod. Deserts are always quite an artistic expression – but signature Muse Coconut remains one that’s hard to say no to. A chocolate husk imitates an actual coconut and houses coconut mousse, vanilla coconut water and tropical fruit.

Don’t forget that the more casual Muse Kitchen is down the road, signing off two important pit stops between wineries.

Must eat dish: Muse coconut
Instagram: @troymuse