When chef Simon Bowen and wife Erika turned an early-1900s Methodist church into a quaint white timber restaurant, they treated the building with respect.

The original charm of this piece of rural history has been maintained and additions such as the heavy wooden bar rescued from the old Mount Gambler post office don’t seem out of place.

On the plate, there’s a hint of nostalgia as well in the presentation of dishes that are at once creative and comforting.

The small but beautiful à la carte menu focusses on regional produce with a few French and delicate Asian twists.

Plump seared scallops resting on a bed of roasted cauliflower purée with black bean vinaigrette is a favourite among local winemakers. Another regular menu highlight is duck liver pâté, grilled brioche, cornichons, mustard fruit, and apple remoulade.

The attention to detail is heart-warming – like the little restaurant motif stamped into each portion of butter, or the vases of freshly cut flowers.

Mains are exquisite. Hiramasa kingfish and Goolwa pipis recline in the warm embrace of rich Jerusalem artichoke bourride and roast pumpkin cream, while the Thousand Guineas shorthorn beef eye fillet is presented medium rare with smoked potato, house cured pork cheek, spinach purée and warm pickled mushroom fricassee. Sublime.

Leave room for dessert, as the likes of butterscotch baba begs for a second stomach. The extensive wine list showcases Coonawarra and European wines and a healthy selection of fortifieds.

Top end country hospitality at its best.