Bistro Lola a showcase for local produce and hospitality

THERE’S a restaurant in Castlemaine that’s punching above its weight, with service that is a panacea for jaded city slickers and country folk alike.

Bistro Lola at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine. Picture: Rob Leeson

SINCE 1854, the Theatre Royal has been keeping Castlemaine entertained.

There was the “darling of the diggers” Lola Montez and her erotic spider dance in 1856.

At the end of World War I, it was one of the first “picture palaces” in Australia, while in the mid-1980s it was a nightclub known as “The Pit”.

Since 2004, it’s been a leading regional music venue, and its current incarnation, thanks to a quintet of smart arts/music/hospo heads, has it combining the best of all worlds.

There are judiciously chosen new-release movies, live gigs, a cafe serving Wide Open Road coffee and eggs on pumpkin sourdough by day, Napoletana pizzas by night, and a bistro named after naughty Lola.

The dancer Lola Montez, who kept crowds entertained at the Theatre Royal.

FOOD

In the handsome two-level bistro — downstairs is light and bright, upstairs is cosily dark and spotlit — chef Sarah Curwen-Walker (The Good Table, Du Fermier) is serving an easy-pleasing selection of pan-Euro fare that draws heavily on (and champions) local producers.

Attention to detail starts with sharp house-cultured butter that’s quick to hit the table along with good bread and carries through to a wonderful plate of charry octopus under a blanket of vibrantly purple potato crisps, with equally purple smashed spuds underneath ($15).

House-made pasta is a mainstay on the tight menu. Plump tortellini filled with a lovely lemon-zesty chicken mix come in a broth that, while billed as “rich”, could do with another payday or two of depth ($15).

Fluffy gnocchi kissed by a hot pan comes tossed through a vibrant patch of spring — tender sweet broad beans, peas, asparagus, mint — for a virtuous plate that would’ve shone with more salt ($25).

Gnocchi with spring vegetables at Bistro Lola. Picture: Rob Leeson

Proteins include a seared waygu flatiron steak ($34), roasted ocean trout with radicchio ($34), and a comforting hug of braised haricot beans that form the bed for an excellent yapunyah chicken involtini stuffed with speck and mushrooms ($31, right).

Great sides — purple sprouting broccoli and rainbow chard tossed through a head of garlic and anchovies, and roasted carrots that retain their crunch — fly the veg flag and make it easier to overlook an overcooked crème caramel ($10) to finish.

Upstairs at Bistro Lola at the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine. Picture: Rob Leeson

DRINK

In keeping with the Euro-leaning menu, the punch-above-weight wine cellar has the local (Macedon chardonnay, Heathcote shiraz) sharing the stage with a selection of Old World grapes, with a few offered by glass/carafe. Spirits and beers are equally impressive.

SERVICE

Sweet, gorgeously unaffected service here is a panacea for jaded city slickers and country folk alike. Nothing is too much trouble, with guidance for the menu and splashes of wine to taste.

X FACTOR

Upstairs, with its dark navy walls, comfortable leather-backed booths, Art Deco lamps complementing the jazz soundtrack, is the pick of the spaces. Grab a bite before a gig or after a movie — it’s a one-stop house of fun.

Chicken involtini at Bistro Lola. Picture: Rob Leeson

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

For a seasonal regional celebration, pastas in the mid $20s and mains hovering around $30 is fair.

VERDICT

With its focus on local producers, a cracking wine list and a menu with something for all, this chapter of a historic theatre is a real class act.

BISTRO LOLA

30 Hargreaves St, Castlemaine. Ph: 5472 1196

FOOD — Contemporary

HOURS — Tues-Sat from 6pm

CHEF — Sarah Curwen-Walker

BOOKINGS — Yes

TIME BETWEEN ORDERING AND EATING — 12 mins

PERFECT FOR — An escape to the country

DESTINATION DISH — Yapunyah chicken involtini

NOISE LEVEL — Humming

ONLINE — bistrolola.com.au

Orange and coriander seed cured king fish with cucumber, currants, almonds and green chilli oil at Bistro Lola. Picture: Rob Leeson

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