A walk through the wonderful gardens -featuring Australia's most magnificent old weeping beech trees - ensures you're well and truly in the zone by the time you reach the grand old country house built more than a century ago by department store magnate Anthony Hordern. The dining room is elegant but by no means stuffy and the quiet and unobtrusive service augurs well for those in the mood for an intimate evening. Settle in with grilled scampi, served simply on a rocket and watercress salad, or go for a more complex but lightly delicious crepinette filled with grilled crab and snapper in white anchovy butter with fresh peas. A balsamic reduction marries well with White Rocks veal, enoki mushrooms, parsnip puree and a carrot emulsion. Equally delicious is a tiny rack and cylinder of slow-cooked lamb - perhaps only missing a side of steamed greens. Iced cherry souffle with cherry compote is the sum of a top season's crop.