Why this revived seaside hotel’s more casual (and useful) restaurant charmed our critic

Besha Rodell set out to cover fine-diner Miettas, the more noteworthy – or so she thought – of the Queenscliff Hotel’s two dining rooms. But she was far more enamoured with the simpler, joyous cooking at The Conservatory.The ConservatoryContemporary$$Writing about food for a living tends to scramble your brain – it’s easy, after years on the job, to forget what’s important to the average diner. When assessing a restaurant’s worthiness for coverage, we writers often tend to lean towards what’s exciting rather than what’s useful.Take the example of the dining options in the newly reopened Queenscliff Hotel. The stunning historical site recently underwent a gorgeous, thoughtful renovation by Rob and Tammy Charter, which includes the reopening of the Queenscliff outpost of Miettas, the storied Melbourne fine-dining restaurant that had an outpost in this building for almost 40 years until 2015. Exciting!Also included in the offering is a more casual restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, called The Conservatory. It has a flexible menu, options for kids, and resides in a lovely, sunny room perfect for a leisurely lunch while visiting one of the state’s most charming day trip destinations. Useful!The Conservatory is the hotel’s more casual dining option.Simon SchluterAnd so, I set out to cover Miettas, the more noteworthy – or so I thought – of the two new venues. And found that while the room is gorgeous and the ambition noteworthy, that restaurant in its current form isn’t nearly as successful as its more casual sibling. Maybe it needs time, maybe the chef overseeing both rooms from the same central kitchen – Josh Smith, formerly of Tulip in Geelong – is still finding his way with the ins and outs of a degustation format. But for whatever reason, I found myself far more enamoured with the simpler, cleaner, more joyous cooking at The Conservatory.Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.Sign upAt the rear of the grand ground floor, in what used to be an outdoor courtyard, the Charters have installed a peaked glass ceiling under black buttresses. Booths are tucked behind white arches, the floors are tiled, and the formerly exterior brick walls lend rugged texture to the dining room. It’s a beautiful space, balancing modern design tricks with the need to respect the building’s heritage glory.Jerusalem artichoke, ruby grapefruit, freekeh and pickled onion.Simon SchluterThere are bright, well-made cocktails (including a not-too-serious, not-too-stupid version of the Japanese Slipper, which was famously invented at the original Mietta’s in 1984), a wine list that showcases Victorian producers, and staff ranging from veterans to newbies, but who all share an enthusiasm that sets the tone.Late winter is a tough season to be as vegetable-focused as this menu is while retaining a sense of freshness and excitement. But Smith has managed it beautifully in recent weeks, and I can’t wait to see what he does with spring’s bounty.There’s an Ottolenghi-like exuberance in this cooking, a clever thoughtfulness around contrast, generosity and seasonality.Fudgy Jerusalem artichokes are paired with ruby grapefruit, freekeh and pickled onion, tasting like the earth and the sun underpinned by the grain’s nuttiness. There’s a crowd-pleasing stracciatella with roasted beetroot and orange, made dynamic by its treacle and caraway dressing. Prawns are cooked over wood, juicy and sweet, and laid over house-made hummus with tarragon and crispy garlic. There’s an Ottolenghi-like exuberance in this cooking, a clever thoughtfulness around contrast, generosity and seasonality.Grilled chicken with sweet potato, leek, preserved lemon and lashings of zaatar. Simon SchluterWeeks later, my sister and I are still talking about the grilled chicken with sweet potato, leek and preserved lemon, a dish that sounded straightforward but had a fantastic Middle Eastern aura thanks to generous lashings of zaatar. (We are both avid chicken roasters; it’s hard to impress us with a chicken. We remain impressed.) Local fish of the day – flathead when I had it – is served over roasted pumpkin and sweet, supple pickled fennel with lemon myrtle and a caper sauce.Chocolate tart with macerated cherries and dulce de leche.Simon SchluterDesserts are about simple gleefulness bolstered by solid technique – a chocolate tart is rich and smooth, its crust buttery, served with macerated cherries and dulce de leche.I’m going to go ahead and give Miettas a few more turns of the wheel before I go back, hoping that warmer weather and more time to refine give it a little more direction. But I can safely say that The Conservatory is already firing on all cylinders: useful but also thoughtful, charming and, yes, exciting.The low-down Atmosphere: Humming with energy, with a lovely mix of heritage and modern design Go-to dishes: Wood-fired king prawns ($25); Jerusalem artichokes with ruby grapefruit and freekeh ($18); grilled half chicken ($36); milk chocolate tart ($18) Drinks: Frothy, frizzy, fun cocktails; wine list that champions local producers Cost: About $130 for two, excluding drinks Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.From our partners