Breeze Retaurant and Bar, Crown Plaza

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, corner Merewether Street and Wharf Road, Newcastle

Prices: Entrees, $21 (oysters more); mains $39; sides, $8.50; desserts from $9 to $16; cheese plate $16

Chef: Richard Ransom

Wines: Comprehensive list from the Hunter, SA,WA, Victoria, NZ, France and Italy, 13 by the glass (150ml and 200ml)

Hours: Seven days; lunch 11.30am-3pm, dinner 6pm-10.30pm

Vegetarian: Separate menu with eight dishes

Bookings: 4907 5075

Bottom line: Entree, main, dessert, for two, about $150 without wine

Chefs in large hotel chain dining rooms might be forgiven if they slip into complacency. After all, they have a captive market most of the time. And corporate structures don’t always encourage originality. So it’s refreshing to find that one restaurant that is part of a large international chain still has the ability to excite.

Of course, you can’t argue with the position – prime real estate on the Newcastle foreshore with views that threaten to distract from the food. I never tire of watching the passing parade of ships as they enter and leave the

harbour.

But there’s serious food here. What to choose for entree? Should it be the crisp, pressed suckling pig, the beef cheeks, poached prawns, goat’s cheese tortellini or the terrine? They all appeal.

The terrine is a loosely structured, well seasoned melange of minced duck and rabbit secured with a ribbon of blanched leek. A strip of jamon serrano (Spanish raw, cured ham) leads a path towards the terrine. The whole is

a symphony of flavour and texture with sweet fig paste, crunchy sugared pistachios and a fine wafer in complete harmony with the rich terrine.

Three perfectly seared scallops are paired with creamy, caramelised sweetbreads and a swirl of luscious cauliflower puree. Here, the crunch comes from flaked almonds and a curl of crisp biscuit.

And then the mains – so many interesting combinations, so difficult to choose.

A tile of pan-roasted ocean trout is beautifully underdone inside, but with an amazingly crisp skin. It’s pretty as a picture; the fish sits on a raft of smoky brandade (salt cod

and potato puree), crunchy halved baby radishes, bright green double peeled broad beans and edamame (fresh soy beans). Jewelbright discs of white dashi gel add a new

texture dimension and a burst of salt.

The description of the lamb dish is a little confusing – ‘‘slow cook rack of shoulder . . . ’’. Happily, the reality is a rectangular slate bearing a pinkly tender double rack of lamb, a separate pile of shredded, slow-cooked shoulder, more caramelised sweetbreads, al dente orange and creamy coloured heirloom baby carrots, caramelised leeks and chewy truffled spaetzle (German pasta).

Kumara puree streaks across the slate and a tiny jug at the side has Madeira sauce for you to pour.

Blood orange sorbet will bring no guilt.

They’re in season so go for it. I’ll even forgive the wafer of white (what’s the point?) chocolate for the chance to plunge the spoon into the tangy, ultra smooth sorbet on its bed of citrus jelly and orange segments.

More substantial, the tarte tatin falls a little short of perfection. The apples are nicely caramelised and the puff pastry golden and flaky but the swirls of caramel are insipid when compared to the caramel on the apples. Thank

goodness for the wonderful cinnamon icecream melting over the top.

This is well-crafted food, delivered with wellpaced service. Two hours, and three courses later we’re finished and don’t feel rushed.