The Verandah Restaurant, Pokolbin

Where: Palmers Lane, Pokolbin

Prices: Lunch tasting plates - small (two people to share), $6 to $20, large (four people to share), $12 to $40; desserts all $15

Chef/owner: Matt Dillow

Wines: Comprehensive list of their own Calais Estate and other Hunter wineries; 26 available by the glass

Hours: Thursday to Sunday, lunch and dinner

Vegetarian: Four (ask for vegetarian and coeliac menu)

Bookings: 4998 7231

Bottom line: Lunch for two (six shared plates and one dessert) without wine about $105

The Hunter Valley has long been a magnet for wine lovers. But what is wine without food? No visit to the Hunter is now complete without checking out one of the many restaurants that have sprung up in the wake of the success of the vineyards.

It's just a short flight of stairs from the tasting room at Calais Estate winery to the aptly named The Verandah Restaurant above. There are tables inside but on a sunny day what would be the point - the verandah is where you want to be.

There is no getting away from them; shared plates are here to stay, at least until the next food craze. With 22 plates on the menu and the advice to limit your choices to five or six, things can get difficult. You can always return, particularly if you can't resist the signature dessert, a soft-centred chocolate soufflé in a choice of four flavours and served with Baileys and almond ice-cream; or, for the very undecided - a dessert tapas platter that just begs to be shared.

A good place to start is with a dish of warm olives marinated in fennel and orange. It doesn't specify, but they may be local as owner/chef Matt Dillow is a locavore, committed to locally produced fare.

Six Hunter Valley snails swap their shells for fluffy, spherical gnocchi-like potato dumplings that are as far from any suggestion of stodge as you could get. If you think they just might need more of the lemon and garlic browned butter sauce, there's a thoughtfully provided little jug alongside.

Two long-stemmed baby artichokes come in jackets of crunchy golden crumbs; a white anchovy draped across each one is an inspired touch, while a rocket leaf salad with nebbiolo salsa cuts through the richness of this dish.

Everyone has salt and pepper squid. Here, tender baby calamari are coated in the merest whisper of fine cumin and cayenne-flavoured batter, and just beg to be dipped in the luscious lime aioli on the side.

Tiny butterflied and grilled whiting fillets topped with buttery, lemony pine nuts perch on squares of tangy zucchini frittata. This dish pushes all the right buttons with its contrasting textures; crunchy nuts, fine moist fish and smooth frittata filled with crisp grated zucchini.

Just when you think you can't eat any more, along comes the duck. This dish would make a decent main. There are slivers of confit duck leg, creamy chestnut potato puree and thoughtfully partnered slices of red wine and cinnamon glazed pear.

You might be forgiven if all you need now is the finely textured, full-flavoured raspberry sorbet, but on the other hand, that soufflé is beckoning. The chilli chocolate or Kahlua and hazelnut could be the way to go, but Grand Marnier and pistachio wins out this time. Molten chocolate oozes as soon as the spoon pierces the icing sugar-dusted crust. The soufflé divides neatly in two and two scoops of ice-cream make it easy to share.