Gone is the eight-course degustation menu and any appearance of formality. Now there's a menu based on Emerson's 25 years' experience in the industry and his Filipino roots, with a focus on locally sourced and sustainably grown produce. A menu that is divided into snacks, seafood, meat and poultry, sides and desserts rather than entrée, mains and desserts. A menu that can be tailored to fit all appetites, with dishes that can be shared or greedily kept to oneself.

Start with two over-sized Asian inspired pork and beef spring rolls with a spicy house sauce. Super crisp wrapping shatters to reveal a centre crammed with juicy shredded pork and beef.

I can't go past Emerson's duck pate, a brick of rich but light, creamy paste which comes with a crisp contrast of house-pickled vegetables, a quenelle of fig paste and enough toasted sourdough to scrape up every last bit.

The seafood menu includes local barbecue fresh squid with xo sauce, char-grilled green king prawns with pico de gallo, and braised boneless snapper, onion, garlic, tomato and saffron.

An absolute go to is a generous dish of linguine that is tossed with a plethora of seafood; prawns, mussels, squid, cockles and fish in a beautiful symphony of clean, briny flavour. Duck and mushroom risotto is another successful Italian. A bowl of al dente, soupy rice is studded with plenty of duck and earthy mushrooms covered in a veil of grated parmesan. Umami overdrive.

Whoever decided that roasting cauliflower was a good idea gets my vote. Having grown up with the overcooked boiled vegetable and the lingering smell I can't believe that along with roasted Brussels sprouts this is now one of my favourite veggies. A side of thick-cut roasted cauliflower scattered with Binnorie fetta, spices and toasted seeds would also make a very satisfying vegetarian entrée or main.

With just four desserts it's not too hard to choose. But, the panna cotta with mixed berries is in another league; so wobbly that if you don't eat it straight away it threatens to collapse completely. Someone knows exactly how much gelatine is enough. Text-book stuff.

The Hunter Valley has been put through the wringer with drought and fires but recent rains have brought it back to its former glory and it's begging you to return. Emerson returned here from another part of the valley. Come and join him.