I’m very fond of Castlemaine.
Sitting between Ballarat and Bendigo this lovely little country town has plenty of vintage charm.
The Good Table is one of the newer and classier additions to the local dining scene, specialising in sophisticated but unpretentious European fare.
Some 150 years ago, Castlemaine came into its own when gold was found at Specimen Gully. More than 30,000 miners flocked to these parts to seek their fortune. There was a hotel on every corner and several in between – the Council Club Hotel remained a popular watering hole until the 1970s.
Today, as The Good Table, the high-ceiling space is welcoming, with arcaded windows, polished floorboards, bentwood chairs at timber tables set with linen napkins.
The menu lists ”small” dishes and ”larger” dishes, all designed to share. We choose a few of each: a smooth, rich duck liver pate with superb shiraz jelly and thin toast slices ($12), home-grown zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta, lemon and olive ($4 each) and, fried in the lightest batter, tangy and melt-in-the-mouth kingfish ceviche with pink peppercorns ($16) and pickled octopus with green pepper and chardonnay vinegar ($11).
The Good Table’s atmosphere has a warm vibe, enhanced by the wooden floorboards, tables and chairs, the flashes of greenery and sunlight through the myriad windows, and the subtle watercolour paintings on the walls.
Alexander Perry, born and bred in Castlemaine, has recently returned to his home town to open up his own smart eatery in the gracious old corner pub.
The Good Table. A great addition to Castlemaine!