Country kitchen
“What the forest is cooking this week”
A short menu of country dishes, written around the Southern Forests. Tea, coffee, lemonade and sparkling water all evening.
Tonight's dishes
“Pies, trout, roasts and puddings”
Small plates
Beef and marrow pieGolden flaky pastry topped with roasted marrow bone, baked until crisp and deeply browned.
Fish and chipsCrisp battered fish with golden chips, creamy coleslaw, lemon and a dollop of sauce.- Truffle potato gratinThin layers of potato baked with cream and a shaving of local truffle, crisp at the edges.
From the oven and the pan
Meat pie with mash and peasSlow-cooked beef under proper shortcrust, served with buttery mash, peas and gravy.
Seared scallops with broccoliPan-seared scallops served with broccoli, sweetcorn, green purée and a bright edible flower.
Steak with grilled vegetablesSliced steak with grilled zucchini and tomato, served with creamy mash and fresh herbs.- Chicken and leek pieFree-range chicken in a pale sauce with leek and thyme, under a golden pastry lid.
On the side
- Buttered greensBeans, broccoli and peas, steamed and finished with butter and a squeeze of lemon.
- Roast potatoesCrisp at the edges, soft within, roasted in dripping with rosemary and sea salt.
- Damper and butterA small loaf baked to order, torn at the table and served with soft salted butter.
To drink
- Tea by the potBlack tea or a green blend, brought with a jug of hot water and a small plate of biscuits.
- CoffeeStrong and plain, made fresh in the kitchen and served black or with warm milk.
- LemonadeSqueezed in the kitchen with real lemons and a little sugar, poured over plenty of ice.
- Sparkling waterChilled and served with a slice of lemon, for those who prefer something simple.
Puddings and tea
Mushroom risottoCreamy risotto folded with mushrooms and herbs, finished with shaved cheese and a dark glaze.
Tomato pastaLong pasta tossed through a rich tomato sauce, finished hot in the pan before serving.
Beetroot soup with creamDeep red beetroot soup sprinkled with fresh herbs and served with a bowl of sour cream.
Herbal teaFragrant loose-leaf herbal tea steeped in a clear glass cup and served warm.- Lamingtons and Anzac biscuitsChocolate-and-coconut sponge squares and chewy oat biscuits, served with coffee or tea.
From the back door
“Gareth Clarke and the growers”
The kitchen at Karri Lodge buys from people it knows. Gareth Clarke visits growers in the forest country around Manjimup and Pemberton each week, and the menu is written around what he finds: trout from cold streams, apples and cherries from the orchards, pumpkins from a farm down the highway, and truffle when the winter turns.
Nothing on the menu is fancy, and it is all cooked from scratch. Pastry is made in the morning and pies are baked in the afternoon. Gravy simmers for hours, and the puddings are made in small batches so they never wait long on the pass. The only drinks served are tea, coffee, lemonade, juice and sparkling water.
Each dish on the board is cooked to order from components prepared earlier in the day, so a plate takes between ten and twenty minutes to arrive. We think that is an honest wait. Guests who are in a hurry can ask for the pie of the day, which is always ready, and the host will tell you when the kitchen is at its busiest.
Children are given smaller plates of pie, soup or fish, and Gareth is happy to cook plain food for those who prefer it. A bowl of buttered noodles has been known to leave the kitchen with the same care as a lamb shank.
Vegetarian guests are well looked after, with a mushroom and thyme pie, the pumpkin soup and the gratin as regular options. If you have an allergy, please tell Renee Wells when you book, and Gareth will come to your table to talk it through.
Weekly visits
Gareth drives to growers every week, whatever the weather.
Made in the morning
Pastry and stock are made fresh each day.
Truffle in winter
A little local truffle finishes the cold months' dishes.
From the pass
