Whirrakee Restaurant

Ph: 5441 5557; 17 View Point, BENDIGO 3550 www.whirrakee.com.au

Contemporary, $$
Open Tue-Son noon-3pm 6pm-late, Closed Mons and most public holidays; Licensed; AE DC MC V EFT
Chef Brent Slade (5-12-08) Owner Brent Slade & Brett Rayner (5-12-08)

Mietta's Review
Housed in the handsome old Colonial Mutual Life building, Whirrakee Restaurant is Bendigo's special occasion destination. The menu indulges in Asian and mediterranean flavours. A good wine list featuring regional wines which novice staff needed help explaining.

Other published opinions

Age Good Food Guide 2009 Score: 14/20 "After training at established regional restaurants Bazzani and Oscar W's, chef Brent Slade tried gastropub cooking but missed the refinement. So when the Whirrakee's long-time owner-chef put the place up for sale in 2007, the Bendigo boy couldn't move in quickly enough"

Age Good Food Guide 2008 "Whirrakee - named after a local wattle - is housed within the elegant Royal Bank Building (circa 1908), in the heart of Bendigo's historic precinct"

The Age Good Food Guide 2005, score 13/20 "Whirrakee is housed in Bendigo's majestic Art Nouveau Royal Bank building, where diners have been banking on hearty portions of outstanding modern food for nearly a decade. The name is distinctly Australian - Whirrakee is a local wattle - but chef Nikki Halleday's menu is a whistlestop tour of international cuisine."

The Age Good Food Guide 2005, score 13/20 "BENDIGO'S obvious choice for a special occasion dishes up reliable mod-Oz standards in a former Royal Bank Building (circa 1908). The dining area features stained glass windows and intricate Art Nouveau styling; less impressive are the fairy lights suspended above the tables and staff who could be better informed about the menu."

AGFG 2004, score 14/20, excellent wine list