Emerald City

There’s no place like home for chef Joel Alderdice. The Healesville native and former Tarrawarra Estate head chef named this four-seat restaurant after the fantastical city in the classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz. At Emerald City’s Australian myrtle bar, facing the open kitchen, the guests are the audience and Alderdice is their wizard.

The menu changes daily and includes between 12 and 16 courses. It starts with a chef’s selection of small bites – perhaps thinly sliced apple topped with baked nashi; tempura vegetables and foraged mushrooms; or Wagyu grilled on the hibachi.

You might also try Alderdice’s "rainbow trout" – a technicolour dish he created at Tarrawarra Estate – topped with finger lime, saffron, dashi pearls, blue scampi caviar and gin-infused roe. For dessert, it might be roasted jasmine rice cream with koji and macadamia.

Diners can also choose one of three drink pairings – non-alcoholic, whisky or a dealer’s choice of wine, whisky and cocktails.

Emerald City is a hidden gem, discreetly tucked behind a velvet curtain at the back of Cavanagh’s Whisky Bar & Alehouse. There’s a custom 240-panel pendant light to illuminate the space, which accommodates four guests per two-hour sitting.