Lochiel House, Kurrajong Heights

It's getting colder which is the perfect time for a drive out west to Blue Mountains for a weekend getaway. I've found a secret gem for you to stop by for a charming gourmet lunch or dinner. Lochiel House has reopened recently with new owners Nathan and Tayla.

As MW and I enter this little charming farm house restaurant I notice it's full of customers. I wasn't expecting this for such an isolated restaurant but I've heard that Lochiel House has been a hatted restaurant for several years prior. There's a cosy fireplace if you're really cold or you can sit outside in the lovely courtyard. It's a rainy day and MW decide on sitting inside at a table by a window so we can watch the rain.

The weather has turned quite cold and there's something quite romantic about a romantic lunch in Winter near the Blue Mountains. MW and I share the Chicken Pate ($18) which is served up with agro dulce, red vein sorrel and toasted sourdough. I really enjoy the red vein sorrel with the soft textures and high on flavour. I smear a generous amount of chicken pate on the sourdough.

MW and I always share our food and that applies to mains as well. We order the Crispy Skin Duck Breast ($35) which is served with preserved lemon, thyme and garlic, celeriac, szechuan eggplant and shiso. The highlight of this dish is the succulent duck combined with that eggplant. I avoid the thicker eggplant skin and delicately eat the eggplant flesh. I highly recommend this dish.

My favourite main is the Rosemary Roasted Lamb Rack ($34) with baby beetroot, chorizo crumb and red oak leaf. The lamb is perfect cooked and is pink, moist and flavoursome. I love the chorizo crumb that adds that crunchy texture and the caramelised beetroot brings the dish together. It's a relatively simple dish but immaculately executed. I love it. I highly recommend.

We end the meal with dessert. MW is a mad dessert fan. Firstly there's the Raw Sugar, Fig and Walnut Meringue ($13, above) with vanilla bean ice cream, strawberries and cream. The meringue is soft with a slight crunch and the natural flavour combination of that vanilla bean ice cream with strawberries and cream is a winner.

My favourite dessert is the Not Your Sundae ($16, below) with strawberry swirl ice cream, banana brulee, seasonal fruit, banana praline and chocolate wafer. The best part of the dessert is the combination of that foodgasmic banana brulee with the strawberry swirl ice cream. WOW! I loved the dessert. MW says he enjoys both desserts equally.



Summary: Looks are deceiving, Lochiel House looks like a sleepy little farm restaurant but there's so much more than meets the eye. The quality of the food is amazing. The service is friendly and welcoming. My favourite picks are definitely the lamb and that dessert - Not Your Sundae. I really enjoyed my experience and highly recommend stopping by on your way to the blue mountains.

Price: Mains are approx $35

Location: 1259 Bells Line of Rd, Kurrajong Heights, NSW 2758


Opening Hours: 
Closed Monday, Tuesday
Wednesday: 12pm to 4pm
Thursday, Friday: 12pm to 4pm, 6pm to 10pm
Saturday, Sunday: 8am to 4pm, 6pm to 10pm

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of Lochiel House. All words, opinions and photos are my own.