The Firehouse Ringwood
Stop by at mealtimes and you'll find this former fire brigade HQ as busy as the highway on which it's located. Behind the historic redbrick facade, the space has been transformed with a mixture of clean, modern lines and homely, parlour-style decor. Leather settees and upturned barrel tables in the front room give way to the main dining area and a maze of private dining spaces beyond. The light-filled front room, featuring large Edwardian-style windows, is ideal for soaking up the morning light over a breakfast of house-baked muffins or warm maple banana pancakes with clotted cream.
Tapas plates are available for grazing all day on Sundays and on weekday evenings. The menu is seasonal and rotates regularly, but diners might find such spicy offerings as twice-cooked Szechuan pork belly on mango and purple onion salsa with pomegranate molasses. The main menu, like the Firehouse's decor, is a fusion of contemporary creations and homely classics, such as braised ricotta dumplings with silverbeet, parsley and nutmeg; saffron pappardelle with house-made pasta ribbons; or lamb moussaka with garlic yoghurt glaze. The dessert list would test the most retrained dieter, with options such as frozen glace apricot zuccotto with rose water and rass al hanout syrup; or cinnamon cream with apple rhubarb compote sprinkled with praline dust.
Firehouse has been welcomed enthusiastically by Ringwood locals and their upmarket lunches are even prompting foodies from further afield to make the trek. Not surprisingly, bookings are very highly recommended.
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