“I’m going to pinch that light!” I whisper to Queen Viv.
“What, the gigantic one that is bigger than you?” she asks.
“Well … ermm yes I may need your help!” I say looking around furtively.
Oops allow me to rewind a little, I was too busy chattering on for a moment. We’ve just entered the Pender Lea Post Office, a converted post office in Jindabyne. It is owned and renovated by husband and wife team Warren Hickey and Sonja Schatzle. And I’ve fallen in love with a light…
Warren (left) and Sonja (right)
The sink cupboard which Sonja rescued and restored
Queen Viv and I are staying here for the evening during our trip to the Snowy Mountains and we are also having our very own meal prepared by chef Warren. His wife Sonja’s experience in merchandising at Harrods and Marks and Spencer shows in the details and she is also an avid fan of the internet. “I love the internet” she says smiling. She points to a board that has come from ebay. The rafters are from ebay and they also love reclaiming and reusing items buying a 150 year old woolshed in nearby Braidwood and using that in the renovation.
I just love details like this!
Darlings, you know I am a devil about the details and I notice that there is a Diptyque candle, room temperature Evian, organic milk, Welsh blankets on the beds, old fashioned light switches, French soap and decorating touches include old lasts, vintage tart molds & pine cones. The properties are powered by their very own windfarm too.
His and her shower heads-win win!
Lovage and forgotten herbs
In the herb garden outside they grow lovage, tomatoes (ox heart, black Russians), salad burnet (celery) and in weeks to come they will install a wood fired oven.
Warren cooks
Spatchcocks ready for roasting
Warren formerly from Level 41 and Bathers Pavilion is also a former private chef. They also owned Merritt’s Mountain House and after tiring of working with food for 17 hours a day they decided to cater for friends that were formerly clients from the restaurant. Suddenly what was supposed to be a move into reducing their working hours became an even bigger job and they were booking out three weeks in advance. They were both flown over to Aspen and then to London to cook for wealthy clientele.
Sonja brings over the appetiser and they are rice paper rolls filled with local prawns from Merimbula with sesame, herbs and topped with mustard cress. They’re a perfect balance of flavours and sweetness and freshness.
Hervey bay scallops with basil, leek & chilli fritters
Our starter is a lighter than air leek fritter topped with basil puree and seared Hervey Bay scallops. The scallops are plump and the heady basil puree and fluffy fritters are a lovely match.
Most. Gorgeous. Light. Ever.
You know I have a thing about lighting fixtures and when I’m working on the main table in the fireplace room, Queen Viv suddenly says “Look up” and I see the most gorgeous lamp shade ever. I want to run away with it. It’s from London and the decorating for the house was not done by an interior decorator but by Sonja who clearly has an eye for it and a bit of an obsession with reclaiming items like the stone and timber which is all reclaimed.
Bread: Brasserie Bread caramelised garlic loaf and rye bread with butter and truffle butter
Sashimi yellowfin tuna, snapper crab and avocado tartare & pomegranate balsamic
OK either they are psychic or they’ve researched just how much I love seafood and despite the fact that I’ve polished half of the canapes, I cannot resist any of it. This dish is really an example of a deft touch with the freshest of ingredients. The sashimi tuna and spanner crab go perfectly with the avocado with a hint of sesame both texturally and tastewise as they’re all delicate flavours.
Buckwheat soba noodles with eggplant and mango and lime and chilli dressing
This is an unusual sounding combination but it actually works beautifully. The mango is never too sweet and the eggplant cubes are buttery soft. It’s like soba was meant to be paired with eggplant and mango and the lime and chilli dressing gives it a lightly sour and spicy aspect.
New season asparagus and pancetta salad and 12 year old balsamic
The asparagus are thin and tender and the pancetta is cooked until slightly crispy. It is dressed with a lovely, syrupy 12 year old balsamic.
Stuffed spatchcock stuffed with porcini mushrooms and sourdough
“I think I may have over catered” Warren says. Perhaps, but it doesn’t stop me from eating much of the roast spatchcock stuffed with porcini mushroom and sourdough stuffing and topped with a sweet, roasted cherry tomato. The meat is juicy and the stuffing has just the right seasoning. There are also French beans but I’m afraid I just stuffed myself with spatchcock and didn’t get a chance to try these.
Lemon custard tart with King Island cream and strawberries
Despite feeling completely full with savoury goodness my hand lifts the fork to the tart and gives my waiting mouth a forkful. It’s a lemon custard tart which gives it an eggy creaminess rather than the straight lemon curd tart. The pastry is crisp and later that night I see the rest of the tart in the fridge and do my best to avoid sneaking down later for another piece.
I retire upstairs to the loft room to do some work and get ready for bed. You do need to bring toiletries and we weren’t able to locate a face washer and tissues and if you are a light sleeper you may also want to bring some earplugs as the wood means that it may creak. Still, I went to bed with a tremendous smile on my face still dreaming of that food and the light…
The next morning we say goodbye to the lovely Pender Lea Post Office and head home. There are two things that I love to do. Shopping and eating. Give me both and you can amuse me for days on end. And whilst I was upset that Mr NQN couldn’t come with me on this trip due to sailing commitments (yawn!), I was very glad that shopping and eating loving Queen Viv was my travelling companion.
The Lott is a gorgeous little shop and cafe in Cooma on the way on our drive home (avoid those fast food places!). The menu has fresh flavours with an emphasis on local produce and whilst a lot of it isn’t made on the premises, it’s brought in from great local suppliers. And did I mention the shopping? No? Well I managed to buy about half a dozen essentials-essentials, yes!
The soy chai latte is fantastic-sweet with lots of cinnamon and aroma. Queen Viv finds that it isn’t quite hot enough for her but I actually prefer my drinks at a more drinkable temperature like this. In my rush to go shopping, I forgot to photograph this-oops! 
While we are waiting for the food, we walk around the store oohing and aahing at the little bits and pieces that we like. I buy two of these notebooks for darling friends that I know will love them and a flat bottomed wooden spoon.
Caramelised leek and walnut tart
We try one of the specials of the day, the leek and walnut tart. The pastry is buttery and the caramelised leeks are sweet in an eggy base and there is the occasional nutty crunch of the walnut.
Picking plate $17.50
The picking plate was full of local goodies including a peppered sirloin and kangaroo prosciutto from Poachers Pantry, ash chevre goats cheese from Hoppers Farm Thredbo, Fleetwing Hill olives, house made tomato and raisin relish, a rosemary labne, a King Island camembert, Maggie Beer quince paste and the Mersey Valley cheddar. The bread is from Wild Rye bakery in Pambula. The morsels are delicious as is the warm, spongey bread with the light crust.
Chicken panini, mayonnaise and avocado $13.50
The chicken filling inside the panini is delicious as it is tender chicken breast with a herbed mayonnaise which is fragrant in dill. I just wish that the bread was lightly toasted or warmed as it is served cold. As I’ve overextended myself, I ask for this to be packed up to go to eat on the way home.
Lumberjack cake
We had just one tiny smidgen of room left and that was going to be filled with the lumberjack cake. I do love a good cake name and a name like lumberjack is just so evocative. You just know that it won’t be a delicate, light French cake. It’s going to be sturdy and enough to power a lumberjack to do lumberjacking! This cake is a dense apple and date cake which is firm but not dry with a topping of shredded coconut. It’s emergency dessert stomach time but I do adore this little cakeful of goodness and polish off every last bite.
Queen Viv and I keep shopping and buying until we realise that our little jaunt to the Snowy Mountains is over! With some reluctance we pack up and say goodbye to the Snowy Mountains.
So tell me Dear Reader, what’s your favourite type of shop?
A cute find! Don’t you love English names like Patience Gray (which I misread to say Gravy), Primrose Boyd and David Gentleman 
NQN and Queen Viv travelled to the Snowy Mountains as a guest of Tourism NSW and stayed and dined at Pender Lea as guests of Pender Lea and dined at The Lott as guest of The Lott.
Pender Lea Post Office
The “Food and Wine Lovers” package with a five course dinner and matching wines is available for 6 guests or more and is priced at $159 per person. There are also 2 person packages available.
Enquiries 1800 352 088 or Email: info@penderlea.com.au or www.penderlea.com.au
The Lott Foodstore, Bakery and Cafe
178-180 Sharp Street, Cooma, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 6452 1414
Open: 7:30am-4pm Monday to Thursday, 7:30am-late Friday, 8am until 4pm Saturday and Sunday
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47 Comments | Add your own
Lovely post! I really enjoy reading your travelogues, thank you!
Amazing! I love your blog, and the entire idea of!
like it
I don’t know why I haven’t gotten down to Jindabyne in the time I’ve live in Canberra
What an adventure! I want that panini.
How stunning! The attention to detail is inspiring!
What a fabulous place with glorious food. LOL – I can see why you wanted to nick the light! This kind of shop is my very favourite thing – I used to want to own a gift shop, then I realised the hard yacka to make a go of it (and the fact that I know that my mother would disapprove …).
I think I’m in love with that kitchen. Oh the bench space, and elbow room!
I have two favourites – stationary and food stores. Top of the itinerary when I travel is to visit grocery stores/food shops because I think you can tell alot about one’s culture by what they stock on the shelf. I love shops where you can get goods in small packets so that you can try everything
I like vintage shops where you can hunt for treasures. Anything with little knick knacks and things with a story behind them.
So tempting to drive via Cooma on my way back from Bright, VIC next weekend…
Lorraine,..of all your posts that I have seen so far, this is the most beautiful and inspiring one.
The Post Office reminds me of my own home, except that my home is way smaller.It was built by an artist for his journeyman’s pro-
ject under the direction of a Japanese master,using dowels and
mitres.Wood everywhere.
I like the kind of store where you shopped. Lucky you to have made this trip!And that food,..oh my.
Where can I find a genie? – Would so like to close my eyes and wish to be at the Pender Lea PO, both for my kind of food, but more so for the obviously very special ambience! Yes, I DO notice details also and this place just reeks of elegance and style. All the light fittings are eminently pinchable!!
My favourite shop: let me loose in a good Asian Supermarket and I am in seventh heaven. Thank you, Lorraine!
It looks absolutely gorgeous, and Warren’s pedigree is promising – I loved both Level 41 and Bathers Pavilion (in fact one night we ate there, we spotted Nicole Kidman at a nearby table and my friend embarrassingly paraded back and forth trying to get her attention. Didn’t work). The photos are great.
I am with you on the light and all the details… I always figure if someone spends that much time on the ways things look… they put the same care on the plate. Really lovely place and food. Um, does she import the lamps???
What a gorgeous meal and shop! I love individual little details that add up to one glorious whole.
I also love antique/olde style kichen wares!
Mr Mélanger’s father now lives in Cooma. I’ve never visited him there (HE was previously in Mornington, VIC), but I think I may have to take a trip down to Cooma now!
Love the menu, everyone should have a ‘Warren’ in the kitchen!
Lorraine, anytime Queen Viv cannot replace Mr.NQN on one of your trips, I’m your girl as I love trips like this one.
Gorgeous little shops full of knick knacks that one can easily spend hours foraging through them.
Lovely post, entertaining as usual and a great start for 2011!
My favourite shop is a gourmet deli that is full of organic produce and unusal ingredients! Yay for gourmet delis!
yum! I’m gad to hear that eggplant mango soba recipe was delicious. I first saw it on 101 cookbooks and I believe it’s an Ottonleigh recipe. But I was a bit nervous to try it because despite it sounding awesome, a few 101 cookbook recipes haven’t quite been to my taste…
Teehee… I love the light too… Did you & Queen Viv get it out unnoticed? LOL! This place looks fantastic, I shall be checking in with me and my besties some time soon. Thanks for sharing!
Too much, too much to swoon over! I haven’t been to Jindabyne wince I was tiny, but I can say for sure we had nothing as delicious as this on our family holiday! Those rice paper rolls! As a compulsive snacker I love the look of the picking plate and, well, you know how I feel about lemon desserts…
Love, love, love. I now am full of inspirations on how to decorate my future home.
My favorite type of shop is of coures the foodie ones, esp if the stuff is cheap. Like Trader Joes. I also love book shops. And Ikea.
“Sashimi yellowfin tuna, snapper crab and avocado tartare & pomegranate balsamic”
This isme in a nutshell. This has to be the most fantasic dish ever!
Just beautiful – I love your travel posts
Delicious. I may have to officially hate you soon NQN. I can’t find fault with any of the food or accommodation. Unheard of …
I agree! That light is boooyooouuuuutiiifool!!… And that dinner looks so amazing.. I’m so hungry!!!!
That light is really gorgeous! So unique.
I love the rustic/industrial look of the place.
How fabulous! And I love homewear shops and pine for a Williams Sonoma in Australia. Their interesting cake tins always make me want to bring them home but they take up too much room. Not to mention their applicances like the backyard deep fryer for the serious turkey fryer. I can dream.
I really envy you! You seem to be traveling everywhere!
Ahhhh I love the Snowy’s – had my first New Years with Hussyband in Thredbo.
Did you by chance get to sample the Wild Brumby Schnappes that is distilled near Jindabyne with all local ingredients? The Wild Honey and the Raspberry were my favorites!
I could so live here! And the rustic food makes a nice change from the some of the more delicate stuff that’s out there. And I love the shot of the door handle!
More delicious food to make me hungry.
The post office just looks amazing and I don’t think the price is too bad given the quality of the accomodation and food!
My fav type of shop is a stationery shop. One can never have enough!
That post office is exquisite! The food looks delicious too!
Must. Have. Lumberjack. Cake!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder if i can find the recipe on the internet.
Have a fantastic weekend.
*kisses* HH
I loveee all the shops u have pictured above , they have jus the stuff i loveeee..
I lovee amazon , only coz they have everything under one roof, lol:-)
So maybe i like those kinda stores:-)
Gosh i think i can write a post about the kinda stores i like:-)coz i cant stick to one…
U have some very beautiful pics here!
Aww this is the most gorgeous place ever! I agree with that lampshade..I may have wanted to run away with it too
and such personalized service!!
This place is absolutely gorgeous! I just checked on their own website though and I must say your photos rock in comparison to theirs. {Maybe they should hire you to do their marketing!}
Anyway, greetings from Melbourne – you have a great blog and I would love for you to come and check out mine. Lots of interior design images and posts.
my kinda heaven!!!!
What an incredible place Lorraine…the food looked extraordinary too!
OMG the Pender Lea Post Office? Wowee! I don’t know if I am more in awe and more in love with the place or the food! Both are exquisite! Now you have made me want to go out and shop and eat!
Wow I really must travel down here sometime while I am still in Canberra. That Lott foodstore looks wonderful!
I think I am in love with Pender Lea, really appeals to all my senses.
We’re looking at booking a trip here for the winter soon. It looks absolutely amazing.
Hi Sonja
David Law just sent me this email. Website looks fantastic. Hope all is well and have a great season. Don’t know if you remember but you helped me out last season, thnx.
Maybe one season might come and stay.
Robyn
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