Stillwater Restaurant and Stillwater Seven Accommodation — Restaurant in Launceston

3.5 stars if could!

To start, the service we had was excellent from the front of house team. By far the most professional service we have had since coming to Tasmania and eating at nearly every highly rated restaurant we can. Great wine recommendations, thorough explanation of the menu, friendly, chatty but they all took their role very seriously.

Our snacks were okay, nothing special to be honest, but great to start your evening off with some wine. We tried to rock lobster with macadamia nut cream and the gnocco with Parma ham. Generally most pre-meal snacks have a rich flavour to excite the palate. These snacks were quite savoury and we’re probably better of being enjoyed with a few wines/cocktails.

Our entrees were the highlight. Amazing quality quail, that was cooked perfectly. The use of the wasabi with the turnip purée to have the peppery spice worked very well. The mushrooms I could have done without. They were between being cooked and totally raw. Some ends were crispy with some being very lightly cooked, so there was an inconsistent texture. Crunchy would have worked much better!

The octopus entree again was full of flavour. Enjoyed by both of us. Some bread or something to soak up them flavours left in the bowl would be amazing.

The mains simply had some flavours advertised that couldn’t be tasted very much on the plate. The garlic custard was very very mild in flavour. It was basically unnoticeable, and I had to try it on its own a few times to get a faint taste of garlic. The mustard jus also seriously lacked much flavour. The mustard was visible, but the flavour of mustard was not in the dish at all. Perhaps the method of incorporating the mustard into the jus needs some attention. Because the combination of flavours that were advertised will all definitely work, and had me very excited. However, the carrots on this eye fillet dish were amazing! Great to see the sides weren’t left to be plain and simple.

The other main was the market fish. Cooked well, but the flavours in the plate were very one dimensional. Not much acidity, spice, salt or any other flavours, just a bit boring and savoury. Beautiful presented however!

Lastly, dessert all looked amazing. The chocolate tart with hazelnut Icecream was quite simple compared to everything, some would consider it boring. However I can’t fault the execution of it. It both looked and tasted great! The second dessert was the meringue. This looked absolutely amazing, and was well executed, but again lacked a wow factor we were looking for.

In short, the service resembled a very high end fine dining restaurant. Something you’d get in a hatted restaurant throughout Sydney. It have the impression we were going to be blown away with the food, and we were for the entrées, but the rest was kept quite simple and some components lacked execution. Unfortunately for the price we payed, I’d imagine other experiences chefs and foodies out their may feel slightly out of pocket.

Definitely worth a visit! We will be back! Definitely a venue worth keeping an eye on and...

At the still point where the North and South Esk rivers merge and become the kanamaluka/Tamar River in Launceston,Tasmania sits an old timber flour mill dated to the 1830s. It would be one of the earlier buildings established by the settler invaders who founded a new a new colony here in 1804 after Matthew Flinders charted the Island of Tasmania, known then as Van Dieman’s Land. Early adopters always find the most picturesque sites, and this old mill looks out over the wide expanse of river through picture book windows. No longer a mill, it is now Stillwater and Seven Rooms. A restaurant and tiny hotel dedicated to local Tasmanian produce, including the island’s characteristic wines and spirits.

It’s 6pm on a Saturday night, the water is indeed a still pearlescence; the sky a soft lilac, baby blue gradient. The little bubbles whirlpool in the crisp pink glass of local sparkling rose sitting at my place; all around is the expectant sounds of a restaurant gearing up; movement, intention, starting and settling sounds. The staff glide and tend to their flock in just the right amounts as they wrangle the inevitable issue of the early sitting - how to deliver dining excellence with a timer in your head. In our case, stuck like limpets to our chairs, staring across the river, deep in conversation in a post glorious food coma; the solution is off to the bar area for our deserts. Also overlooking the river, we get to linger a little longer. After all none of us want to leave. Can we just stay forever?

I digress and forget to tell you about the menu, which is a loose two or three course arrangement at set prices (I think $85 or $105 per head). Structured as Snacks; Entrees; Mains; Deserts. Snacks can also be up-scaled into an entre, which I did with the local scallops. But enough of the logistics, the real magic here is the balance and abundance of choices. Sashimi King Fish; steamed tiger prawn; beef tartare; heirloom beetroots. Bigger dishes include Mirror Dory; Wallaby; local lambkins; local beef filet, which I had, which I loved. We had deserts of bramble berries, peaches, meringues and other delicious bits. Tamar Pinots and Chardonnays flowed. Do we really have to leave?

Stillwater is special; the space was at full hum by the time we departed; the experience just about to unfold for the late sitting guests. Chefs giving us produce prepared with nuance, craft and love; floor staff knowing their stuff and wanting you to share in the magic of this little spot. It’s an all too brief encounter for us, but the rivers go on mingling and bringing their energy. When I wake up the next day, it’s still there. Time to walk across the road and try the coffee and watch the...

It is truly hard to describe what an absolutely glorious experience we had at Stillwater Seven for our too brief overnight stay in September. Chris and the team have thought of everything and more here- I won’t spoil all the special details, but from the moment you arrive to the moment you check out, you will be made to feel special.

The rooms are beautifully appointed and you absolutely cannot beat the location and the history of the building. Your entire room will be tailored to your preferences, so you don’t have to arrive to the sounds of generic hotel lobby jazz (unless that’s your vibe, of course!). The ability to pre order your cocktail so it is delivered upon arrival was so appreciated – I am still dreaming of that spicy bloody mary, it was perfection! The mini bar, well, there is nothing mini about it and I would return for this feature alone. Our bathroom was spacious for the size of our suite and the shower a very welcome reprieve after a long day of travel and golf. Oliver was so gracious and welcoming upon check in, and absolutely nothing is too much trouble at Stillwater. It truly is a pleasure to stay here. Don’t get me started on the breakfast situation- you can view my photos below, it speaks for itself. The Bread + Butter croissants are fantastic.

Dinner at Stillwater is also an experience. We are still talking about the southern rock lobster blinis, the very generous and woody house gnocchi with porcini mushrooms, and the local market fish with squid ink rice, fennel foam, zucchini, lobster oil + roullie which my partner and I think may well be one of the best dishes we have ever eaten. The service is attentive but not pushy. They are friendly, warm, and you get the right amount of banter to understand that everything is thoughtfully sourced, without being overbearing and interrupting your dining experience. The space itself is also charming – maintaining the history of the building, it is a cosy and warm space which invites you to focus on the food and the company, and the beautiful views from your table. The ability to just wander back up to your room after being full to the brim was a lovely bonus.

I am already looking at flights to return to Tasmania for many reasons, but I certainly will not be missing Stillwater when I make it back. Thank you for a most warm welcome and for making the start of our anniversary...