INN Mahogany Creek is one of my favourite haunts.
Partly because whenever I have a hankering for pate the Inn hits the spot with their duck liver parfait served with this gorgeous red onion jam, pickled veg and charred bread.
Built in the 1800s as a homey wayside inn for weary travellers to rest and dine, the Inn has a colourful history. It’s the site where the infamous bushranger Moondyne Joe was reportedly captured and it is believed his ghost still haunts the premises.
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READ NOWIt was a crisp autumn evening when I took my nanna along for a feed. Left to her own devices, nan would survive primarily on a diet of hot buttery toast and copious cups of tea, so she needs a decent feed every now or she’d waste away.
As we walked into the Inn on a Friday evening there was buzz in the air with live music and cosy open fires taking the chill off.
We got the evening started by sharing the prawn bruschetta and a glass of Truffle Hill merlot. The ciabatta bread was topped with a generous serving of plump prawns, avocado, chunky salsa, fennel and creme fraiche. A wonderfully fresh twist on the traditional recipe.
For mains I opted for the North West barramundi. It was a real catch. The fish was cooked to perfection with a crispy skin and served on a bed of creamy pumpkin puree, golden paprika and parmesan roasted potato wedges and a vibrant carrot and herb salad.
The Nosh braised lamb pie hit the spot with my nan. Served with mash, parsnip, chips, greens and gravy you could taste the difference in every bite.
The Inn prides itself on sourcing the highest quality produce the area has to offer from marron, to aged grass-fed beef to asparagus, oils, fruits and olives. Their own herb garden also adds a little extra flavour to each dish.
While we were already at the stage of needing to be rolled out of there, manager Bonifacio Napolitano charmingly twisted our arms into sharing the sticky date pudding. Accompanied with vanilla ice cream and toffee sauce it was the perfect wintry comfort food.
The seasonal menu features an array of dishes to share or to start with as well pub classics and vegetarian options and a great specials list.
The venue has been beautifully restored with a mix of old and new that still retains the charm of its historic origins. There are plenty of places to sit whether you want to enjoy lunch outside on the deck or cosy up inside.
And there are specials aplenty.
Wednesday night is surf and turf ($29), Thursday night is ribs ($20), on Saturdays kids can eat for just $10 and Sundays you can score a parmi and pint for just $20.
When it comes to drinks, the Inn has an impressive range of interesting local wines and WA’s best local beers on tap.
Less than 35km from the city, the Inn is a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of Perth and on the doorstep of a host of sights and activities in the Hills. Including its fair share of haunted places.
Inn Mahogany Creek 4260 Great Eastern Highway, Mahogany Creek To book 9295 1118
Open Wednesday 4pm – till late Thursday 4pm – till late Friday 12 noon – till late Saturday 12noon – till late Sunday 12noon – till 9pm
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