Near Salt Rock this summer? Check out this gorgeous family-friendly escape, where colourful and healthy food will make your taste buds happy. Eat Out critic Shirley Berko pays Delish Sisters at the Litchi Orchard a visit.

Almost too pretty to eat: toast at Delish Sisters. Photo supplied by the restaurant.

Food

The premise behind the cooking style is family feasting, but with modern trend inspiration. It’s hard to pinpoint any directly culinary influence, with Moroccan food bowls and Asian-style glass noodle phyllo wraps and fry-ups (with edible flowers inside that look more like treasured gifts than food), but it would seem that colour is the strongest influence. Whatever is colourful and hints of healthfulness holds the attention on the menu. And it would be remiss if was all looks, but it tastes as good as it photographs.

Cookie-cutter breakfasts of bacon and eggs are eschewed for arrestingly beautiful smoothie bowls, poached eggs, creamy scrambles. The star fruit and goji berry smoothie bowl is almost too beautiful to eat.

Lunch is a mosaic of colourful salads, savoury tarts, quiches, roasted meats and other appetising morsels. Although the offering changes weekly, popular repeat dishes that feature include sticky onion marmalade pork sausages, zucchini fritters and mushroom-and-thyme phyllo pastry cigars. Two things that should be scooped up in generous portions if spotted are the pork belly, with crackling so crispy that it snaps like decadent shards, and the Asian-style short rib. It’s tender and submerged in a rich, umami-rich sauce, sprinkled with a confetti of toasted sesame seeds. Pillows of beetroot gnocchi in a creamy dill-and-lemon sauce and tender roast chicken pieces are hearty and sublime, too. Quinoa, chia and herb arancini, stuffed with oozy brie and served with a tangy tomato dipping sauce, is a hit of healthy decadence.

Bold flavours and bright colours….we love lunchtime at the cafe #delishsisters #harvesttable

A post shared by DelishSisters (@delishsisters) on Nov 8, 2017 at 3:03am PST

Whilst the savouries have a definite healthy approach, there’s no limits on desserts at Delish Sisters. Tarts, cakes, meringues, date balls and chocolate truffles are an alter to worshippers of all things sweet. There are even dairy-free and sugar-free options.

Mmmm isn’t she a beauty?! Cool and refreshing watermelon and mint pressed juice #delishsisters #fresh #seasonal

A post shared by DelishSisters (@delishsisters) on Feb 17, 2017 at 11:06pm PST

Drinks

Fresh-pressed juices are available, changing regularly and with ingredients informed seasonally. This is a hidden gem for gin lovers, too, with various craft gins and cocktails available.

Service

Service is efficient and friendly. The harvest table has self-service convenience.

@first_lightfarm prettying up our Friday with all of these beaut edible flowers! Vietnamese rice paper wraps done our way #delishsisters #lunching

A post shared by DelishSisters (@delishsisters) on Jul 21, 2017 at 2:35am PDT

Ambience

An intrinsic connection between family, friends and food is demonstrated in the setup of Delish Sisters. Picnic tables dot the veranda, and every day lunch is served as a variety of platters on a harvest table. The air is filled with chatter and children, and a convivial atmosphere is paired with the hearty and delicious food piled on decorative plates.

And…

Bring a shopping basket and pop into some of the little craft food shops at this complex to grab freshly baked bread, farm butter, milk and fresh veg, all from local producers.

Eat Out critics dine unannounced and pay for their meals in full. Read our editorial policy here.

Have you visited Delish Sisters this summer? Let us know what you thought in a review. (For each review you write, Eat Out will pledge a meal for a hungry child through Rise Against Hunger SA. Post a review now.)