00:00When you imagine Victoria's Great Ocean Road, I bet you think of wetsuit-clad surfers, waves
00:10crashing on epic southern beaches, and of course, ancient rock formations clinging to
00:15the coastline.
00:16But all along the Great Ocean Road, from Torquay to Allensford, are passionate chefs, farmers,
00:22fishermen, brewers and distillers creating magic with this fertile and luscious stretch
00:28of land.
00:29Evidence of their hard work can be found in restaurants and cafes dotted along the winding
00:33ocean road, and throughout the interlands.
00:37Here at Totty's Lawn, chef Matt Germanchest has created an incredible menu featuring melt-in-your-mouth
00:43seafood caught by fishermen from the region, and vegetables grown by nearby farmers, and
00:49they're all seasoned perfectly by an expert hand.
00:52Totty's, owned by Sydney restaurant group Merryvale, serves sumptuous raw scallops alongside
00:58a delicately dressed salad of celeriac leaves, vongole clam pasta, and perfectly grilled
01:03snapper with crunchy roast potatoes.
01:06They are a firm favourite on the main street of Lawn.
01:10Just a little further down the road is modern Indian restaurant Ra's Leela.
01:16Their creative reinventions of classic Indian dishes pack a punch of spice, sweetness and
01:22texture.
01:23Speaking of Lawn's best local haunts, a trip to the popular surf town is not complete
01:28without an egg and bacon roll at Lawn Central.
01:32Now let's head into the mountains.
01:34Hidden in the hinterland at Laver's Hill is The Perch.
01:38This restaurant raises animals for meat on a nearby farm and grows vegetables on site,
01:43including river mint for cocktail garnishes.
01:45This perfect oasis with a view through the mountains to the Bass Strait also has a great
01:50selection of classic French and Italian wines.
01:54Just a little further into the mountains is the Clean Cravings eatery at the Great Ocean
01:58Road Wildlife Park.
02:00Tourists stop here to learn about dingoes and other amazing Australian animals, but
02:05the locals know that this is the best place for a fresh salad or toasty, and you might
02:09even get to pat an adorable pet or two.
02:13They are ideal pit stops before heading into the charming, sleepy town of Apollo Bay.
02:19Here at Grey's, local produce including wildshot venison and Port Arlington mussels
02:24are handled elegantly by chef Julian Toussaint to create a playful menu.
02:30Diners enjoy succulent scallops dressed in butter and mussels in an aromatic broth.
02:36And if all of that food wasn't enough, why not try a famous scallop pie at the Apollo
02:41Bay Bakery.
02:44All along this coastline are dedicated farmers and creative chefs serving incredible food
02:50to locals and tourists alike.
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