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Kingfish, Ponzu, Radishes & Turnips

Penfolds conjures up some of the most enduring images of my romance with wine. When I think of the Barossa, I think of Penfolds, and then I think of Grange, and then I think of the Barossa. They are intertwined in a way that is unique.

Magill Estate is where it all started in 1844. However, Magill Estate is not in the Barossa and is only about twenty minutes from the Adelaide CBD. A pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless. As you enter the drive you feel a long way out of the city, driving by softly lit vines, and the original homestead of Dr Penfold.

The bread was amazing!

The heritage feel provides the initial impact. Entering the Penfolds Magill Estate restaurant you return to modern times with slick furnishings, well spaced tables, and a view over the vines that is breathtaking. On the table is a thick vine cutting that is like a toy to a wine enthusiast. The wine focus is obvious; judging on the interior the food is likely to be modern and pretty. Touches like the bag stool are the rule rather than the exception.

We are given a menu and explained the wine matching options. There is an exceptional, but expensive, premium matching, but I opt for the “Sommelier’s Choice” which still has great Penfolds wine offered, a little more cheaply. Catherine is driving tonight so after some advice from the sommelier, she asks to begin with a chardonnay and end with a shiraz. And what a shiraz it was!

While this is not only an oasis for wine lovers, it does help having a keen interest. The sommelier is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, enhancing the experience. On the other side, the rest of the floor, and especially the maitre’d, are not just experienced and professional, they are astute. There is a rhythm between them, and when a beat is skipped, the maitre’d pivots with poise. A performance worthy of a standing ovation.

Some amazing wines

The structure of the tasting menu is modern with a selection of small dishes to start, several small to medium entrée sized dishes, and a couple of desserts, before petit fours to finish. A glass of 2006 Seppelt Salinger starts us off with snacks including King Brown mushroom and wagyu tartare sided by a crisp wafer, cute jam doughnut looking puffs that are filled with goats curd with beetroot in place of jam, and pork tail. It was a nice start without an overwhelming dish, but that may have been because from the moment we entered the restaurant everything had been amazing.

Marron, Cultured Buttermilk and Horseradish, Ice Plant

One of the prettiest dishes I’ve seen came next and was served with the herbaceous 2012 Cellar Reserve Semillon. Kingfish sashimi is nothing new to fine dining, so it has to be incredible to stand out. One of my favourite fishes, the kingfish is delightfully fresh, and generously cut. Covered by radishes and turnips that are not just beautifully prepared, but excellent accompaniments, all this dish needs is a great dressing to bring it together and that is where the deep flavoured ponzu comes in. This is a wonderful dish; immaculately plated.

Salt baked Celeriac, Spit roast Chicken essence & Black Truffle

While the first couple of wines were both top quality, the 2010 Cellar Reserve Chardonnay steps it up a notch and we are starting to enter new territory. It is well made, and has aged well as a result, developing restrained honey notes that pair nicely with the marron. While the kingfish was superb, in line with the wine, the marron stepped up, whether on its own due to perfect technique, or with the beautiful buttermilk and horseradish sauce. The ice plant, which is new to me, but incidentally was on the menu a couple of nights later at Orana, is crisp but juicy, with a flavour of its own. It is a succulent that is named after the icy frost look that forms on its skin, and naturally is good with seafood given it grows in close proximity to the water.

When I think about my favourite pinot noir, I think about earthiness and the 2002 Cellar Reserve from the Adelaide Hills has that in balance with good fruit and elegant aged tannins. Excitement from the wine turns to intrigue with the disk of black truffle topping thinly sliced and baked celeriac, and gorgeous spit roast chicken, the broth providing a hit of decadence.

Mayura Wagyu, Pine nut & Macadamia emulsion, Chicory

Drapped Mayura wagyu is chopped into finely formed bite sized pieces with pinenuts, macadamias and chicory that when combined together have a great impact. Not to be overshadowed, the second oldest wine we tried for the night was the 1995 Old Vine Shiraz Mourvedre Grenache which is a Southern Rhone style that is full of fruit, but naturally soft through the aging process. At this stage Catherine gets the opportunity to try a 1987 St Henri which I sneak a sip of and it is even better.

Venison, Hay smoked Beetroots & Red elk

Venison does not get any tenderer than what is dished up for our final savoury course. When served with a natural accompaniment in beetroot, this dish accentuates and builds on a classic with impeccable technique. I was a little overwhelmed when firstly being poured the 2008 RWT Shiraz, and then offered a complimentary (and generous) taste of 2009 Grange to compare it to. Both wines are magnificent. Although very young, the Grange has all the layers you would hope for in such a highly regarded wine. It doesn’t eclipse the RWT though, with its different makings, the RWT would be some tasters favoured wine. I was in heaven.

Baked Cheesecake, Pickled Apple & Muntries

Lemon curd, Jersey cream and meringue starts our entry into dessert. It is delicious; the meringue’s sweetness easily balanced by the soft cream and curd. A pear cider accompanies the first dessert, which refreshes you for the next instalment. Beautifully presented, a long slice of baked cheesecake ice cream, comes with a good amount of pickled Granny Smith apple, and muntries. A native berry, the muntries add a burst of sourness complimenting the other ingredients, and painstakingly sliced walnut provides the final touch to a dessert both incredible to eat, and look at. The sticky Viognier is a nice match.

Not to be finished with, the petit fours are a dish in themselves. We ate every single one as we reflected on a brilliant display of food and wine, served with professionalism and flair. This is a restaurant that feels at the top of its game. Outside of its proximity to internationally important wine regions, it is yet another reason to travel to Adelaide.

Real conservas mackerel, garlic sauce, hot vinegar sauce

Special occasion doesn’t get much bigger than my Mum’s birthday. Tonight my Aunty, Sher, has told Mum she has a surprise for her, but unbeknownst to Mum it is not just the restaurant. I am sitting waiting, having travelled from over the other side of the country, at Pata Negra.

Mum is in a little bit of shock when she walks in to see me waiting, but a few sips of the Rioja later and shock has turned to excitement as we get to catch up for all our July birthdays. Surprises are nerve wracking, especially the “keeping the secret” part, which Sher did beautifully.

Duck liver, madeira and black truffle pate, sourdough

Pata Negra is a restaurant I haven’t been to for years since it first opened, but from that experience, and several times at Star Anise, I know David Coomer’s food is first class. It is a special occasion and that calls for something a little bit fancy. The BYO policy on a Wednesday night helps a fair bit too.

The restaurant is full with a good mixed crowd in small groups appreciating the intimate space. The separation of the rooms in what must have been originally a house helps create the intimacy, but there is also a lot of thought in the furnishings, and use of levels. I especially like the feel that is created with the different table shapes, motley of dining chairs, banquettes and benches. It is a neighbourhood restaurant in Nedlands that has a European feel.

Half shell scallop, black truffle, sweet corn, brown butter

Our waitperson has been called into work at short notice but lives nearby and is in good spirits. Although admittedly a little inexperienced having only been working here for a month, she does a nice job. The main suggestion would be for her to get more familiar with the food being served, and how to articulate its flavour, even if it is food that she doesn’t necessarily have at the top of her list. This all comes with experience.

We order the duck liver pate, scallops in a half shell, Portobello mushrooms, and harissa lamb as our savoury courses. I had been told by a good friend that the mackerel was a must try, and while our waitperson doesn’t have an affinity with this type of fish, I took the advice of my mate and ordered it anyway.

Wood roasted portobello mushrooms, ortiz anchovy, pecorino, chilli

The duck liver pate came out first and was one of our favourite dishes. The pate, with Madiera jelly was incredibly deep in flavour, and the sliced baguette it is served with is fresh and crusty – the perfect vessel. It was gone in a flash and we were on to the mackerel.

Served in the usual presentation utilising the can, the mackerel are subtle with a texture that is softened by the oil. Served with thicker charred garlic bread, the softness of the mackerel are balanced with the char, and the chilli vinegar adds a medium level of spice that works well.

Harissa lamb, pumpkin puree, turnips

The scallops in their half shell, with a thin but generous crisp of Manjimup truffle on top, and delicious puree of sweet corn are my favourite smaller dish for the night. The scallops are incredible, and remind me of the ma hor that David used to serve at Star Anise. There is a lot going on in this dish, but with only two bites, you are left wanting to come back instantly.

The Portobello mushrooms are well cooked, with pecorino cheese topping, herbs, anchovies and chilli. They are great on their own, but I keep some for our main of harissa lamb. The lamb is served on bones a size I haven’t ever seen in a restaurant. Served nice and pink, my first bite is actually my chewiest and I realise that I’m going to have to be careful in the cutting, taking off as much fat as possible. While it is a carnivores delight, we needed some warning about the large lamb rack cut, which isn’t described on the specials board. In the end I really enjoyed most of the lamb, Sher loved it, and Mum disliked it having got probably the fattiest of the cuts.

Vanilla malt ice cream, bitter chocolate ganache, whiskey caramel, hazelnuts

Having enquired later with the restaurant I find out the lamb rack has been spiced with Moruno (a marinade made up of cumin, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and Spanish paprika, among other things). The harissa spiced pumpkin puree served with the lamb is amazing, and I liked the roasted parsnips too. It was one of those dishes that had us talking and debating. All the while Sher was demolishing the bones!

We still had some of the second wine I brought, a Brokenwood 2011 Shiraz, so we decided to look over dessert while enjoying the La Peral cow’s milk blue cheese. I like a simple cheese board. All you really need is some good quality bread, great cheese, and perhaps an accompaniment. That is what we got and the accompanying nuts and dried fruit were presented nicely.

For dessert, having ummed and ahhed for a while, we decided to share two between the three of us. The first was vanilla malt ice cream, bitter chocolate ganache, whisky caramel and hazelnuts. The second was cinnamon doughnuts with pedro ximenez ice cream and raisins. Both were fantastic. The doughnuts themselves the best I’ve recently eaten with that perfect balance between outer crunch and inside softness (but not doughiness). Both ice creams on these dishes were expertly churned, the bitter chocolate ganache just rich enough without dominating all other flavours.

Cinnamon doughnuts, pedro ximenez ice cream, raisins

This was a great meal. We had plenty of time to catch up and celebrate, finishing up when the restaurant was empty besides our table. While it is not a cheap place to eat, by quality standards I think the expense is worth it, and the space is especially appealing. It is a place that would be difficult to replicate, with a neighbourhood feel that makes you jealous of the locals.

BLK's Food Blog

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Penfolds Magill Estate – Magill – Thursday 30 July 2015 – Dinner

Pata Negra – Nedlands – Wednesday 15 July 2015 – Dinner

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