South West Australia you awesome thing! It has been awhile since I took a trip to the region. 4 years or so I believe. The tree-lined drive has always won my fancy and this time around it did not disappoint either. My 4day trip down South over the long weekend was plenty enough to enjoy some of the region’s finest beaches and dining venues. Leaving home at 9am, I reached just in time to enjoy lunch at the Leeuwin Estate Winery.
Mom and dad cringed at the thought of another big dollar bill after our unfortunate visit to Lamont’s last year. Needless to say, I took pleasure in reassuring them not all establishments are built equal. Seasons change, palates grow and menus evolve.
To start, we ordered a loaf of bread $7 and a Charcuterie plank $38 with cured wild boar meat, one with black truffle truffles and the other plain, pork Rillette, tomato chutney, liver parfait, gherkins, pickled peppers and bread.
Everyone had a bite into this decadent plank. The offerings were vast and each element was surprisingly tasty. But not as surprising as my dad wrapping the everything up in the slices of cured meats as though eating an inside out Peking duck haha. Needless to say, it was a good starter. Perfect for sharing across the table!
Our curious little appetiser, the scallops sashimi $26.
Consisting of three thinly slices of scallop, an avocado mousse and some salsa in a clear consommé, this was a refreshing bite for the afternoon. Now, if only we could super size this! I have to say, it was really small even for one person.
Finishing our appetiser, the service was prompt and courteous with the waitstaff asking us whether we were good to start the next course. Receiving our positive nods, she cleared the table and came out with our mains just moments later.
Dad’s dish of grilled Tiger Prawns ($40~) served on a bed of Cous Cous with little dollops of Harissa.
Bright, presentable and every bit attractive, there was more substance to this than what meets the eye. Well-cooked prawns, fruity Cous Cous and a sublime sauce to pair. Whilst it sounded really simple, it was faultless.
Mom’s fish of the day consisted of a grilled Snapper, Figs, and Prosciutto ($40~).
Mom was happy to be served what she ordered. She was happy. Very indeed! On her behalf, a bite into this help me understood why. It was simply cooked to perfection. A decent slab of fresh market fish crisp on top, juicy on the inside which condiments that actually make your tongue wag.
My sis and I shared the 900 gram Rib Eye ($110) that came with a side of fries and salad.
Damn the steak came out looking grand. As we were one of the first ones to have our mains served, I could tell that other tables decided on their mains based on what we had when they saw the steak come out. The steak was a clear winner from that perspective. But was it really all that great? For starters, our request for medium-rare came out closer to medium bordering well-done. Whilst it was hardly praiseworthy, what surprised me was that the meat was still really tender despite not being perfectly pink in the middle? Was it trickery to the eye? I wonder. The condiments of mustards did not look as rich as the Harissa and Béarnaise served at Rockpool but the horseradish and English mustard played a big part in bringing out the flavours of the steak. I really enjoyed it for some reason. Holiday mood? :P
The chips were great. Thinly cut, fried crisp and came served with a yummy aioli dip. But as good as it was, I was more impressed with the chef’s accompanying salad for the steak.
The mixture of hand picked garden herbs like mint, basil and coriander mixed with tiny bits of lettuce and rockets in a generous acid dressing was delicious. Biting into herbs you get layers of fragrance and freshness pouring out. Pair it with the steak and somehow the combination really worked! In this instance it tasted so much better than Rockpool's chopped salad!
To end, we had some desserts to share around the plate
Flour-less orange and almond cake ($12)
Dark chocolate mousse with berry foam, sour cherry preserve and spiced grains.
Pineapple panna cotta, pineapple sorbet and a slice of pineapple.
The desserts on the table were all very decadent. Our palate did not take liking to several elements like the fresh pineapple in the Panna Cotta because it was cut too deep into the core leaving a fibrous taste in each bite. I also was not too impressed by the spices grain in the chocolate mousse as the ratio did not feel quite right. But arguably my biggest displeasure was the lack of depth in the chocolate mousse. It did not feel quite right. Something was lacking for sure. In saying that, there were still very good desserts like the orange and almond cake. That was yums!
Including a round of drinks before and after meal, the bill totalled to around $300 which was pretty decent for all the food we had. To sum the service, ambience and quality of food, Leeuwin Estate really lived up to my expectations. My booking here was rather unplanned as it turned out to be one of the restaurants with available tables and luckily enough, the food was up to standard. Also, its elevated restaurant also ensured that the diners are blessed with views of its open field below
WenY
