Restaurant:The Salopian Inn

Restaurant: The Salopian Inn

Cnr McMurtrie & Main Rds

McLaren Vale

http://www.salopianinn.com.au/

A Sunday wine tasting and lunch day... what a better place than McLaren Vale to celebrate a friend's birthday! After tasting at a couple of wineries, we headed to The Salopian Inn for more wine and a long lunch.As we sat down, we were brought a platter of Baquette with Olive Oil and Salopian Butter ($2.50). Only thing missing was a bit of goats curd. The "birthday girl" put in the request and voila the goats curd was added to our platter! Prior to arriving at the Salopian, we went to Coriole for tasting. One wine we were unable to taste was the obscure grape, Fiano. They DID have a few bottles for sale, so we all pitched in and purchased a bottle to start our lunch with.

The tasting notes stated that the wine is sprightly and bright, with the up-front, natural acidity typical of the variety; aromas of grapefruit, lemon and green apple are augmented by touches of frangipani and fresh herbs. The palate is refreshing, with the signature long texture of the variety.

As none of us had tried it before, it was interesting to find out that The grape variety Fiano originates from the Campania region east of Naples. It is a very shy bearer which probably explains why until recently it was only planted in a small acreage. It was probably more common to find it in ancient Roman times. The variety takes its name from the Latin 'vitis apiana', as the grapes, when left on the vines, proved to be irresistible to bees.

I think we all agreed it was a really nice starter wine and was great with our baguette and goats curd! Very refreshing, easy drinking wine. (We were also pleased to see we paid only $25 for the bottle at the winery, and the restaurant was selling it at $45).Among 7 women, the Coriole bottle didn't last long of course so it was time for an excursion down to the cellar. I love this part of any restaurant, but the Salopian cellar really does have a nice feel about it. Filled with McLaren Vale shiraz amongst others, we spent a long time browsing...and taking photos of each other amongst the bottles!I settled on a mid-range Shiraz. It was a big McLaren Vale Shiraz... just what you need on a cold, wet wintery day!I started with the Lamb's Kidney Sauteed in brandy, garlic and parsley with deep fried onion rings ($18). I do try to order things I would never make at home, and this is no exception. The strong taste of offal is definitely not for some, but I really enjoyed this dish. The rich gravy and heavy meat, make for a great winter dish. An entree size is definitely enough however, the strong flavour is just too much for any bigger size.For my main course, I decided on the Whole Garfish in a prawn and leek souffle accompanied by a butter sauce and Yarra Valley Salmon Roe ($18) . A perfect pretty dish, I couldn't fault it at all. The whole garfish made for interesting presentation, and the salmon Roe was a perfect texture with the the delicate souffle. Extraordinary! We all shared Organic Potatoes roasted in duck fat and Steamed Green Beans ($6ea). The potatoes were crunchy on the outside and the beans were cooked perfectly. Wonderful accompaniments at a great price!

Below are dishes others in the group had that day. There was not a single complaint amongst any of them!

Chargrilled eye fillet of beef with gnocchi and ox tail sauce ($32)
Crispy skinned duck breast with twice cooked duck leg, baked quince and baby spinach ($32)

The fish special of Panfried Snapper with Panchetta wrapped scallops, asparagus and verjuice butter sauce ($35).
Game Puff Pastry Pie with roasted chestnuts and carmalised shallots ($18) ........ I almost ordered this!
Blue Swimmer Crab Tortellline with truffle cream sauce and Coorong cockles brasised in a fresh tomato sauce ($32)
The soup special.. Tomato and bread with Woodside goats curd and basil pesto ($16.50). Love the goats curd!!Not being a big dessert eater, I pitched in with a couple of the girls for the 3 Cheese Plate with baguette and muscatels ($24) . I love cheese and the blue cheese on the platter was not exception! Soft Centred Chocolate Pudding with orange brulee and chocolate ice cream ($15). How fantastic did this look!Strawberries in a sable pastry tart case with passion fruit creme patissiere, strawberry sauce and Alexandrina double cream ($15)

Coming Soon: The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale

Restaurant: Osteria Sanso

Princes Highway
Kanmantoo

Where you say? That's right.. in the middle of basically no where, sits a wonderful Tuscan restaurant. Legendary Adelaide chef Tony Sanso left the big smoke and has bought this old pub which was built in the late 1800s in the former copper mining town of Kanmantoo.

Mum and I and kids arrived for a wonderful Mother's Day lunch. Despite the Maserati and Porche parked outside, the inside was far from pretentious. Wooden floors, crowded and noisy......just what a good Italian restaurant should be. It was very busy that day of course and it was delight to watch the big Italian families greeting each other with the typical air kissing of both cheeks. After a quick field trip to the cellar, we decided on an Italian Chianti (Founterutoli 2006 $59.95). It was a sensational bottle of red, probably enhanced by the Italian feel and language around the restaurant. As I was driving, I could only assist Mum in finishing the bottle. Unfortunately, the wine list did not have any reds but the house red by the glass, making it necessary to buy a whole bottle.

We started with the standard bruchetta ($5.90). Fresh tomato, garlic, olive oil and basil, it was very reasonably priced, but lacked the strong garlic both Mum and I love in our bruchetta (I think that comes from our friend Jean's bruchetta!!)

The specials board listed Udder delights goat cheese curd, olive oil and bread ($13.90) which of course my daughter and I just couldn't resist. It there is goat's curd we MUST eat it! imagine my daughter's delight when they brought a HUGE bowl of the stuff!! Needless to say, she didn't eat a whole lot of her main course!
My daughter ordered the Saleiccie Tartufate Con Porcini - pork sausages Italian style with truffle and porcini mushrooms, served on a bed of polenta and carmelised onion glaze ($14.90e or $22.90m). The entree size was still very substantial, and regardless of the gluttony earlier with the goat's curd, I don't think she would have finished it. I found this dish a bit too salty for my liking, but the polenta cake was absolutely beautiful with the rich gravy!
My Mum ordered LaFiorentina ($27.90) - Char grilled 500g T-bone cooked the Florentine way (specially marinated). A beautiful steak. Tender, and cooked perfectly medium rare as requested. Absolutely NO complaints!I had the Quaglie alla Racola- Chargrilled quails on a seasoned rocket salad ($23.90). I certainly think I win on the best dish at the table. It was sensational! Beautifully spiced, simply presented... just perfect. The bread soaking up all those amazing juices was a great addition. My rocket salad was incredibly fresh... just a perfect plate!
One of the highlights of Osteria Sanso, is that Tony's wife has a very substantial vegetable and herb garden at the back of the restaurant. Our spinach sauteed with extra virgin olive oil garlic and chili ($6) was so fresh and full of flavour! We also ordered the mushrooms sauteed with onion and extra virgin olive oil. Lovely and earthy, a great addition to our meal! It must be mentioned that Tony himself left the kitchen and delivered our side dishes... very nice touch!

For some reason I do not have a photo of my son's meal. He had the Maccheroni al Ragu- tube pasta with a special Tuscan meat sauce ($18.90). They did not have a kid's menu as such, but surprisingly, he ate every last bit of his pasta! The serving sizes were huge, even my quail didn't get finished! A great value for money restaurant, without compromising on taste. We had a wonderful day here, in fact my Mum rang me later that evening and said it was her favourite lunch she has ever had with me!

I love this place, and think its obscure location adds to the appeal. A Bed and Breakfast has been added to the mix, and the day after our lunch, I booked a night there in a month or so! Again, very reasonably priced, B and B for 2 with 3 course dinner and continental breakfast delivered to your room for around $300... can't go wrong!! Occasionally I see this place for sale on the interenet, and it will be a sad sad day when Tony closes his doors. .. get there before that happens!

Restaurant/Cellar Door

Restaurant/Cellar Door: Dudley Wines
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
Corner of North Terrace and Thomas Willson Street

In 2006, I did a quick trip to KI with my Mum and kids before moving up to Cairns. We had a great time, and a highlight of that trip was Dudley Cellar door at Cape Willoughby. They served us a "bucket of prawns" in bright yellow sand buckets...........fantastic. I was so inspired by this innovative way of serving up prawns, I copied them for Christmas that year!
Although the Cellar door was in a magnificent location close to the lighthouse at Cape Willoughby, alas it seems the regular tourist does not wander as he should, and they have moved to more central and convenient Penneshaw . The ferry to the mainland docks in Penneshaw, and despite the less charismatic cellar door, I was pleased they had moved. What better way to pass the time waiting for the ferry than to have lunch and wine!
The restaurant is open and airy, complete with Dudley wines and the usual tacky tourist honey and other KI products. There is plenty of room, and I can only assume the occasional bus must stop for tastings.Dudley has a wide range of wines. Chardonnay, Cab Sauv, Shiraz, Sauv Blanc and a Rose. Their Porky Flat Shiraz is fantastic, and their Sauv Blanc is a good stand-by.

Wandering around the restaurant, you get a real comfy, home feeling. Walls are adorned with photos of regulars enjoying a night out with live music, and with Xavier Rudd and then Jack Johnson playing in the background, one could expect good music on their live entertainment nights! Fantastic flora and fauna photos are everywhere, very appropriate for the natural experience of Kangaroo Island.

The Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb ($18) was seasoned with cumin, garlic and herbs served with pumpkin, pine nuts, baby spinach, hommous and KI coriander chilli jam. A very good "comfort" food, the presentation was simple and fresh.

The platter ($35) shared by my kids (with a bit of Mum's fingers into that goats curd) was great. Marinated Kangaroo olives, Barossa Valley curd, cheddar, prosciutto, mettwurst, pickled onions, sundried tomato and cashew dip, dukkah and toasted turkish bread. Although the inclusion of local produce is always appreciated, the price was a bit steep for what was presented.

I had the Kangaroo Island Fetta and Pea Fritters )18) with smoked Atlantic salmon, lemon and mustard aioli and rosted cherry tomatoes. I was pleased to see they used Island Pure Fetta... a fantastic sheep cheese. I absolutely love their Haloumi. The fritters were slightly over-cooked, so a bit rubbery but all in all, I really enjoyed this lunch. Nice and light and fresh, my glass of Grassy Flat Sauv Blanc enhanced the flavours beautifully.

The staff were attentive and quick, and we had a very enjoyable, casual lunch. The convenient location will ensure the success of this restaurant. Its limited menu really works ... simple, and fresh. I just hope come summer they put those buckets of prawns back on the menu!!