I only had Sunday off last week, so I did a 12 hour getaway to the Hunter with a few friends of mine. Ideally it would’ve been lovely to stay overnight, but an 8:30am meeting on a Monday morning didn’t help.
I booked a 2 bedroom apartment for my friends at Tonic Hotel which is in Lovedale. It is ultra modern, the fridge is fully stocked with goodies (most of them complementry, such as bacon and eggs, fruit juices, cereals, milk, fruit salads etc), there is a fireplace, a large outdoor entertaining area, BBQ, two GIANT bathrooms with showers and Aesop products. Even the latest chillout music CD’s are provided by the strereo.
We began our day having lunch at Esca Restaurant @ Bimbagen. There were “wine tasting plates” on offer where you have an assiette of three dishes that are matched with 3 small glasses of wine. The view from the restaurant overlooking the vineyards is also amazing.
[left] Sumac spiced prawns with a watermelon, marinated fetta and mint salad
Caramelised onion, olive and duetto tart
Poached asparagus with a smoked salmon terrine and soft boiled egg
Matched with three Bimbadgen Estate White Wines
[right] Wood spit-roasted duck with sauteed Ya pears
Wood char-grilled cumin lamb fillets
Wood char-grilled beef with parmesan polenta
Matched with three Bimbadgen Estate Red Wines
This is followed by a visit to one of my favorite places – Piggs Peake Winery
Girls love the “I Swine”, which is a cute name they use for their popular Icewine – where my guyfriends bought multiple bottles, as “chicks totally dig it”, they say. You only need to take one look at the happiness on our faces.
Another favorite is the Scarborough, which are famous for their Chardonnays. I’m not a big fan of the Chardy, but if there is one winery that does it right, it is Scarborough. Very highly regarded by a lot of chefs I know, and they provide a very comprehensive tasting with free cheese!
Dinner was at Mojo’s Restaurant, where they only use the freshest local ingredients, and the menu changes seasonally. The atmosphere is casual and cosy.
White cod fritter with avocado
Chicken liver and bacon pate with sourdough bruscetta and cornichons
Seared scallops with fried chorizo, Jerusalem artichoke puree and white truffle oil
Warm handmade pastry tart of roma tomato and goats cheese with venison prosciutto and salsa verde
Pan roasted fillet of beef with Parmesean Polenta and Pesto
Seared loin of lamb on creamy potato puree with thyme roasted beetroot and French onion sauce
Confited duck leg on a slow roasted tomato, thyme and speck cassoulet
On the way back to the hotel we caught a baby frog… it’s sooo cute! (No, I didn’t eat it)
you had frog legs?
naw. I would eat the whole frog at once!
ribbit.
riblet.
your food pictures, to me for some reason, always look quite healthy.
maybe it’s the lighting in ur shots….weird mental psyche eh?
DROOL!!! I love all your food pictures. Makes me so hungry.
great food, greater weather!
i miss ausland
now that’s a small frog!
ok, i feel like an infant child now, drools all over my shirt!
i love good eating! the pictures are great! =)
I swine.. my absolute fav.. sad they don’t have it in hk…
i envy how you eat so well! (almost too well that i did indeed think that you ate that frog
)
lucky lucky girl
Wow, that’s great how the apt. came stocked with food, but don’t think you guys had a chance to raid the fridge!
looks soooo yummy and I’m starving! You’re making my diet so much more difficult =/ LOL
the frog is super cute!!!