Healesville, Victoria
Fantastic Lunch in Wine Country
Dined in March 2015
Day two of wine touring the Yarra Valley had me dining for lunch at a very art deco style winery, where I enjoyed the tastings with a wonderful lunch and some great company from some other American tourists visiting from Los Angeles. The dining room, and tasting room were located inside a circular building surrounded by columns and a separate circular museum building, the TarraWarra Vineyard had the architectural feeling of ancient Greece in modern times.
Scroll down to read the main review
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Star ratings chart:
5 stars
|
Extraordinary |
| 4 stars | Outstanding |
| 3 stars | Exceeded expectations |
| 2 stars | Above average |
| 1 star | Average |
| No star rating | Basic, poor, or appalling |
Review basics:
Overall Star rating by Wine, Dine, & Play:
|
4 of 5 |
| Quality of food: | 8 of 10 |
| Presentation: | 7 of 10 |
| Customer service: | 7 of 10 |
| Ambiance: | 6 of 10 |
| Corkage fee’s: | American Restaurant standard is $25.00 per bottle |
| Restaurant style: | Casual |
| Dress code: | Casual, or Conservative attire |
| Reservations: | Required |
| Walk-in: | Accepted, but not guaranteed |
| Child policy: |
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. Hire a Babysitter. See Alinea Baby Gate, god I love Alinea. |
| Cuisine style: | Contemporary, Bistro, Modern, Mediterranean, European, New Zealand (Kiwi), Australian, Italian, International, & Vegetarian |
| Music styles: | Background instrumental |
| Experiences: | Place for foodies, Business parties, Romantic, Hot spot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Scenic views, Intimate, Classy, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood gem. |
| Gratuities: | Industry standard is 18-20% added to parties of 6 or more |
| Payments: | Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express |
| Parking: | Vineyard Parking |
| Transport options: | limousine, personal vehicle |
| Wifi | The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails. |
| Noise level: | Low |
| Smoking: | Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio |
| Patio: | Yes |
Chef:
Robin Sutcliffe
 |
| Picture courtesy of TarraWarra |
Food price per person
(Excluding tax & gratuity)
$64.00
Price chart:
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - Under 75.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur’s**
My food bill:
|
Currency: | Price chart: |
| $64.00 | Australian Dollar (AUS) | $ |
| $52.00 | United States Dollar (USD) | $ |
| £32.00 | Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP) | £ |
| €46.00 | European Union (EUR) | € |
| $62.00 | Canadian Dollar (CAN) | $ |
| ¥310.00 | Chinese Yuan (CNY) | ¥¥¥¥ |
To get up to date currency rates:
Scroll down below the main review to see cost of wines and tasting notes.
From restaurants home page:
TarraWarra Estate is best known as a producer of exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and we also make several other single block heritage varietals and estate blends. Our wines are made to express the unique terroir of the TarraWarra site, which is comprised of many individual blocks and planted with carefully selected clones, each contributing their own unique characteristics to our wines.
TarraWarra Estate is internationally renowned as an unforgettable wine tasting and restaurant experience in the Yarra Valley. Respect for sustainability and provenance of the estate is integral to everything we do. The estate with its native bushland and waterways is where we cultivate our grapes, make our wine, graze our cattle and grow produce for our restaurant. The estate is the spirit of TarraWarra.
The lunch menu is based on seasonal produce and changes regularly. Chef Robin Sutcliffe, sources produce from local providers and grows much of his own produce in the estate's kitchen garden.
"TarraWarra Estate has crafted the perfect package for visitors to the Yarra Valley. The picturesque vines produce outstanding wine, and the restaurant presents earthy yet creative lunches in a stone-and-glass setting” — The Age Good Food Guide 2014
Main review:
Food glorious Australian Food and wine to boot. What more can you ask for when on a quick vacation Down Under? This was my second day in the Yarra Valley enjoying some great tastings, and lunch would be no different not only enjoying the cuisine from chef Robin Sutcliffe, but the wines from TarraWarra. The chef’s menu is a diverse selection of choices from across Australia with a hint of the Mediterranean, along with fresh herbs and vegetables from the local gardens or local organic producers. The dining room was small maybe with a maximum capacity of about forty people, so it is very important that you book your reservations ahead of time, as there is no guarantee that as a walk-in that you will be served.
In the starter or entree section of the menu you had a good selection and diverse amount of choices from heirloom zucchini, with pine nuts, roasted corn, and baked buffalo ricotta. There was a quail and mussel escabeche with chorizo and kipfler potatoes, a charcuterie of game terrine, pâté, and pork rillettes. I chose the hot smoked Buxton Yarra Valley Trout with an avocado & cos, with saffron dressing, topped with a manchego cheese wafer.
The flavor was very mild compared to most smoked fish recipes, and the avocados were much different then Haas avocados that Americans would be used to, but still very tasty. Round it out with the cheese and your in heaven. I didn’t pick up the saffron favors so it must have been very mild, and based on the price of saffron, I would put little amounts in dishes as well. With this dish I enjoyed the TarraWarra 2013 Estate Chardonnay which they have available for $28.00 Australian dollars from there tasting room. (Scroll down below the main review to see wine tasting notes)
As I had placed the order, before the starter arrived, I was invited to the tasting room, attached directly to the dining room, where while enjoying the full range of wines that TarraWarra had to offer, i began talking with an american Gentleman, who later introduced me to his extended family. They were from Los Angeles, and were enjoying Yarra Valley as part of their tour. While sitting down to eat the starter course, they invited me over to their table to eat with them.
On the main course selections they had selections ranging from barbecue baby chicken, slow cooked salmon, twice cooked duck leg, and finally the highlight of the day for me, the Egyptian spiced dukkah crusted kangaroo loin, with some tahini yoghurt, and warrigal greens sautéed with harissa spices. After all, if your in Australia you have to enjoy the exotic meats that you don’t normally get, so kangaroo is at the top of the list for Australia. While in South Africa and Zimbabwe eating at restaurants such as Two Oceans and Boma, I enjoyed Ostrich Fillet and Mopani Worms, which did nearly make me sick lol.
With this course I had a glass of their 2009 K Block Merlot, which paired with the kangaroo perfectly, canceling out the strong harissa spice flavor, while not affecting the flavors of the loin itself. With the dish as a side I enjoyed the heirloom tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella, basil, and vincotto, a very nice palate cleanser. By the time I was done, I could not fit room for desert even though I wanted to. They had a selection of lemon polenta, white chocolate and coconut creme, affogato, and a selection of wine sorbets catered to their wines with a farmhouse cheese plate.
TarraWarra Restaurant also offers selections that are gluten free, and with advance notice can cater to your allergen specifications.
This Restaurant reminds me of:
This was a fantastic experience, and TarraWarra Restaurant is added to my top three favorites from the Victoria Region of Australia, Vue de Monde being at the top of the list, but I would compare my experience for this lunch to other winery restaurants I have eaten at in the past such as Terroir in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and At.mosphere in Dubai on the 122nd floor of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Other Australian favorites:
Aria, Sydney
Other trending Restaurants on Wine, Dine, and Play:
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McCrady’s, in Charleston, South Carolina
Grill 225, in Charleston, south Carolina
Tapas 218, in Canton, Ohio
L’Ecrivain, in Dublin, Ireland
Cost of wines and other alcoholic beverages:
$25.00 AUS
Tasting Notes:
Wine & Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
|
Palette Experience:
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| 2013 Estate Chardonnay |
Stainless steel tanks and French Oak: 15% new; 90% Barrique. The wine has grapefruit and lemon zest aromas with underlying notes of cashew nuts.
CONTACT WINERY |
The palate has a creamy yet fine texture derived from 10 months on lees and a lovely drive with persistence of flavor. With oak and tank maturation, the wine shows an elegant complexity with appealing freshness.
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| 2009 K Block Merlot |
12 months in French Oak
50% puncheon (500L) and 50% barrique (225L) (20% new barriques) |
The appealing characters of plum, dark fruits and savory spice are layered with complexities and texture of oak, silky tannin and lovely palate weight.
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Fruit for the Estate wine was sourced from 10-27 year-old vines across various blocks.
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Wine Regulatory:
Restaurant address:
311-315 Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd,
Healesville VIC 3777, Australia
Neighborhood:
Yarra Glen
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude:-37.659428
Longetude: 145.468294
Contact Information:
Maître d, Reservations:
|
+61 3 5957 3510 | |
| Restaurant Website: | TarraWarra | |
| Email: | Contact Restaurant | |
| Social Media: |
Facebook Link | |
| Twitter @_TarraWarra_ | ||
| Blog | ||
Hours:
Lunch and Tasting Room:
Monday
|
9:00 am –5:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 9:00 am –5:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00 am –5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 9:00 am –5:00 pm |
| Friday | 9:00 am –5:00 pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Standard Time (GMT + 10:00)
Proprietor / Manager:
Darren Fraser
Review by:
Chef Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Chef Sean cooks for soldiers in Afghanistan, 2012:
"Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well."
TTFN
