Rick Stein’s style shines; even if he’s not in the house

Celebrity chefs put a lot of faith in their staff when they open multiple outposts.

The big-name pan handlers are invariably on site for the first few weeks, but then they have to trust the chefs and front of house staff they have hired to make sure standards are maintained.

That's particularly important when, like restaurateur, cookery book author and television presenter Rick Stein, you have a global reputation to uphold.

Rick Stein at Coogee Beach opened just before Christmas last year and is still pulling in the crowds. The 224-seat restaurant in the same building as The InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach hosts the signature restaurant, bar dining and courtyard terrace.

We've sampled Stein venues in Padstow in Cornwall before and when I checked in last week everything in Sydney was operating exactly as the English seafood chef, and honorary Australian, would have wished.

There was a full house for Friday lunch but everything was working with clockwork precision.

The vibe is beachfront casual - with design from Stein's Australian wife Sarah, and artworks by Australian artist Brigit Thomas adorning the walls and featuring on the front page of the menu, including a striking giant squid and a shimmering school of fish.

The staff are seasoned hospitality professionals. Giovanni and Zara, who looked after us, were hugely impressive - and the kitchen brigade delivered a very tasty repaste of trademark Stein flavours.

We selected sashimi of salmon, kingfish, tuna and scallops (above), served with wakame, pickled ginger, wasabi, sashimi dressing (freshness personified), and an absolutely superb twice-baked spanner crab soufflé with thermidor sauce (below) as our starters.

We followed up with two Padstow favourites: Rick’s fish and chips deep fried in dripping, served with chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. The batter was crispy, the fish moist and flaky but I didn't enjoy the texture of the mushy peas. Picky. 

The Newlyn fish pie (below) was chock-a-block with salmon, ling, monkfish, prawns, mussels and mushrooms in a creamy seafood velouté, topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.

We shared a dessert: a classic crème brûlée with almond biscotti. along with glasses of a deliciously zingy artisan mandarin-infused limoncello.

Our wine choice was the 2024 Rick Stein White Burgundy, a house wine selected by Rick Stein and his son Charlie and a perfect match for seafood dishes. But only after my wife had sampled the deliciously dry 2024 Graci Etna Rosato from Sicily.

There is an impressive wine list by both the glass and bottle with a nice balance between Australian wines and quality imports.

Well worth a visit whether or not Stein is in the house.  

Note: Rick Stein at Coogee Beach is a cashless venue, although I'm sure the staff prefer their tips as cash.

See https://www.ricksteinatcoogeebeach.com.au/

# The writer was hosted by Rick Stein at Coogee Beach

Cape Mentelle brings benchmark cabernet tasting back to Sydney

Cape Mentelle's International Cabernet Tasting is returning to Sydney after 15-year absence.

The founding Margaret River winery will bring the tasting back to the east coast on Friday, October 16 - a major event for cabernet lovers.

To be held at Watersedge at Campbell’s Stores, with views of Sydney Harbour, the annual benchmark tasting is a hallmark event on the Australian wine calendar, featuring a line-up of some of the world’s finest cabernet labels.

Tickets are $750pp and include a blind tasting of three brackets followed by a long lunch paired to the wines from the tasting. 

There will be commentary from experts and the tasting is followed by a Champagne palate cleanser before lunch.

The Cape Mentelle International Cabernet Tasting is one of Australia’s longest running international wine benchmark tastings, established in 1982 by Cape Mentelle founder David Hohnen.

The tasting initially began as a process to help Hohnen finesse each vintage by benchmarking his own releases against globally recognised expressions.

Today, the tasting has expanded to invite wine lovers to join the Cape Mentelle team to taste and benchmark great cabernets from across the world alongside home-grown examples from the same vintage.

“I’m excited to bring this much-loved wine tasting experience back to Sydney for the first time since 2011,” says Cape Mentelle Chief of Winemaking & Viticulture David Moulton.

“Each year, the tasting reveals the ever-evolving landscape of cabernet sauvignon, as seen through the lens of some of the world’s best winemakers. Not only do we see how our own cabernet is looking against an array of other Australian releases, but we get to see how Margaret River Cabernet continues to define itself against regions from around the world.

"I can’t wait to see what the tasting unveils.”

The tasting will feature iconic Australian expressions alongside cult-status international producers from Italy (including Super Tuscans), the US, New Zealand, and France.

Adding to the event’s prestige, this year offers an Australian exclusive first look at wines from the 2023 Bordeaux vintage prior to their official local arrival. 

Tickets and details here: https://www.capementelle.com.au/Events/International-Cabernet

Meet a new Mornington Peninsula wine and food experience

Fancy a top-notch wine and food experience without having to worry about driving?

Mornington Peninsula standout Ten Minutes by Tractor offers its Mornington Peninsula Escape for $295 per person every Thursday as part of its membership of Ultimate Winery Experiences.

With return transfers from Melbourne CBD included, wine tasters with a hunger can leave the city behind for a hosted day at the winery and its restaurant.

The experience begins with sparkling wine on arrival, followed by a six-course lunch in the two-hatted eatery.

After lunch, guests continue to the cellar door for a guided tasting, exploring a selection of cool-climate wines and the stories behind them.

The group departs Malebourne at 10.30am and returns at 3:30pm, leaving plenty of time for tasting.

I've added this to my "to do" list for next time I am in bleak city. 

The wines of Ten Minutes by Tractor are always outstanding. Unfortunately, they no longer send me samples. Hint, hint. Maybe I somehow offended them?

See https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au/Experiences/Peninsula-Escape

Taste wines from four producers in the one place

 

Four leading West Australian wine brands will be hitting the big(ger) smoke next month - for one weekend only. 

West Cape Howe will be leading the quartet on May 23-24 at The National Hotel in Fremantle. 

They will be teaming up with Hay Shed Hill, Mount Trio and Risky Business to pour over 50 wines from vineyards from Margaret River through to the Great Southern. 

The format will be simple: grab a glass, wander, taste what you like and have a chat to the people who make the wines. 

The full West Cape Howe range will be open for tasting - and they always offer excellent value, as do the Hay Shed Hill offerings. 

Wine lovers can choose between Saturday with the wine tasting and finger food from 2-5pm ($55), or Sunday, with the wine tasting and shared lunch from 10am-3pm ($90). 

TICKETS ON SALE link to Hay Shed Hill

A one-day taste of the best of the Eden Valley

Looking for a special wine and food occasion? 

How about the Vino Camino 2026 - a collaboration between between two high-profile families in the Eden Valley on Sunday, May 17. 

Part of Tasting Australia, and billed as "a journey through the Barossa", the one-day gourmet experience offers the chance to spend time in the company of two of the Barossa’s founding families, Henschke and Angas, while exploring the picturesque Eden Valley.

Covering 5 kilometres, guests will be guided past historic vineyards and across ancient soils that produce some of Australia’s most renowned wines, including Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone.



Acclaimed local chefs Sam Smith and Sandor Palmai of Barossa standout Otherness will prepare seasonal dishes along the way, paired with Henschke and Hutton Vale Farm wines. 

The journey culminates in a generous Barossa-style lunch at the Angas family's historic Hutton Vale Farm.

Wine tastings and wine stories will be the order of the day as you visit landmarks including the  

Henschke cellar door in Keyneton and the Gnadenberg Church alongside the Hill of Grace vineyard.

The star tasting awaits at the peak of Mt Edelstone with a shiraz trio of Hill of Grace, Hutton Vale Farm and Mount Edelstone - along with 360-degree views of northern Eden Valley.

Lunch will be held in Hutton Vale Farm’s courtyard - with the family's famous lamb likely to feature. 

The event is for 18+ only and vegetarian, Vegan, coeliac and other dietary requirements can be catered for on request. The cost is $475 per person. 

See https://tastingaustralia.com.au/products/events/2026/vino-camino-2026

Somewhere new to stay in the Hunter; and a new pasta experience

Want to get away from it all in the heart of the Hunter Valley vineyards? Meet the De Iuliis family's Steven Vineyard Cottage, which launched this week at Hunter Valley Stays.

Located in the heart of Pokolbin, its offering a special deal for guests who stay before October 31. Stay two nights and get a third night free.

All guests enjoy a complimentary twin pack of De luliis wine and Hunter Valley Olive Oil.

The cottage is custom designed to host up to eight guests with six accommodated in the cottage and two more in a self-contained studio tailored for two more friends or family.

The promise is for "luxurious bedding, beautiful bathrooms and designer artworks throughout". There is also a vintage leather sofa by the gas fireplace.

There is also a dedicated games room and a plunge pool.

See www.huntervalleystays.com.au/hunter-valley-accommodation/stevens-vineyard-cottage-pokolbin



If your timing is right you might also be able to check out the new Under the Hunter Valley Sun experience; a new collaboration between Audrey Wilkinson Wines and local cooking school Our Italian Table, which runs on the last Friday of each month.

This is a chance to learn the art of traditional pasta-making by hand - rolling, shaping, and crafting just as has been done for generations.

The immersive experience includes a hands-on pasta-making demonstration, followed by a relaxed, shared-style long table lunch with two handcrafted pasta dishes, fresh Italian salad, warm artisan rolls, and homemade biscotti to finish, all paired with Audrey Wilkinson wines.

Learn more: https://www.ultimatewineryexperiences.com.au/experiences/Under-the-hunter-valley-sun-pasta-exp-in-the-vines/

New look and new menu for Blue Mountains eatery

 

Popular Blue Mountains venue Miss Lilian has reopened with a new look and new menu showcasing the flavours of south-east Asia.

Located on the grounds of Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa - next to the iconic Three Sisters - the new menu has been created by experienced international chefs Quang Vinh Pham and Vu Mai Truong Nguyen, utilising their extensive experience cooking in kitchens in Vietnam and Hong Kong,

The chefs have combined their passion for bold flavours and innovative cuisine with a menu featuring street food favourites including modern Vietnamese and Thai dishes, and Cantonese-inspired dim sum.

The venue offers a casual atmosphere with an open-plan kitchen. 

Signature dishes include Mongolian braised beef short rib, crispy skin spatchcock with calamansi plum sauce, and a beef noodle pho soup.

The dim sum menu includes traditional flavours such as lemongrass Pork, prawn siu mai and barbecued pork bun. 

The refreshed beverage menu features a range of Asian-inspired alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails including Green Dragon Margarita (tequila, wasabi, cucumber, agave, green chilli salt) and Mandarin Spritz (mandarin, lychee, orange, lemon and soda).

Miss Lilian is now open for dine-in and takeaway five days a week from Thursday to Monday from 11:30am-5:30pm.

See https://www.lilianfels.com.au/dining/miss-lilian

New eatery on Lake Macquarie unveiled

Looking for a day trip destination from Sydney?

How about heading for Belmont on Lake Macquarie and a meal at Martha, a new eatery at Belmont 16s Sailing Club.

The new 120-seat venue has just opened its doors officially and features a restaurant, bar area, and outdoor terrace with views across the lake.

The facilities have undergone a $20 million transformation.

Newly appointed Martha chef Tyler Rolfe says he is serving a Mediterranean-inspired menu that is centred around the restaurant’s state-of-the-art European Mibrasa ovens that impart smoky flavours from cooking over high temperatures and hot coals.

Entree highlights include; cast iron cooked halloumi with pickled cumquat and honey drizzle; char-grilled split prawns with Pukara Estate lemon and dill olive oil; and coal-roast cooled beet carpaccio with pistachio tarator, goat feta, cranberry and toasted buckwheat.

Among the mains are market fish with charred asparagus, heirloom tomato and piccata; La Brasa marinated chicken with freekeh and pomegranate salad; charcoal-roast Riverina lamb rack with heirloom tomatoes, mint,quinoa, tabouleh and labneh; and a Great Southern Pinnacle Black Angus pasture-fed Scotch steak

.

The drinks list showcases a mix of classic and playful signature cocktails named 'Martha & Friends.' with distinctive names like Mabel, Josephine, Madge, Elanor and Gloria.

The wine list heroes producers from the Hunter Valley alongside a selection of Australian and European producers. Some the older white vintages - like 2020 and 2021 sauvignon blancs - are, however, a bit of a worry

“Martha is set to be an incredible new dining destination on Lake Macquarie for locals and visitors to the region," says food and beverage manager Joel Simmons. "Our front and back of house team are a bunch of seasoned hospitality professionals that are passionate about great service, food, and drinks, and we are all very excited to welcome our first guests to the venue.”

Martha is open for lunch and dinner Thursday to Sunday 12pm-3pm & 5pm-10pm. See www.marthadrinkanddine.com.au

Images: David Li 

Take a behind the scenes look at a winery during vintage

Ever wondered what goes on in a winery during vintage?

With vintage 2023 firmly underway, McLaren Vale winery Chapel Hill is this weekend offering the chance to take a a peek behind the scenes.

For the first time since 2019, Chapel Hill chief winemaker Michael Fragos will host the Vintage Immersion Experience this Sunday: April 2.

"We are pulling back the curtain to winery operations and giving a select few the chance to see what it takes to make the Chapel Hill wines," says Fragos.

The event will run from 10am-4pm to offer guests for a first-hand look (and taste and smell) of all things vintage-related.

The day will start with some local pastries and the Escape Room Piquette - a new wine innovation in a can.

That will be followed by a vineyard and winery tour, ferment and 2022 barrel tasting as well as participation in wine-related activities like grape tasting and red fermenter plunging, perhaps even some pigeage.

A long table lunch in the cellar door atrium will be hosted by Fragos and the cellar door team with chef Jarred Styles firing up the spit with some local lamb, gourmet salads and Stoneground Bakery sourdough - paired with some cellared wines chosen by Fragos to mark his 20th vintage at Chapel Hill.

To round out the day there will be cheese platters and a new release wine tasting.

Tickets for the event are $160, but only $100 for wine club subscribers. Sounds worth a trip.

Book here: https://www.chapelhillwine.com.au/events/2023-vintage-immersion-experience/

A semillon for every palate

It has been "all change" recently at Hunter Valley icon Mount Pleasant with new owners and a new cellar door.

Now Mount Pleasant is set to unveil its new-release semillons on September 13, including the 2017 cellar-aged Lovedale Semillon, a regional icon and a wine that can cellar for 20-25 years.  

“The wine is a beautiful example of Hunter Valley semillon," says chief winemaker Adrian Sparks. "Containing a complex nose highlighting perfectly balanced bottle aged and fruit characters, a lively fresh palate with ripe citrus notes, fine acidity and a long lingering finish. This wine will cellar to be a definitive example of the classic Hunter semillon style.”

The 2022 whites release features four semillons produced from the Lovedale Vineyard, which was first planted by pioneering Maurice O’Shea in 1946. It just depends whether your preference is for youthful, or mature semillon.  

I loved the value offered by the 2022 Mount Pleasant 2022 Estate Semillon, which I reviewed in Ciao Magazine: 

There is something very special about Hunter Valley semillon, which is expressive and deliciously lively while young, and then develops toasty characters when aged. Mount Pleasant, one of the leading producers of the style and with a history that dates back over 100 years, has new owners and new labels but winemaker Adrian Sparks remains on board, and this is a delightful new release with youthful vibrancy and a lemony tang on the palate. Brilliant when paired with freshly shucked oysters. $25.

The other wines I have sampled are all excellent: the 2022 Lovedale Semillon (members only) $55; 2017 Lovedale Semillon $90 and 2017 Elizabeth Semillon $30. The release also includes a 2022 rosé and a 2021 chardonnay and fiano.

The wines will all be available for tasting and sales in the newly refurbished cellar door from their release, with Mount Pleasant hosting a dedicated lunch on September 17 to celebrate the 2022 released whites.

The event will offer the opportunity for guests to experience the newly refurbished cellar door along with a four-course lunch with canapes on arrival, designed by head chef Kyle Whitbourne in collaboration with celebrated Australian chef, Justin North. The lunch will feature wine pairing chosen by Sparks.

Tickets will be available for $250 per person, including live entertainment and a winery tour. See www.mountpleasantwines.com.au

One of Tasmania's best vineyard lunches

I live only 25 kilometres from Home Hill Winery - renowned as one of the best pinot noir producers in Australia. I need to visit more often. 

The Bennett family offer an excellent cellar door, vineyard restaurant and, soon, a boutique brewery.

Two of us popped in for a quick lunch today - and were, of course, tempted by the spectacular 2018 Home Hill Kelly's Reserve Pinot Noir for $18 a glass.

The waitstaff understood that we were on a schedule and got us in and out in good time. The service was charming and efficient and the food seriously well prepared and well presented.

Our choices: Tongola goat's curd and onion souffle, Comte cheese and walnut; and a platter of fresh oysters; followed by grilled John Dory with romesco sauce, raw zucchini, brandade croquette and a pork chop, crackle, green apple, pickled walnut and Home Hill Chardonnay jus.

Home Hill is less than a 30-minute drive from Hobart in the Huon Valley, and is well worth a visit with its bucolic country and vineyard views.

Cellar Door is open seven days 10am-5pm and the restaurant is open Thursday to Monday for lunch. www.homehill.com.au 

I hope these images whet your appetite.