Words from a Wine Glass

My wife and I are big advocates of the degustation menu with matching wines.  Getting the balance of enough food coupled with the right amount of wine and matching the textures as well as the flavours can be a chefs and sommeliers nightmare.

Cue Ezard at Levantine.  Here is the exception and I say that having experienced it for myself.

Let me start at the beginning;  Teage Ezard has come up with an exquisite menu that works so well with the quality Levantine Hill wines you are bound to walk away thinking like I did.  There has been a lot of thought, care and planning gone into this.

Ora King salmon, squid ink, tapioca dust, Yarra Valley Dairy Persian fetta, chervil, salmon roe, yuzu pearls, burdock root, and finished with various succulents.

The dishes are not a meal, let me make that clear from the start but, this is a good thing.  When selecting the degustation menu of your choice, whether it be the five course (with the option of an extra wagyu beef inclusion) or the eight course, there is enough food to satisfy even the most robust of eaters.  The menus are so well structured and thought out.  I just realised how (almost) boring that sounds.  What I mean is, the dishes are served in a sequence that highlights the hero of the dish starting with lighter foods through to heavier meats, culminating in dessert.

Top: Pork belly, green pea, garlic, red wine

Bottom: Wagyu beef, ox tongue, onion, pickled shiitake, potato terrine

Another treat awaiting the taste buds is how delicately and beautifully the flavours are matched.  Nothing is overpowering or dominant.  Everything seems to just meld together effortlessly.  I’ve only ever used this word when I’ve described a wine but, ‘balanced’ is appropriate for all of the dishes.

Apple, black sesame, fromage frais

Another aspect of their ‘way’ is the timing of presenting each course.  Nothing is rushed, each course seems to appear in a timely manner and with a clear, concise verbal description of what you’re about to experience.  Not in a way that is pretentious or boastful but informative and in a proud way.  Gee they do a good job of this!

The whole experience is exactly that, an experience (it’s not a process like some places).    You certainly feel special but you don’t feel exclusive.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean this in a bad way.  It’s just that the Ezard team make you feel so relaxed and comfortable it is like they are bringing you your meal at your own dining table.

I know it is not within everyone’s reach but, if you get the chance to visit and eat at  Ezard at Levantine Hill, special occasion or not, do so.  When you leave, it will be remembered as a special occasion regardless.  I have no doubt.

Ezard at Levantine Hill

Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria     Price: (from) $135     Source: Invitation

Next time: Levantine Hill – The Wines

Levantine Hill is an extraordinary place.  From the moment you drive onto the property, situated in the beautiful Yarra Valley, there is a sense of class and sophistication but it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, what car you drive or the clothes you wear (within reason of course), everyone is welcome.  Besides, we are all there for the exact same reason.  For the sumptuous food prepared by Teage Ezard and his kitchen crew or the neatly handcrafted wines by Paul Bridgeman or a combination of both.

The building is quite striking but understated just the same.  Inside, there is a sense of plenty going on but everything is so orderly.  By that I don’t mean structured or regimental, it’s more that the team know how to do their thing without fuss or bother.

The tasting bench is nice and high with stools that perch you up at the ideal level to prepare yourself for a tasting of their exquisite, handcrafted wines.

Separated from the tasting bench, the All Day Dining area is set up to make things so easy for the diner as it is for the staff.  Neatly put into rows, tables for two (or four) are such that they are easily put together should a larger party arrive.  This is not a problem for the helpful and courteous team.

There are also Barrel Booths, a unique spot for more of a quiet, intimate lunch for two or a bigger group that has so much to catch up on, the chatter is constant, frivolity endures and memories are relived and made in one afternoon.

Moving into the more elegant dining area, Ezard at Levantine, the tables are positioned so privacy is provided without feeling isolated from the other diners which also allows you to speak to your partner or group normally without feeling as though your every word could be everyone else’s business.

The areas are separated by displays showcasing products and produce from Levantine Hill and others but not to coax you into buying something.  They are more a mosaic of wine, foods and homewares that attracts your interest rather than demanding of your money.

Levantine Hill may seem like a big, shiny, new cellar door and it is, don’t get me wrong but that’s what you see from the outside.  Walk up to the door, wander inside and you’ll feel the welcome not just hear a greeting.

Visit the Yarra Valley, visit Levantine Hill and you’ll leave having experienced something rather than having just done something.  What are you waiting for?!

levantinehill.com.au

Next time:  Levantine Hill – Ezard at Levantine