Howard Vineyard is a gem of the Adelaide Hills.
Located in Nairne, their picturesque Cellar Door sits amongst the vines and is not only a great venue for wine tastings, but also lunch and functions. We recently got the chance to go there for Sunday lunch, just shortly after they launched their new menu and it was such a fantastic experience there was no way I wasn't going to share this with you all.
For what I feel is a very reasonable price of $60 per person you get a fabulous five course set menu lunch. They also have wine recommendations if you aren't sure what will go best with the food but I find that Howard has such a fantastic range and their wines are so versatile that you could pick almost any of them to have with the food and you wouldn't be disappointed.
Stir Fried Sweet Potato Noodles
A fantastic start to lunch, this dish was bright and fresh with a delightful house made sweet and savoury dressing. It wasn't too heavy and you didn't feel guilty going back for more. The little crispy bits of sweet potato on top were my favourite as they added great crunch and a nice natural nutty sweetness to the dish. Not something that I would normally order, so it was great to be able to try and I know next time I see something like this on the menu I'm going to try it, although I doubt it will be as good as this particular one.
Sticky Korean Chicken
Ttokebokki is a Korean rice cake and before this lunch I had only seen them in videos and hadn't tried them for myself. They soaked up all the delicious secret sauce and had a nice soft but slightly chewy texture. The chicken was crunchy but tender and juicy on the inside and again covered in that fantastic secret sauce. Haloumi was also included in the dish and while it wasn't something I would normally think to pair with Korean style chicken, the saltiness added great balance and helped cut through some of the sweetness of the sauce. Separate all the elements were very tasty but together they just sung in harmony in your mouth.
Crispy Pork Belly
I have a weakness for Pork Belly. When it's done right there is just something so special about the meat and the flavour. This was some of the nicest pork I have had in a long time and paired with celeriac puree and house made kimchi took it to another level. Kimchi is something I didn't think I would ever like but after trying it more often this year I have come to a real appreciation of its flavour, texture and the love that goes into making it. I have never had it alongside Pork Belly before but it worked so well together and when you think about it, it should. The sharpness and fresh, bright crunchy notes of the Kimchi cut through the rich fattiness of the pork, working on a textural level as well as flavour. The pork was tender and melt in your mouth, while the kimchi had great crunch. The celeriac puree just played almost the part of the glue, that's not to say it tasted like glue as it was delicious, but it was the middle ground that also brought all the elements together. The kimchi on its own was great, so was the pork, and together they worked very well but combine the puree into the mix and everything just fell into place for this dish. The little slivers of pork crackling were the perfect salty, porky, airy, crunch and honestly I could have eaten a plate full of that on its own (probably best I never actually do)
Slow Cooked Coorong Angus Beef Short Ribs
The meat was so tender that it just slipped off the bone without any help. Juicy and just melt in your mouth, this dish was hearty and rich, perfect for a cold winters day. The potato, carrots and mushrooms added a break from the rich beef flavour and the chilli on top brought a bright spice that helped break everything up. It was sweet and sticky, with such depth of flavour that even the smallest mouthful took your tastebuds on a ride. I could feel myself being warmed from the inside out with each bite of this delectable dish.
Earl Grey Tiramisu
Now while I personally wouldn't have called this a Tiramisu as it didn't much resemble the traditional dessert, it was still an enjoyable end to the meal. Clean, streamline flavours with a fresh pop from the strawberry and house made lemon curd it was a good little dessert. The candied lemon slice was delightful and while still a little bitter it had plenty of sweetness and a great tangy kick to it. I enjoyed the cleansing effect this dish had on me after such a rich hearty main course.
Overall this was an absolutely fantastic lunch that gave me flavour experiences and combinations that I hadn't tried before. I highly recommend going for lunch and the Sunday lunch was such great value for money that I will be back. The live music played that day added another great element to the atmosphere, played at the perfect level of still being able to talk and hear yourself think but also able to enjoy the music. Head down to Howard's as soon as you can and discover for yourself this gem of the Adelaide Hills.
Don't forget to set yourself down by the fire as well, it will warm you up in no time.
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