Upstairs at Hollick
Ravenswood Lane
Coonawarra South Australia 5263
W www.hollick.com
E Upstairs@hollick.com
T+61 8 8737 2752
F+61 8 8737 2952
OPEN Lunch Tuesday to Sunday, Dinner Friday and Saturday
entry in Galaxy Guides since 2006, last edits August 28, 2011
FOOD A flourish of an entrance stylishly understated
with a curved wall of the exquisite and sought after Mount Gambier
stone leads straight into a small well-designed tasting area with
handsome timber stairs to the dining room. A cold and wet day the
mist clings to the tops of the trees and drips into the vines and
the brilliant emerald grass between the scraggly autumn vines is
hopefully a promise of more rain yet to come. The restaurant space
is beautiful and the air is laden with the smells and promise of
good cooking.
top…the stunning local stone entrance to the Hollicks cellar door and restaurant…Quail saltimbocca, spelt polenta, peperonata sherry jus
Short of making your own picnic Upstairs at Hollicks is the best choice for lunch in the Penola surrounds. The food is clean and simple, simple in a good way, meaning that fresh flavours are the showcase. Wendy Hollick, winemaker and owner has supported and mentored many producers in the region and there is now an ever expanding group of excellent producers which is making significant improvements to the food on offer in the region. This visit I was dining alone and two entrées and dessert were ordered. Quail saltimbocca, spelt polenta, peperonata sherry jus $19 and Chickpea and almond falafel, sumac yoghurt, fennel, carrot and radish salad $16 and remembering how good the desserts were on a previous visit, Chardonnay poached pear; orange and olive oil cake, zabaglione ice cream $14.
The quail was prettily presented sitting on a be of peperonata and with just the right amount of meat jus and a smattering of chopped parsley. It was very good. The falafel themselves were tasty but the promised salad whilst clean and fresh, was basically nude and lacked some sort of appropriately Middle Eastern herbs and dressing. Dessert was scrumptious and the single glass of wine their 2008 Pinot Noir was excellent.
At Hollicks you will find fresh food, with clean individual flavours complimented with great wines at virtually cellar door prices. This is a restaurant that confidently sits were it should as a very good regional lunch destination. Service is friendly and helpful and they
appear to be genuinely enthusiastic (and knowledgeable) about the Hollick wines and the restaurant.
Chickpea and almond falafel, sumac yoghurt, fennel, carrot and radish salad
WINE There are a lot of great wines along the Riddoch Highway and Hollicks is no exception. With the exception of their museum list all of their wines are available by the glass and running
downstairs to taste and select your next wine is encouraged. Of course taking accommodation within walking distance is a very good idea. Five museum wines on this visit 89 Riesling for just $58 to the most expensive 91 Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon at a modest (given the wine and vintage) $229.
