A regional icon at the top of its game.
It would be easy to pigeonhole Leeuwin Estate as merely a classic winery restaurant, and while there’s no denying it’s certainly got many of the hallmarks, there’s so much else going on here. Under chef Dan Gedge, there’s a vibrancy that comes by way of seasonal, local produce. And a few insider hacks that take the experience up a few notches: one, sit on the verandah if weather permits, taking in the view of the Karri trees and grounds of this venerable estate. Drink the Art Series Chardonnay (their flagship wine), because if not here, then where? When navigating the menu, seafood is particularly strong. Gedge’s early career was spent at The Seafood Restaurant, Rick Stein’s Cornish mothership, and he can undoubtedly handle the best of the West Australian catch. A pan-Asian dish of Augusta-landed dhufish atop cabbage, with XO sauce and notes of dashi, is inventive yet restrained and, importantly, showcases perfectly cooked fish. Elsewhere on the menu there’s impressive use of in-season veggies – the restraint dropping slightly with a bold and punchy side of sprouts. Gedge goes beyond the standard cheese plate, presenting nicely aged Cambray Blackwood Blue with a dainty carrot, pecan and treacle sponge. A sweet and savoury masterstroke.
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