Restaurant Review: Yering Station

Location: The Wine Bar Restaurant, Yering Station
Link: http://www.yering.com/cpa/htm/htm_article.asp?page_id=119>
Cuisine: Modern European

 Located in the charming surrounds of Yarra Valley, the food was equally as impressive.

The following was the lunch menu available on the day J and I went:

entree
red wine poached pear and brie tart, hazelnut vinaigrette 19.50
sweet corn and lime filled zucchini flowers, avocado and beetroot salad, tomato cream, basil coulis 19.50
smoked salmon and fennel risotto with pan-fried scampi, cinnamon velouté 20.00
grilled prawns wrapped in pork belly, snow pea salad, nam prick sauce 21.00
rabbit and chanterelle mushroom ravioli, fried parsnip, lettuce and capsicum salad, wild mushroom jus 21.00
prosciutto, smoked quail, chicken and pistachio roulade with olive jam, walnut oil 21.00

main
roasted salmon fillet, grilled prawn, scallop tortellini with tomato, basil and scampi fumet 34.00 baby snapper and kataifi wrapped scallop, confit potato, sauce gribiche 33.00
king fish and Moreton Bay bug with celeriac brandade, smoked tomatoes, olive tapenade 34.00 tarte Tatin of summer peas, crumbed Persian Fetta filled shallots, asparagus, lemon beurre blanc 32.00
pork filled with porcini mushrooms, potato, treviso and herb tartlet, sauce cavalier 33.00
roast lamb loin with potato, basil and sour cream crush, onion jam, Manchego and witlof salad 35.00
beef eye fillet with tomato and beef sausage, pommes Anna, creamy red wine and capsicum jus 35.00

side
cocktail potatoes with rosemary and garlic 9.00
salad of cos, olives, cherry tomatoes with Persian Fetta, vincotto dressing 10.00

dessert
vacherin of mango sorbet, seasonal fruits and double cream, kiwifruit coulis 15.00
white chocolate and malt bavarois filled with poached cherries, passionfruit sauce 15.00
slowly cooked chocolate and ginger fondant, orange sorbet 14.50
raspberry mousse with toffee cage, pink champagne zabaglione 14.50
dessert assiette for two chefs selection of the above desserts 34.00
house selection of cheeses with tropical jam 21.00

Entree
I ordered the prosciutto, smoked quail, chicken and pistachio roulade with olive jam, walnut oil. This was pleasant but could have been better. There were some interesting flavours but I found it a little bland and disappointing. The saltiness of the prosciutto had somewhat masked the usually distinct and rather strong smoked quail flavours. I quite liked the olive jam though.

Main
I ordered the king fish and Moreton Bay bug with celeriac brandade, smoked tomatoes, olive tapenade. The celery root blended with brandade (what I assume to be a puree that incorporated boiled potatoes) had a beautiful soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture. The king fish was perfectly done, with its deliciously crispy skin. The Moreton Bay bug was good as well. The thing that made this dish to die for was the combination of the flavours and textures when eaten together. The crispy skin of the king fish, the soft celeriac brandade, the salty olive tapenade, the sweet and sour smoked tomatoes - it all cane together beautifully. My taste buds were in heaven.

Dessert
We had the 'dessert assiette for two' which was basically every dessert that was on the menu but presumably in a miniature version. Everything was lovely but nothing in particular stood out. The only comment I will make will be with regards to the portion... It was MASSIVE. We managed to finish barely half of what we were served. Don't get me wrong, the dessert platter delivered everything you would expect but my advise is to share it with at least another couple.

Overall Impression: 7/10
Good service, beautiful food and a lovely ambience that overlooks the Yarra ranges.