Foxeys Hangout, Red Hill

Wine tasting happening in the restaurant...

Bread, Olive Oil, Pistachio Spice

Atlantic Salmon, Miso Mayo

Mushroom Sausage Rolls, House Chutney

Onion, Silverbeet Fritters

Leek, Blood Orange, Goats Curd, Mint

(my favourite dish of the day!)

BBQ Quail

Celery, Rocket, PX Vinegar

Spiced Meatballs, Yoghurt Dip

Avocado, Walnuts, Pancetta

The chef in blue cooking for everyone in the open kitchen. Respect how she coordinates every table's courses yet consistently produce delicious food at the same time

Lunch with a view...

Just such a relaxed setting

"Hey Winston, have you heard of this place called Foxey's Hangout in Red Hill? It's really interesting. Set at a winery with a view and you can do a chef's lunch with about 8 courses for only $35. Food is pretty good too."

ON.

I made my way to Red Hill that very weekend with my Mum and Sister because I honestly couldn't wait to try after my friend Morgan told me about this place. Sounded so interesting. And man, such a good price! Thank goodness we were blessed with unbeatable weather day too.

We first walked in through an uber tall door to reveal a restaurant with a refined yet rustic decor and bathing in natural light as there was an entire wall made purely of windows. Calming. Soon, we noticed that there was an open kitchen right where there was a woman single-handedly cooking the food for everyone in the restaurant. Amazing. Finally, our breaths were taken away by the majestic view that the entire restaurant was facing. There were little tables and chairs set outside for people to enjoy the view with their meal at the same time. Heck, loads of people opted to just enjoy their meal by sitting on the steps of the balcony too. There was an undeniably relaxed and casual feel throughout the entire restaurant and I don't think I've experienced something quite like this before.

Anyway, we went straight for the chef's lunch for $35 per head, where the chef would serve 8 course of her choosing to the diners. Otherwise, diners have the option of selecting each individual course themselves and pay for what they ordered. We were happy to take it easy and leave it up to the chef.

In general, I really enjoyed the food at Foxey's Hangout. I thought the each dish showcased the essence of honest cooking. Besides that, what I loved most about each dish is the pairing of various ingredients that one might not necessarily think of but worked incredibly well together. I could tell the person that designed this menu had a strong understanding of flavours because it was amazing. 

To start, the bread with the pistachio spiced crumb was downright delicious. The crumb is a signature there and they sell them in bottles at the restaurant too. I also absolutely enjoyed the salmon, mushroom roll and silverbeet fritters -- they were all done perfectly and absolutely tasty. Although, my favourite dish of the day was actually the leek with goats curd. The leek was soft and tender but the creaminess of the cheese against the slightly tart blood orange and finished with the mint was just one of the most clever composition of flavours I had tasted in a while. So simple, but it's all about the right combination. I was telling Morgan about how much I love this dish and it was great to hear it struck a chord with him too, this dish is quite outstanding.

The rest of the meal was pleasant too although if I were to be slightly nitpicky, I'd say that the quail was a little under-seasoned (but there was salt on the table anyway) and the meatballs were spicy but bland and undercooked. That said, everything else that we tasted was superb too.

To sum up, I think Foxey's Hangout is an excellent place for a lunch on the weekend. Excellent. The best and most unique thing about this place is how laid back they are about everything. Your choice of seating (you can sit on a table or on the steps if you wish), how you want to order and best of all, the setting. Plus, the view is impeccable. Not to mention how good the flavour combinations are in the food and also their house wine. Finally, the price! 

Sure, you won't be stuffed to the brim by eating here but personally, I think it's a pleasant and comfortable amount. $35 is honestly amazing value. There really is so much to enjoy about this place. I would highly recommend it especially now that the weather is getting nicer with the change of season. It's a place that is both stunning and relaxing that you can't help but notice everyone there simply enjoys every bit of it. Definitely a great hangout spot.

Paringa Estate Winery & Restaurant, Red Hill South

T'was a stunning day in the Mornington Peninsula...

Best thing about dining at a winery restaurant is the view...

My favourite way to start a lunch like this is with a Riesling... Can't go wrong

Entree:

Poached marron, globe artichoke, lardo, toasted almonds - $20

Wallaby tartare, caper emulsion, rye, juniper - $20

Red Gate quail, truffle puree, sour onion - $20

Mains:

Aylesbury duck, pumpkin, charred leek, tamarillo - $40

Hapuka, white bean & cuttlefish, ham hock crumb - $38

Flinders Island milk fed lamb, macadamia, brussel sprouts - $40

Sides:

Duck fat potatoes, garlic, rosemary - $8

Green beans, aioli, crisp shallots - $8

Dessert:

Quince sorbet, vanilla cream, pistachio, crisp Mock Orchard apples - $15

Textures of chocolate, blood orange sorbet, hazelnut brittle - $15

Cheese Platter - $32

i) Ossau Iraty 

Ewe's milk, semi firm cheese from Basque, a smooth, creamy but firm cheese with a mild grassy flavour

ii) Red Hill Cheese "Fingal Gold"

Organic cow's milk, washed rind with a creamy flavour, richness and complexity, great depth of flavour and a long aftertaste

iii) Cabot Clothbound Cheddar

Made from cow's milk, this American cheddar wrapped in cloth and aged in a cave for 14 months is a perfect balance of sweet, fruity, savoury and nutty

iv) Red Hill Cheese "Mountain Goat Blue"

Made from 100% free range goat's milk this cheese is moist and delicate, with a natural rind and deep blue veins a striking contrast to the porcelain white body. The mouth-feel is velvety with pronounced floral flavours

Whenever people think of eating at a fine dining restaurant in the Mornington Peninsular, the following 3 options always comes to mind: Montalto; The Long Table; Ten Minutes by Tractor. I havent' been to any of these places but I know that they're quite famous. However, I was only interested in Montalto and Ten Minutes by Tractor because they both had a nice view of the winery from the restaurant. It was rather important for me to choose somewhere with a view to make the most of the location, I thought. Because it was seriously rare for me to eat a restaurant of such quality and price, I was hoping for the restaurant we chose to be Hatted as well.

Initially, we had made a booking at Long Table but I wasn't feeling convinced because it didn't have a view. Food there is good, I'm sure, but I truly wanted somewhere more open. I did a bit more research online and came across Paringa Estate. I knew NOTHING about this place (but it looked good in the few pictures that I saw). Never heard of anyone mention about this place before; went in not knowing a thing about what the food was going to be like. It was a bit of a risk but heck, there's going to be wine and a view so that's more than good enough for me.

The place was stunning when we walked in. Simple and inviting decor. We were tossing between a couple of different wines to choose from at the start but was glad when my friends agreed to get the Riesling as I honestly believe it's such a perfect wine to enter a meal in the day. That's how I've always felt anyway. It was delicious. Smooth, light and slightly floral too.

The food on the menu looked good. Though to be honest, I am fairly predictable with the food I order when I come to these kinds of restaurants. I normally start with a meat entree, followed by a fish main (or seafood entree, then meat main). Not a fan of ordering 2 consecutive courses of seafood or meat as I like to try both and balance it out. As for dessert, I don't have a sweet tooth at all and am normally quite happy with just a cheese platter to finish, which was what I ordered and shared with the table. I can't really speak for the other dishes that my friends had as I only tried my quail, fish and cheese courses but they did look fantastic and everyone seemed to enjoy what they were having.

To start: quails. Most people would be surprised to know that this was actually my first time eating truffles. Was probably the only food blogger who hasn't tried them. Never had the urge or would intentionally go out of my way (or wallet) to try them, which was why I was glad to see it on the menu as I was keen to finally taste it. The shaved truffles themselves in my quail dish weren't anything I'd rave about (wasn't as intense as I'd imagined) but my goodness that truffle puree underneath the quail was UNBELIEVABLE. Could have had bucket loads of that stuff, great balance of salty and earthiness, just downright tasty. And I must honestly say I was very happy with how they cooked the quails. Absolute perfect and not a second over or undercooked. They served the quails 3 ways on my plate and it was nice to go between the different textures and cooking methods to enjoy the same quail. $20 was very good value for money, I thought, because of all the technique that went into this tiny dish and also the premium truffles used.

Next, my fish. Again, I thought that they completely nailed the execution for the dish as well and treated the fish with respect by handling it meticulously. It was really crusty and crunchy on the outside but as soon as you bit into the incredibly moist and delicate flesh, your palates are happily greeted by the subtle sweetness of the Hapuka flesh. I've said this once, I've said this several times, Hapuka is hands down my favourite white fish to have at a restaurant. I prefer this 10 times more than Barramundi because of the delicate texture and flavour of the flesh (when treated properly). The whitebean puree with cuttlefish and ham hock crumb added the perfect balance of flavours to the fish too. Texturally, I liked how they added a different dimension as well. I was very happy with the first 2 courses and must say I was thoroughly enjoying every mouthful so far.

Finally, the cheeses. Everything had been really great so far and let's just say the cheese platter did not disappoint. I wouldn't say I was able to pick up every detail of each cheese described in the menu but hey, taste is subjective anyway and food experience is a personal thing. No one should tell you what you should or shouldn't like/taste. Personally, I really loved the subtlety of the ewe's milk cheese, very refreshing.  The brie or "fingals gold" had a really strong nutty tone to it, which was unique. Cheddar was sharp but still had a rounded or soft finish, which was delicious too. The blue was a little too sharp or intense for me and I tend to prefer the soft, creamier textures for blue but it still had a good body of flavour underneath. It was hard for me to pick which was my favourite as I thought the first 3 cheeses were great and my answer kept changing after I had each one.

In the end, I was very happy with our meal at Paringa. It really ticked all my boxes. Food -- check. Wine -- check. View -- check. I was impressed by the meal so was wondering at the end about whether or not they had Chef's Hat or not, so I asked the Manager on our way out. Turns out they did! A very well deserved accolade. It'd be a shame if they didn't as I thought they were quite good at what they do. An unexpectedly pleasant find and somewhere I would definitely recommend people to try too if they're looking for a stunning place for a relaxed and enjoyable lunch at the Mornington region. Not as famous as the first 3 places mentioned above but definitely proves its worth.

Annie Smithers Bistrot, Kyneton

It was one day just before Mum was due to fly back to Malaysia after being in Melbourne for just over a month. We decided we'd take a trip to a regional town, somewhere to explore the area and enjoy a nice lunch. My friend Aaron had suggested Kyneton when he and a few friends came over for dinner the night before. 

It was only an hour from Melbourne anyway, easy drive, so Kyneton it was. We had no idea where to eat that day so just picked the first place that caught our attention on Google: Anne Smithers Bistrot

That's the brandied cumquats that they make in house and use in some of their desserts and drinks... Delicious

As soon as we walked in, I found the setting to be seriously pleasant. A soft ambience filled the entire restaurant and it felt very relaxed and comfortable. Everything from the fitout, to the tone of the restaurant and even how the people were in there. Lots of happy couples and families having a lovely time together. Nicely spread out, high ceilings and not noisy at all. Very beautiful. The wooden tables were polished and had very slender legs, which made it quite elegant whilst maintaining its country charm. Soft country music in background. Nice use of china. Great friendly service. There really was a lot to take in. Stunning.

Twice cooked Gruyere cheese souffle, nashi, tatoi, gorgonzola and local walnut salad - $18

Pan seared scallops, jerusalem artichoke puree, artichoke chips, pear, sorrel, prosciutto - $18

Grilled spice marinated quail, quinoa, cauliflower & pomegranate salad, yoghurt - $18

The entrees were a great start. Loved the multiple layers of flavours. Various ingredients that complements the tastes too. The cheese soufflé was so light and flavourful, with earthy nuts and crunchy sweet pears. Scallops were one of the best ever. It showed so much integrity for the beautiful scallops by cooking it to perfection. The purée and prosciutto chips together were a fantastic. combination. The quails was coated with a spice rub but contrasted with sweet pomegranates, crunchy quinoa and a sweet glaze. 

So much flavour without being overly complicated. You taste everything on the plate individually and hten together as whole with the rest of the elements. Still, no element wasn't overpowering the other. Very good.

Aged Sidonia Hills beef, dauphinois potato, roast carrots, horseradish creme, jus - $36

The beef was beautiful. The knife glided through the beef like butter, when we sliced into it. The horseradish played an underlaying and subtle tone throughout the dish. 

Market fresh fish (snapper), creamed leek, cauliflower beignets, herb salad

Fish was done really well too. Crispy skin with moist, tender flesh. The leek cream was lip-smackingly good and the fluffy fried cauliflowers on the side definitely excited our palates. Mum said it was the best fish dish she's had in Australia. 

Ricotta gnocchi, sauteed mushrooms, kale, poached egg, truffled pecorino - $36 

Finally, the richest dish of the day was surprisingly the vego gnocchi but it was so bold in flavours it was delicious! Great for mushroom lovers.

Vanilla bean panna cotta, brandied cumquats, cumquat brandy, gingerbread, sheeps milk yoghurt sorbet - $16

We were so full already by this point but just could not pass up dessert. Sis could not stop raving about the yoghurt. A good balance of sharpness and sweetness. The brandied cumquats were awesome and added a different depth. It went so well with the crushed spiced cake. 

White chocolate mousse, slow roasted quince, quince jelly, pedro ximenex ice cream, meringue - $16 

The sweet mousse, sour quince, fragrant PX ice cream and crunchy meringue could not have been a better combo. Enjoyed them both muchly.

Overall, it was honestly a really lovely meal with my family at Annie Smithers Bistrot from start to finish. To think, we picked this place by chance on Google too. What luck. Understated and tasteful touch everywhere in this country style restaurant. Beautiful food, setting and service. Impeccable quality. Only just realised after the meal that it was awarded 1 Chef Hat too, what a well deserved accolade.

We're so glad we took the hour drive here. Kyneton is such a foodie regional town, with so many eateries in the area. Definitely want to come back and explore this place a little bit more.