Degustations Delicious

WORDS | Sarina Kamini

I’ve sat at some pretty inspiring degustation tables over 20 years working as a food critic and writer.

There was the Michelin-starred restaurant in rural Spain with a maître’d who switched easily between description of complex molecular dishes in four languages at our table alone.

The seafood extravaganza in Norway with a confronting crescendo of raw Minke whale. Not to mention the whisky-matched degustation in Edinburgh where we ate… umm… after six courses of whisky, who can recall?

But Margaret River is the only place where my degustation experience has been enjoyed surrounded by stands of mature gums, bookended by a canoe of the river in the morning and a pre-sunset ocean swim in the late afternoon.

A uniqueness of setting that is equal complement for awarded wines poured to match innovative plates.

Miki’s Open Kitchen

Japanese-born, Margaret River-based chef Mikihito “Miki” Nagai isn’t one to follow convention. Take his restaurant, Miki’s Open Kitchen: there are no grand vistas, no gum tree or ocean outlooks. Tucked off the Margaret River main street in a non-descript brick building with blacked-out windows, the restaurant interior is an elegant spacing of tables encircling an open kitchen where the spotlight shines brightly on the ponytailed chef and his innovative approach to Japanese cuisine.

“These dishes won’t be found in Japan,” grins Miki. Instead, Miki works with a technique of shallow copper pots to pull together his signature seven-course degustation – Miki’s Complete. Think Abrolhos Island scallops with ume, pork and celeriac, or Albany tempura asparagus with katsuo mayo. For seven courses, Miki synthesises the best of the south west’s local produce with Japanese flavours in a way that speaks to his experience of the landscape – all of that Japanese tradition freed from stricture and re-moulded to present a unique taste that breathes new ideas into both culinary cultures.

Needless to say, 20 years spent living and working in Margaret River has left Miki with a deep knowledge of wine. This he uses to advantage, collating an interesting array of styles uncommon to the region that work in with his palate. A curated sake collection is a thrill for the more traditionally minded. Seven courses of Miki’s food matched to seven sakes? We’ll drink to that.

Voyager Estate

The unrelenting focus in perfectly matching the Voyager wines and food is a significant piece of the exquisite dining puzzle at Voyager Estate. Estate Sommelier Claire Tonon was awarded 2021 Regional Sommelier of the Year by the WA Good Food Guide, and her expertise shines through in the carefully crafted degustation menu.

A seven-course Discovery degustation leads with vintage and varietal, and an exquisitely nuanced plate follows – dishes that are a majesty of (occasionally) monochromatic colour and palate contrast.

The magnificent dishes are paired with their organic single-vineyard Chardonnay, which displays delicate floral and flinty notes alongside intense citrus.

Harmonious matches and pretty plates mean the seven-course feast is a study in elegant restraint, not gut-busting volume. The perfect lunch, in other words, for the Voyager Estate dining room with its hushed elegance and discreet wait staff. A pre-dessert exploration of the winery’s renowned gardens should also be on the cards for those seeking the full Voyager experience.

• Over 60 udderlicious ice cream flavours created from local full-cream milk.

• Vegan options available.

• Picnic & BBQ area.

• Adventure Playground.

• 18 hole mini-golf – get a group going.

• Barista coffee and toasted paninis.

• Wonderful waffles and sensational sundaes.

We’re open every day 10am to 5pm. 161 Commonage Road, Dunsborough.

Below & left Rustico’s degustation servings pair wonderfully with the wine.

Bottom Aravina Estate’s stunning location is a treat in itself.

Rustico at Hayshed Hill

Generosity is the byword at Rustico. The winery restaurant of Hay Shed Hill wines, this is a relaxed and generous space categorised by open verandas, expansive green lawn, and a convivial approach to eating and drinking that screams long lunches where the adults can focus on the table knowing there is space for the kids to roam. A five-course degustation is a tapas-inspired stroll through Mediterranean culinary territory married by an approach that hallmarks bright, booming flavour – an ideal pairing for the winery’s bright wines.

The degustation can be ordered to your liking, by starting with freshly shucked oysters and requesting other extras like smoked chorizo in cider glaze & loaded patatas bravas. The ten dishes are served with Hay Shed Hill wines or you can opt for a “limited release museum wine pairing” which gives you the opportunity to sample back vintage cellared museum release wines that will never be available again. As the courses progress, so does the richness of wine and produce – from Western Rock lobster, through pork belly, and mushrooms with sweet sherry custard.

Aravina Estate

It wouldn’t be misplaced to call Aravina one of the showgirls of the Margaret River Region when it comes to winery restaurants. Expect a little bit of everything, here – live music on the lawn, big groups spilling out of the wrap around veranda, a sports car gallery and gift shop. The mix is a glitzy one, but then who ever said ‘no’ to a bit of extra sparkle?

Degustations at Aravina are an intimate experience. Cellar door staff lead diners through detailed taste notes, accompanied by a two or three course degustation lunch. Prepare for the likes of seared Shark Bay scallops, roast chicken sauce, celeriac, charred brassicas and finger lime paired with a fresh and fruity block 4 Chenin Blanc. Their Reserve Chardonnay is only too happy to be taken by the hand and lead toward line caught fish, mussel butter sauce, charred rapini, ice plant and bottarga. The menu crosses from Asia to Europe and back, while the wines echo the list of the region’s classics with a few varietals thrown in for interest: a little Vermentino and Tempranillo present to mix up the well- known Shiraz, Cab Merlot and Chardonnay melody. Tucked up in the Yallingup bush, Aravina is 160 acres of wine and food celebration. Thisarticlewasoriginallypublishedon margaretriver.comandhasbeenadapted forprint.