HARVEST RESTAURANT (INSIDE SEBEL HAWKESBURY) - WINDSOR, NSW

Harvest Restaurant
The Sebel Resort & Spa Hawkesbury Valley
61 Hawkesbury Valley Way
Windsor NSW

Harvest Restaurant is located within the gorgeous and picturesque Sebel Resort. The ambiance here is quiet, relaxing and oh so pretty.

You walk up an impressive grand entrance to an equally grand building and when inside - such a WOW factor.

The restaurant exudes simple elegance and the tables are well spaced.

We started our meal with some drinks - water from Tasmania (We love Tasmania) and Sir had a white - a Pinot Gris which he enjoyed - it was crisp and refreshing and went well with the entrees.

Mlady had an Argentinian Malbec that had a nice spicy aftertaste.

An amuse bouche started our journey - this is designed  to "stimulate the appetite" - and it certainly did.

The sweet cherry tomato, crème fraiche and fried shallots blended so well.

It was cool and fresh - and we loved the crunchiness of the fried shallots - a wonderful taste sensation!

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For entrée we had the Smoked Tasmanian salmon - chilli, salt, granny smith apple, celery, salted walnuts and witlof chicory.

With this we also had the Beetroot assiette - pickled golden beetroot, pickled green banana, yellow cherry tomatoes, red beetroot gel and spiced yoghurt.



Mlady especially being a HUGE fan of Salmon and beetroot raved about this. How good was this entrée! You could taste the salmon as well as the smokiness but this was a gentle smoke - did not overpower the taste of the salmon.
The Beetroot assiette was an amazing salad. Both entrees were vibrant in colour and they consolidated so well.

The Wildfire spiced scallops were next - parsnip puree, mango & coriander relish, sweet potato crisps and smoked cherry tomato.

This was elegantly presented and the scallops were cooked lightly - such a delicate dish. The tasty accompaniments enhanced this dainty dish.

Our last entrée was the Blood orange glazed duck breast - black garlic, broccolini, pearl couscous, kohlrabi puree. Sir as we know LOVES duck so he could not wait to try this. It was cooked to perfection. Beautifully pink and tender and was cooked with a gentle hand. The pearl couscous partnered the duck well.

We then both had a lovely Tolmer - an organic Cabernet. The one word to described this lovely drop - smooth!

For mains Sir had the Lamb backstrap - leek & spring onion mash, broccolini, tamarind & mint dressing and parsnip crisps.

This was a such an appetising dish. The lamb was nicely cooked - pink with a subtle hint of chimichurri.





Mlady had the Blackened Cajun spiced kingfish - rockmelon prosciutto & radish salad and olive pesto. This came with hand cut chips.This dish had the wonderful crispy skin which Mlady adores. It was delicious fish. The olive pesto and rockmelon prosciutto & radish salad enhanced the fish. This had really great flavours. As the hand cut chips - they were crisp and delectably fluffy.

As a dessert wine we had the superb Botrytis - a sweet dessert styled wine.





















For dessert Sir had - Redskin pannacotta - Hint of "explosion", rosella syrup and strawberry crumble.

We grew up with "Redskins" and this was a walk down memory lane. A childhood treat with an adult twist. It was beautifully presented with popping candy - release your inner childhood! Sir loved this!



Mlady as we know is a chocoholic - and she had the Dark Belgian chocolate & coconut parfait.

OMG this arrived in two glasses in a tower of sweet tasty deliciousness. Impressive!

It had the wonderfully yummy dark Belgian chocolate in one glass and the coconut in another. It was like two desserts in one!

You can eat the Dark Belgian first, then eat the coconut parfait afterwards, or the other way around, or combine them both together.

Such an innovative dessert and oh so mouth watering. One of the best!

The food here at Harvest is really exceptional and the servings are so generous.

This lovely restaurant and venue is well worth visiting - Harvest is in such tranquil and enchanting surroundings.

They even have delightful live music on the Baby Grand Piano on Friday and Saturday nights that provides great ambiance.

Sir and Mlady dined as guests of Harvest restaurant and The Sebel Resort & Spa Hawkesbury Valley. Special thank you to Peter Diego for inviting us and also thank you to Chef Pavan for taking time out from his busy schedule to chat with us.

THE GUNNERS BARRACKS - MOSMAN, SYDNEY

The Gunners Barracks
End of Suakin Drive
Georges Heights (near Mosman), Sydney

It's hard to put into words just how picturesque this place really is. With sweeping views out across the harbour is easy to see why this is so popular for weddings and special occasions.

There are also the lovely walks in the surrounding bushland too - with many people working up an appetite by doing this first, or working off their food afterwards with a stroll in nature.

But it always seems to come back to those views and of course the charm of the building, the area and the history associated with it all.

This was a real gunners barracks. Constructed in 1873 it was the last military building in Sydney made entirely of stone. It was built to last - and it has!

Of course when you think of high tea you often associate it with champagne - and you won't be disappointed here. After we were greeted and seated at The Gunners Barracks we were greeted again with two glasses of lovely bubbles.

Somehow sipping champagne in a lovely historic building with fine china on the table and sweeping views of the harbour and they yacht races seems so ....... wonderful.





















Then of course there was the actual high tea that arrived a short while later.

The beautiful three tiered stand of fine bone china was adorned with delicious goodies on each layer. A separate plate had even more treats -  light and fluffy freshly baked scones (with a side of double cream and home made jam), tasty mimosas with raita dipping sauce and cute mushroom tarts.

The bottom layer of the stand had finger sandwiches - egg and mayonnaise, salmon with cream cheese and cucumber and finally tender roast beef.

The top two layers had the sweet goodies like a very light almond slice, a beautiful rhubarb panna cotta topped with crumble, salted caramel macarons, chocolate slice with raspberry (chocolate heaven) and a lovely light fluffy and creamy passionfruit cheesecake. It was sweet eaters delight.

High Tea also includes tea - naturally - and there are so many choices of different tea's here the hardest decision you need to make is which one to actually have.

Mlady had her favourite - English breakfast tea - and wasn't disappointed.

Sir decided to be a bit adventurous and had the fragrant vanilla tea which he had black and adored.

The Gunners Barracks is a sophisticated and elegant place, with spectacular views and food to match this.

Its great for couples or groups. Its outdoor balcony is lovely but they also have a beautiful indoor area too.

Even though it's a big place - seating around 350 - it is understandably very popular - so make sure you book. It's so worth visiting!


Sir and Mlady dined as guests of The Gunners Barracks and Grand Pacific Group. Special thanks to Melody and Sam and to Aaron and Sal for looking after us so well. Big thanks also to Hannah Evans from Grand Pacific Group for arranging our visit.

 

DUNBAR HOUSE - WATSONS BAY, SYDNEY

Dunbar House
9 Marine Parade
Watsons Bay, Sydney

Dunbar house is an historic Harbourside venue situated in magnificent Watson's Bay offering breathtaking views down the harbour of Sydney's city skyline. You probably know Dunbar house as the perfect venue for a wedding (which it is) with the famous Moreton Bay Fig tree just outside, a place were many vows have been exchanged.

What you may not know though, is that after a recent refurbishment, Dunbar house now offers a stylish restaurant for a la carte breakfast and lunch, as well as for exclusive hire. The exceptionally stylish decor in addition to the warm welcome upon arrival conveyed a relaxed yet professional atmosphere. The sun was shining so we chose a table outside with a beautiful outlook over the water and Robertson Park. The seating inside is just as exciting with beautiful tables and lovely couches, a perfect setting in any weather.

If you fly first class you start with a glass of champagne before take off so we thought we would do the same (ok. we're not flying today but this place oozes luxury). We chose NV Lanson, a fine French champagne.

With our champagne our appetiser arrived. A delicious scallop served in a cup with a cauliflower volutè and truffle oil - it was very creamy and smooth with a rich flavour.





















We love it when our waiter recommends a wine for us so we had a glass of William Fevre Petit Chablis, a light and crisp accompaniment to our entrees which had just arrived.

We had two entrees, Tempura Zucchini flowers stuffed with feta accompanied by tomato salsa, Sicilian olives and rocket, plus nori wrapped quail fillets with avocado, horseradish mousse and papaya. Both were outstanding. The creamy feta and peppery rocket combined well with the fluffy Zucchini flowers. The quail, perfectly cooked, had a zesty kick when combined with the horseradish mousse. Our waiter told us the quail was not a regular menu item but a special for the day (lucky us!).

Next our mains arrived.

First was a lovely beef cheek pie with truffled mash.

The beef was rich and tender, the filo pastry was crisp and buttery.

We really liked the truffled mash too. This turned out to be a very hearty dish with plenty of flavour - and nice pastry for the pie!

Our second main, a Murray river cod served with a quinoa salad was just as impressive. The lime and tomato dressing added a real freshness to it. Both mains were served with 2012 Massale Pinot Noir. We were fortunate enough to meet head chef Tarrant Fennel who spoke to us about his passion for creating a fresh seasonal menu that is modern yet unique, a notion we most definitely noticed today.

And then quite suddenly a heavenly selection of desserts were presented before us accompanied by two glasses of 2010 Dowie Doole Cane Cut Viognier.

The first dessert, A crispy chocolate cannoli with poached rhubarb and lemon balm herb was absolutely impressive.

The hint of lime in the balm lingers on the palette and is very refreshing.

An afternoon tea tray was beautifully presented on a 3 tier stand overflowing with cakes such as a  cherry ripe slice, raspberry cheesecake and a lemon financier. Of course, you can't have a proper afternoon tea without savoury treats and this one is complete with a salmon mousse tart, Parmesan, olive and sundried tomato shortbread and a selection of sandwiches. Oh - and don't forget the scone with lashings of cream and house made berry jam!

Dunbar House offers truly exceptional service in a very chic setting. Our waiter on the day, Michael, provided us with outstanding service and shared a great deal of food knowledge. Dunbar house is open 7 days a week for breakfast and lunch.

The Counts, who are now doing reviews for Sir and Mlady Dine Out, dined as guests of Dunbar House and Grand Pacific Group. Special thanks to Hannah Evans for arranging this visit.