Racine by Arantz - Orange, NSW

Shaun and Willa Arantz do not only operate a restaurant, but offer a cellar door, cafe, vineyard, events and a wholesome experience.  The dishes are lovingly created, shaped and served in a manner complementary to making wine, with patience, much thought, innovation, care and an eye for the taste. The surrounding La Coline vineyard offers Pinot Noir, sparkling and Riesling on the surface, but once you get inside and saviour what is beneath the surface, you begin to better understand the underlying passion and drive that motivates the Racines.  For example, earlier this year, Willa selected her favourite art pieces for Shaun to then create follow up inspired dishes for an event - the Eating Art Dinner.  This 'eating art" concept comes alive when you see a dish like the twice cooked pork belly (image above) accompanied by rather sweet tasting, local produce green beans.

I chose the entree of whole pressed deboned duck (image above). Inside the layers of what can be compared to a multi-layered cake were sensations and bites of whole bread crumbs, interlaced with beet root puree and just the right amounts of radish, not overpowering but bringing out the best from the main ingredient - duck.  It went well with my glass of Merlot.

Chris had the entree of a slow cooked hen's egg (pictured above) resting on a bed of broad bean ragout, pea puree, asparagus and whole peas.  I was captivated that the exact temperature used to prepare the egg was provided, at 61 degrees Celsius.  There are other starters like crumbed lambs brains and poached water trout, but this almost initially simply named dish of hen's egg was to me the clear winner in a unique creation.

To have two meat dishes in a row can be a bit rich, but I could not resist the saddle of lamb for my mains.  With sweet bread, I found a balanced contrast with the medium rare juicy and flavourful lamb slices, on the left in the picture above.  Sweetbreads or ris are made by soaking the thymus, pancreas and glands of the sheep in water and then poached in milk, before breading and frying them.

The result I had that evening was savoury, sweet and sensational - never mind the actual and original  ingredients.

Located in the midst of the La Coline Wines estate, the restaurant has a pretty cottage setting amidst the vines.  We travelled towards Lake Conabolas Road after sunset, so it was delightful to settle down on a table beside a veranda window and with a high expectancy hanging in the air.

My impressions of the Racine Restaurant in Orange are:

Atmosphere: Country chic.
Location:  Away from the cares of the outside world.
Taste: Lovingly formulated, crafted and nurtured.
People Engagement: Satisfactory.
Service: Efficient and Busy.
Best Time to Visit: Dinner
Fav Dish Experienced:  Whole Pressed Deboned Duck
Would I Return?:  In whatever season. I was recommended the twice cooked pork belly dish to try next time.

Bakehouse On Wentworth - Blackheath, NSW

An autumn's day, the air gets cooler as we climb the roads up the Blue Mountains. There is a need to nourish, to refresh, to take a stroll. Our subconscious longs for warm , aromatic and reassuring food. We find a street like out of Monet, with leaves of orange, red, brown, yellow and more. Oh yes, there is an ATM thrown in, with a line of people waiting to get some cash. The entrance may be unassuming, but our noses follow the trial of freshly baked bread, pastries and pies. Welcome to the Bakehouse on Wentworth Street, in the cosy village of Blackheath, nestled in the Blue Mountains of NSW. Above image, the chicken , leek and mushroom pie, full of flavours, rather large for lunch but with such a toasty crisp bite.

Scones (image above) fire the imagination of the life of the first European settlers, good preserves and fire place evenings.  One has a wide selection of breads, rolls and buns (shelves in background above) to consume for snacks, with a meal and for breakfasts.  The beef pie below is an illustration of the heavier gourmet pies served in this Blackheath bakery - at 320 grams, the flavours that caught my eye are those with pumpkin, fetta and lentil; beef and Guinness; and lamb with rosemary and garlic.

The choices of sweet stuff (below) can range from chocolate and marmalade tarts to those with berry and frangipan.  I was captivated by the raspberry and white chocolate tarts.  Gluten free cakes are available in orange and almond, or in flourless chocolate.

This Blackheath bakery was the first of a chain that also has outlets in the neighbouring settlements - Leura, Springwood and Glenwood.  They specialise in organic sourdough, a naturally leavened concoction of water and fermented mixture of grains.  Unique selections are organic walnut, French yeasted organic baguettes and spelt organic.

My impressions of the Bakery on Wentworth are:

Atmosphere:  Village

Location:  Calming, easy and with character.

Taste: From sweet to savoury.  Good coffee as well.

People Engagement:  Friendly

Service:  Free wifi and good mannered people.

Best Time to Visit: For brunch or afternoon tea.

Fav Dish Experienced:  Sourdough bread.

Would I Return?:  No doubt.

The ambiance outside the shop (below) add a special feel to the selections available (picture with shelved pies, rolls and pastries) in an unassuming shop with table seating in a small courtyard by the side and with a country feel for those relishing an escape from suburban and capital city living.

Guylian Cafe, Darling Quarter - Sydney

Guylian Belgian Chocolate now has three cafes in Sydney CBD.  My first experience was at the outlet in the Opera Quays, along the walkway to the Opera House, a strategic location with views of the Harbour Bridge and passing sea vehicles of various kinds.  Recently I had the opportunity to check out the Darling Quarter joint, a much bigger place but with the same smiles of service and in fact more variety of offerings.  I have not yet visited the third outlet at 91 George Street at the Rocks.  Quality hazelnuts, cocoa butter and West African sourced cocoa beans underlie the Guylian product.  Above image, centre, shows the a wedding portrait of Guy and Liliane Foubert, the business founders.

The range of obvious products can be described as pralines, fruit mousses, milk choc, dark choc and truffles. For sit down meals and savoury stuff, you can have the choice of breakfast creations, waffles and pancakes, cookies, muffins, macaroons, bread snacks, salads and late night caps. There are also beef or chicken pies, plus quiche dishes.

Above, smoked salmon with capers accompany baguette slices and a choice of a lemon slice (the Belgian styled pistolets).  Below, the packaged product beautifully arranged on a shelf display. 

There are temptations like tiramisu, the poached caramel pineapple cake and 100% Pure Pleasure, which encompasses Belgian chocolate mousse with almond pannacotta and a so-called Guylian glaze.  For a couple, I recommend the chocolate degustation plate - and then get into sports gear and go for a run, together.  The plate has ice cream, chocolate, cake and dessert samplings.

One of the main aims of visiting Guylian is obviously to try the chocolate drinks, although they do serve affogatos and coffee based variations. I developed a fondness for the hazelnut praline choc milkshake

(image below).  Teas, juices, champagne, wines and iced drinks are also available.  There are wide clear windows to look out at the man made facilities just outside along the outdoor walkway, with the UTS Tower obvious and tall in the distance.

My impressions of the Guylian Cafe, at Darling Quarter in Sydney's Darling Harbour, are:

Atmosphere:  Trendy and spacious

Location:  Touristy, families and after work office people

Taste: Superb Chocolate

People Engagement:  Smiling, inviting and helpful

Service:  Friendly and quick

Best Time To Visit:  Mid-afternoons and late nights

Fav Dish Experienced: Opera Evolve

Would I Return?:  Yummy yes.