Blue Mountains | Lunches Dinners Anything

From the moment we pulled in to the township of Leura, on a gorgeous Spring day, I knew the idea of travelling all the way to the Blue Mountains just to have lunch was not such a crazy idea after all. We took our opportunity to stroll the main street of Leura before our lunch time reservation. You know you have possibly chosen an exceptional restaurant when the surrounding shop keepers express their desires to join us!

Upon entering the restaurant we noted a genuineness from the staff, who made us feel welcomed immediately. The Decor was lovely and gave a sense of stepping back in time, providing a bright, airy and relaxed atmosphere. Our waiter, who showed a knowledgeable familiarity with the menu, gave detailed explanations that assisted in our choices.

Selections for entrees included:

-the pan-seared scallops with tomato confit, asparagus, pancetta, witlof and cress salad with mustard seed dressing. The scallops were perfectly cooked with fantastic flavour sensations bursting with each bite;

Pan-seared scallops

-and the crepaze, a herbed crepe with gruyer cheese, smoked ham and garlic cream. The crepe was wonderful and combined a lightness and gorgeous taste combination.

Crepaze : Herbed crepe with gruyere cheese, smoked ham and garlic cream

Once we had placed our orders, the most divine freshly baked tarragon and honey bread was delivered to our table.

040

Tarragon and honey bread

For the mains we ordered:

-lamb backstrap , which was wonderfully tender and served on baked polenta with tomato capsicum relish and madeira jus;

Lamb backstrap

-pan-fried Tasmanian salmon fillet on asparagus, dutch carrot, potato and cherry tomato served with beurre blanc sauce;

Pan-fried Tasmanian Salmon fillet

-veal, mushroom and saffron ravioli, served with a rich and flavoursome tomato sauce together with olives, anchovies and baby capers. The sauce from this dish was so delicious, I wished I had left over bread to dip in!

Ravioli of veal, mushroom and saffron with puttanesca sauce

-farfalle pasta, which was a lovely light dish, with roasted pine nuts, broccoli, baby spinach, olives and shaved grana padana cheese – a great combination of flavours ;

Farfalle pasta with pine nuts, broccoli, baby spinach and olives

-flathead fillets in a wonderfully light tempura batter served with tartare sauce and salad, and just couldn’t be beaten.

Flathead fillets in light temura batter

At the end of a very satisfying meal, we couldn’t resist ordering desert. Today, the baked black cherry and rhubarb clafoutis (flan) with lemon cream and vanilla ice cream was scrumptious;

Black cherry and rhubarb clafoutis with lemon posset and vanilla ice cream

And my favourite, the bitter-sweet chocolate fondant, a magical desert for chocolate lovers, with that wonderful warm melted chocolate that oozes from the centre and harmonises well with the raspberry sorbet, chantilly cream and fresh strawberries that are lifted with the addition of sumac, sprinkled on top.