Dancing on My Table

Last week Doug Govan and Nikki Seymour-Smith dialled up one of the most magnificent sunsets I’ve seen, on the west coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. We were to dine with them at their famed but humble cliff-top restaurant, Star of Greece, in Wirrina Marina. Don’t go expecting Greek food – the restaurant is named after a boat that sank in the waters in 1888 – but do go expecting an experience.

Schmooze on the deck with a glass of something local – the cellar is impressive – and drink in the ocean views while enjoying Port Willunga salt and pepper squid plucked from the pristine waters below. The dining room is charming in a friendly cottagey way, unpretentious, yes, but stylish nonetheless, and the service friendly and faultless. Seafood is the star – poached snapper, blue swimmer crab and Kangaroo Island George Whiting were on offer the night I dined there – but the menu also features house made bread, oils and olives from McLaren Vale, and local lamb, beef and pork, and, got to mention the chunky hand cut chips with paprika salt and roasted garlic aioli. While those around me sipped and supped and lost themselves in conversation, I had seconds.

www.starofgreececafe.com.au

The Lady Eugenie

Captain Ashley Newman

A sunset cruise aboard a luxurious 21-metre ketch off the Fleurieu coast, South Australia, at just $99 per person is an affordable way to taste a little magic of what this part of the world has to offer. Bigger budgets might like to opt for a three-day all-catered cruise to Kangaroo Island. Ashley and Renee Newman offer the above and day sails on the ketch Lady Eugenie, one of only 15 Scorpios ever built. 12 day trippers can be accommodated, and a maximum of 8 overnighters – in queen-sized staterooms with en suites. Think drinks and nibbles on the teak deck, dolphin spotting, sea lion watching, fur seal frolicking, and more drinks, nibbles, and delicious food.You’ll have your own chef to pamper you, and I can vouch for the food. Here’s what we ate:Spencer Gulf prawns wrapped in a thin sheath of prosciutto with garlic mayo to dip, lime pieces to squeeze;Arancini – crisp little jackets of golden crumbs housing tender mushrooms and rice;Haloumi sizzled in browning butter on oiled crostini topped with poached quince;Tiny cherry tomatoes and buttons of mozzarella on crostini with basil;Sushi with prawns, avocado, salmon, tuna.And there’s an excellent wine cellar on board.As a combination, it’s pretty irresistible www.kangarooislandsailing.com.au

Star of Greece

They dialled up a sunset for us. More coming soon about this fabulous spot.

Fresh from the field

Texel treat

My hunch was right, seafood was served at our lunch at Port Elliot, a town on the coast due south from Adelaide (as the crow flies). Lunch at no.58 Cellar Door & Gallery at Waverley Estate www.waverleyestate.com through up a gem: a thinnish tomato coloured broth of diced carrots and potato, mildly spiced with chilli and salted with bacon, brimming with Coorong pipis and seafood. The mushrooms, too, were worthy of mention; big, meaty – described on the menu as fresh field mushrooms – with Matchetts double reduced balsamic & Hindmarsh Valley goats feta. The main was a Thai-inspired salad of muscular Texel lamb strewn with pomegranate seeds. Texel lamb is heavy muscled and lean and gives your jaws a bit of a work out, but that’ll teach us for eating so many soft-as-butter premium cuts!

Pipi soup