The d’Arenberg Cube in McLaren Vale has certainly caught the attention of locals and visitors alike with a constant stream of curious punters stepping up to not only taste their delicious wines and explore the unique building that is the brainchild of Chief Winemaker, Chester Osborn, but to take on a magical dining experience in their level 3 restaurant.
One group that has been watching the progress of the structure keenly is The Tasmanian Food Co. As suppliers of quality, ethically sourced and sustainable Tasmanian produce to many local restaurants and households, they couldn’t resist the chance to provide produce to experiment with to the Cube’s husband and wife Head Chef team, Brendan Wessels and Lindsay Durr. GLAM Adelaide was lucky enough to join The Tasmanian Food Co. when they visited d’Arenberg Winery last week to check out the Cube’s “Sisypheanic Euphoria” Long lunch menu; a 10-course modern and experimental degustation menu perfectly paired with a fabulous selection of d’Arenberg wines.
Now, if Willy Wonka owned a winery, you would imagine it would look just like the d’Arenberg Cube; full of whimsical touches, bright & colourful decoration and offering a creatively brilliant sensory experience for visitors. If he owned a restaurant, you would expect that same magical experience to be carried through, and that is exactly what the Cube’s degustation menu does.
Normally at GLAM we like to show you everything about our dining experiences, describing the dishes and showing you just what it looks like so you know what to expect when you visit yourself, However, this time around we are only going to share just a sneaky peak with you.
“Why”, you say?
Well, quite simply, we don’t want to give too much away. So much of this experience is about surprise; that element of the unknown around just what comes next. With no menu to refer to, it’s only when the dish arrives at the table that you find out what you are getting your taste-buds ready for and that is definitely something worth waiting for.
What we can tell you though is not everything is as it seems. There are plenty of quirky gadgets that appear, interesting plating, food theatre and a certain playfulness around each dish. It really makes for an afternoon of pure delight.
To top it off, the staff are fantastic. Attentive, professional, knowledgeable and passionate without any of the pretentiousness that you would expect in a fine dining restaurant. In fact, there is nothing uptight about taking on the long menu at all which was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps it’s because they are surrounded by an eclectic mix of decor including chairs bursting with colour, hidden gems in the ceiling and tribal pieces from Chester’s travels through Africa, New Guinea and the South Pacific. Or, it could be the amazing view with vineyards sprawling across the hills in every direction. Or maybe it’s just because they simply enjoy being a part of something so unique as the d’Arenberg Cube. Whatever the reason, it all adds up to a magical day out.
If you want to try the “Sisypheanic Euphoria” long menu for yourself, or even the extra long menu “Pickwickian Brobdingnagian” (yes, the name is just as long like its 14 courses) then you can book online on the d’Arenberg site. The restaurant is open from Thursday to Sunday each week for lunch at the d’Arenberg Cube, Osborn Road, McLaren Vale.
And while you are having a bit of a google, check out our friends at The Tasmanian Food Co. to find out where you can buy some of that quality produce our favourite restaurants use.
Here’s just a few pics to get those taste-buds tingling.