Bistro dining at its hospitable best

Surveyors Hill Vineyards is bistro dining at its best. The restaurant and cellar door welcome guests with a warm embrace, inviting them to stay as long as they’d like, writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.

THE menu at Surveyors Hill changes weekly. Eggs, herbs, flowers and some veggies are home grown, and some cured olives are from the property’s 500 olive trees.

Four of us enjoyed the drive to the 40-hectare, family-owned vineyard, in Wallaroo near Hall, and we went all out with entrées, mains and dessert (too many dishes to describe in one review so shall focus on top picks). 

The red lentil soup was the star of the entrées, lightly curried with tomato, fresh coriander and a decadent dollop of coconut cream ($15). The parfait of chicken livers, enriched with cream and brandy, was equally decadent and a super generous serve ($18). 

We all adored the smoked trout paté with dill and punchy pickles, pretty on the plate. Speaking of plates, Surveyors Hill, in line with its country charm, has an eclectic array of dinnerware – each piece unique.

With mains, the two lamb cutlets were cooked perfectly pink and arrived with creamy new potatoes and a medley of tomato salad ($33). The cutlets were marinated with garlic and herbs before being grilled. The twice-baked soufflé was a stand-out, created with sharp cheddar and gruyère ($25). A small, fresh white grape, walnut and parmesan side salad rounded out the dish. 

We were going to share two desserts but ended up sharing three (no regrets). The vanilla bean crème caramel was TO-DIE-FOR, and we were delighted it was made with Surveyors Hill eggs and a few duck eggs for that extra richness ($12). Talk about a treat and the accompanying poppy-seed shortbread was melt-in-the-mouth. 

Our table went silent as we indulged, and I mean indulged, in the lime and coconut syrup cake ($15) with fresh passionfruit and double crème. The chocolate and hazelnut torte was sensational ($15), featuring orange flavours, chocolate ganache and crème fraiche. 

Diners and those visiting the cellar door can buy wine by the glass or bottle at cellar door prices (no markup). We selected the multiple award-winning, 2021 Viognier (only $10 a glass, $28 bottle), and the 2022 rosé, a blend of cabernet franc and grenache ($10 glass, $25 bottle). Staff were happy to chat about all wines, sharing loads of knowledge. 

The cosy dining area is smallish but beautiful – cool in summer and with a wood fire to warm in winter (bookings recommended). Super-sized, double-glazed windows let diners soak in the panoramic views. The décor is comforting with bookcases loaded with fascinating books on wine and cooking, soft leather couches and puffy, colourful pillows. A new, large outdoor deck was about to open on our visit.