Set in the nicely renovated Mount Lofty House (previously there was a 'Hardy's Restaurant" in the complex but now this brilliant gem has opened on the Piccadilly side of the building. As the name indicates it has a verandah, although most tables are not on the verandah, although most have a view. Fantastic decor', staff, view. The menu looks the part and everything is presented with precision throughout the degustation. No doubt everyone will love this place and if you stay here you should eat here. For me it was "The King has no clothes". The lovely waitress rapid fire parroted off the description of each dish, intertwined with French or food jargon words most of which I had to ask her to repeat or explain. Many dishes were Minuscule wafers of air dried beef, mouses, tiny scraps of slightly over soused produce and chef's ego concoctions to justify the price. Then amongst the minuscule portions an unexplained giant sugary sour milk roll (potentially a palate cleanser). The desert with the old 'fizz wizz' trick was good and the petite fours nicely presented, although the chocolate tasted of pure white sugar.
The wine by the glass was shot out of a ridiculous syringe argon gas contraption that lacked ceremony. Surely in a large busy degustation restaurant, draining these not so expensive bottles quickly and using a gas blanket preserver would avoid this?!
In contrast, the Magill Estate takes great SA produce and doesn't muck with every dish quite so much and dishes are just big enough to justify a half serve of wine with each course. read more