Phil Wood’s talents are front and centre at his new fine diner, Laura.
The first course is called Land and Garden and it’s like unwrapping a present. A section of roasted onion sits on top of slices of carrot, next to a pool of beetroot sauce and topped with pink-tipped, finely julienned radish. Under the onion cap are delicate lion’s mane mushrooms braised in the style of teriyaki, mixed with shiitakes from Benton Rise. They taste like chicken and are teamed with steamed abalone to great textural effect. But wait. Like so much at Laura, it gets better as you go deeper.
There’s surprise and delight already – carrots revealing a hint of star anise, the beetroot sauce edged with sesame oil – but then, a few bites in, you find a magnificent curry emulsion. Somewhere between mousse and mayo in texture, it’s like a twist in the tale. Most dishes in restaurants present well and then get less interesting once you stick a fork in them. But at Laura, the plot thickens.
There’s plenty to get excited about at Pt Leo Estate. You’d hope so, given that $50 million has been spent building the sculpture park and its glass-fronted cellar door and restaurant building. The estate’s sea views, broken only by the occasional Cragg, Plensa, Halpern, King or Meadmore, are impressive. But the food offering is equally stirring. Big budgets can breed hubris in a restaurant but there’ve been no bad decisions here. The choice of Phil Wood as culinary director has proven decisive.
Over four, five or six courses, his food at Laura (the restaurant is named for the Jaume Plensa sculpture out front) balances precision cooking and artful plating with elements of surprise. The perception of what you’re eating can change from one bite to the next.
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Gourmet Traveller.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE SMOKING CAMEL
Each month we explore the origins behind some of Australia's signature drinks and learn how to recreate them.
MEET THE MAKER HELEN XU
As she swings open the doors to a new restaurant and hotel at her Yarra Valley vineyard, we check in with the Helen & Joey Estate winemaker to talk science, Sichuan and the wine brand she runs with husband Joey Zeng.
Fuel to the fire
From chilli to wasabi, there's an art to pairing drinks with spicy foods. SAMANTHA PAYNE breaks it down.
Sri Lankan hoppers
Chef TRAVIN DE HOEDT of Sydney's Kurumba shares his family recipe for this South Asian staple.
The art of...thoughtful feasting
It was a Moroccan tagine that taught ANNA HART to relax her ethics and eat, drink and be merry like a local.
THE NEW COCKTAIL CAPITAL
Mexico City is in its golden era of cocktail culture. Once home to a small handful of recognisable names, today the capital is heaving with globally renowned drinking destinations. And it's leading the charge for North America on awards lists such as World’s 50 Best (last year, Mexico City landed four bars on the list, compared to three in New York City).
Golden age
Time travel may not be possible but JOANNA HUNKIN discovers the next best thing when she pairs the Eastern & Oriental Express with a journey through Veuve Clicquot's private cellar.
48 HOURS IN PHUKET
Beyond beaches and resorts, Thailand's biggest island is a treasure trove of culinary gems. DANI VALENT gets the inside scoop from restaurateur Merica Charungvat.
LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE
Fireplaces, slowness and country scenes. Holidaying hits differently in winter
What is curry?
Cuisine or construct? RUSHANI EPA retraces the history of the saucy, spicy dish across the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora.