Have you ever read a menu scratched your head, and said to yourself “gee they all sound nice!” And by the time a waiter comes around with a pen and notebook ready to take orders, you send them back politely citing your own indecisiveness to blame. I bet it has happened to most readers. Now having a degustation option helps take away the food stress (if there’s ever such a condition) leaving the food journey on auto-pilot but can you have too much choice?

At Rock, it’s all about having options:

• 3 course ala-carte. Check.
• Full blown degustation. Check.
• Build your own tasting menu. Check.

Most logical people in this situation would go for a degustation given there’s just way too much to think about. But foodies aren’t necessarily logical people. The thought of building your own mini-degustation through the tasting menu option was just all too much and got the better of us all. It’s a bit like using stairs to climb 10 floors when could have used the elevator or the escalator beside it.

The waitress suggested selecting 4 to 5 tasting sized courses from the ala-carte menu which is ordered from light to heavy dishes. Don’t forget to leave some room for desserts which is also offered in a tasting sized portion. After orders were taken, a sip of wine was a much needed drink as you take note of the vaulted ceilings and large expanse of glass overlooking the water feature and onto the winery. Shame we didn’t catch it during the day or sunset as I’d imagine it to be picture pretty.

Amuse Bouche

Without the exact description, the amuse bouche escaped my hazy memory. Elements of smoky ocean trout mousse, salty olive tapenade, cool cucumber and crunchy crouton were all present. What I did recall was that the dish looked like something you can pick up with your fingers and pop into your mouth. But having the tapenade on the bottom meant this would have been a messy exercise. A tad clumsy.

Sydney Rock Oyster w. Shiraz Vinaigrette

Did forget to mention we added oysters to our custom menu? I guess when you’re in a holiday mood, anything goes. The vinaigrette packed a punch and only a modest amount was needed to lift the fresh oyster.

Clockwise from Top Left: (1) Through the Rock Bar, (2) Warm Olive Bread Roll, (3) Dome lighting, (4) Grilled Marron with Truffled Egg, Confit Tomato, Green Peas and sauce Nantua

Scallop Tortellini with Swiss Brown Mushrooms, Crisp Pancetta and Riesling cream

As a sucker for a plump juicy scallop, images of chunky scallop bursting out of pasta was potentially comatose inducing.  However, the scallops weren’t particularly prominent in content as well as taste. More disappointing was the pasta which wasn’t all that supple and silky as fresh pasta should be. For a first course, the creamy sauce was also an unusually heavy way to start the meal however the portion size kept it in check.

Left: Poached Spatchcock with King Brown Mushroom noodles, bacon mousse, pearl onion and red wine sauce,
Right: Roast Pheasant with Sage and Chestnut Stuffing, Brussel Sprouts and Parsnip

Smoked Petuna Ocean Trout with Artichoke, Tuscan Cabbage, Anchovy Mousse and Mushroom Broth

The next course combined the earthiness of mushroom broth (poured at the table for theatrics!) with the freshness of ocean trout from the sea. A nice dish, but not mind-blowing like Tetsuya’s signature trout! Brownie points for the wafer of trout skin which was so crispy, it could be mistaken for roast pork rind if you closed your eyes.

Cervena Venison with Quinoa, Confit Beetroot, Horseradish creme fraiche and Madeira sauce

Speaking of illusions of meat, my third course of venison could have played me for a fool if it was swapped with the next course. The venison was very much like a steak in both texture and taste. Not that I have anything against steak of course which was probably why it was my favourite savoury dish of the night. For the curious minded, Quinoa is an interesting grain akin to cous cous but more ‘bubbly’ in consistency.

Corned Wagyu Beef with Carrot, Turnip, Salsify, Celeraic puree and Suet dumpling

The wagyu beef was not melt-in-your-mouth good but unusually chewy. I wasn’t sure whether this was because it was brine soaked but it detracted from the overall experience. The suet dumpling of encased beef fat was also spoiled somewhat by the rocky exterior. A bit of a shame as the flavours were actually spot-on with well balanced saucing to boot.

Savarin with Ligurian Honey Semifreddo, Mandarin and Brandy Snap

Chocolate tart with Framboise creme fraiche

Quince and Frangipane Tart with Praline Ice Cream and Quince syrup

Dishes at this stage pleasing but not stellar, but we all know what difference a dessert can make. Whilst not as artistic as the other sweets, the frangipane tart was a highlight of the night. The toasty warm tart was delightfully fragrant with natural sweetness emanating from the poached quince wedges. And if ice cream makes the world go round, it certainly sent tastebuds packing to yum heaven when combined with the tart. Let the power of an almighty dessert prevail.

Petit Fours – Canelles and Vanilla Macaroons

Nice to see freshly made canelles served as petit fours alongside vanilla macaroons. These bit sized morsels were satisfyingly moist and not too sweet. Far better than the first time I tried it from a bakery in Hong Kong.

Two bottles of wine later, time elapsed far too quickly. Whilst I wouldn’t say it ranks in at 2-hat status in the food department, the service and aesthetics gave the impression of a polished machine and importantly, a sense of ‘occasion’ in laid-back wine country. Service was friendly and the assistant sommelier on the night was most helpful providing advice on some great wines. Sometime you’ve got to remember that you’re not living a hard life if your have choice.

What a way to kick off a weekend getaway. Cheers!

Verdict

Food = 13.5/20
Service = 8.5/10
Ambience = 8.5/10
Value = 7.5/10

Overall = 38.0/50

Pooles Rock Winery
576 Debeyers Rd,
Pokolbin, NSW
(02) 4998 6968

http://www.rockrestaurant.com.au