SA’s iconic Cube gets cheap and cheerful makeover
It’s goodbye $220 degustation meals, hello casual menu with nothing over $18 at the iconic d’Arenberg Cube.
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Cutting-edge cuisine and 3D printed desserts have been knocked off the plate by homely soups and sandwiches at the d’Arenberg Cube.
The McLaren Vale winery has now reopened all five floors of the South Australian tourist attraction, which includes the new casual food offering, called Eat@Polly’s.
With no reservations required, it’s a more approachable, and affordable, way to dine at the Cube. Gone is the $220 “Sisypheanic Euphoria Degustation” – in its place, there’s an a la carte menu with nothing over $18.
d’Arenberg Cube restaurant closed in March, just prior to the forced closure of hospitality venues as a result of COVID-19. The Advertiser restaurant reviewer Simon Wilkinson rated it 9/10, and it was ranked no.5 in South Australia’s delicious.100 list.
Peter Reschke, head chef of d’Arenberg’s long standing restaurant, d’Arry’s Verandah, has developed the selection of casual crowd-pleasers.
“It’s easy-eating, comfort food,” says Mr Reschke. “Some nice, hearty warming soups, fresh oysters with a Japanese dressing, a Ruebens Cube sandwich, some harissa chicken wings with kewpie mayonnaise, chargrilled corn with sriracha mayo… and a few salads.” Most dishes cost less than $15, with the exception of share-style plates such as locally-made Little Acre pate and pickles, $18.
“We’re utlising local ingredients,” Mr Reschke adds. Sweets and coffee are also on offer. “People can come into the Cube, have a tasting, walk down the stairs for the first time if they never dined at the restaurant, have a coffee and something to eat, and have a browse through the Cube and go home.”
Cube creative mastermind and d’Arenberg chief winemaker, Chester Osborn, said resuming seven-day trading was a risk while fewer visitors were coming through the doors, but “we want to do our bit to bring people back out to the regional communities”.
Current visitation is down 77 per cent on this time last year.
“In purely financial terms it probably doesn’t make much sense,” Mr Osborn says. “But looking at the bigger picture, we recognise that the d’Arenberg Cube is a big attraction among the region’s many great offerings.”
The Cube also features an “alternate realities” museum and tasting room, and is still exhibiting several Salvador Dali pieces. It’s open 10am-5pm and costs $15 to enter (plus $10 for Dali exhibition). d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant is open daily for lunch, bookings are recommended.
Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale, 8329 4888, darenberg.com.au