Friday Night Bites: Slate restaurant at Pikes Winery in Clare Valley

Not sure where to eat or drink this Friday? Fortunately, expert food reviewer Simon Wilkinson reveals a gleaming addition to one of the state’s top wineries which should be a real crowd-pleaser.

Slate restaurant at Pikes winery in the Clare Valley.

• Pikes wines opens Slate Restaurant in the Clare Valley

Not sure where to eat or drink this Friday? Fortunately, expert food reviewer Simon Wilkinson reveals a gleaming addition to one of the state’s top wineries which should be a real crowd-pleaser.

Desperado … Lyin’ Eyes … Take It Easy … One of These Nights …

Depending on your musical viewpoint, the playlist at new Clare Valley restaurant Slate will either have you humming along with those sweet harmonies or trying desperately to block out the earworms.

Personally, I’d had my fill halfway through track one, but perhaps those soft country tunes aren’t a bad choice for a visit to a region which is far enough away to feel like an escape to the bush but still offers all the creature comforts.

And, make no mistake, Slate, part of a big-budget addition to the Pikes winery, looks as sleek as any recent opening in the big smoke.

A shimmering pavilion that seems to hover over a vineyard bathed in a golden autumnal glow incorporates cellar door, restaurant and deck separated by doors that fold away to unify the spaces.

Exterior stone work reflects the original winery buildings but, inside, the polished concrete floors, timber battens and metallic mesh baffles could not be more contemporary.

In the dining room, tables are generously proportioned and amply spaced to avoid eavesdropping.

The kitchen, partly visible through a service hatch, appears to have all the mod cons. And from the dramatic centrepiece of fresh and dried flora, to the rolled hand towels and posh soap in the loos, the smaller details aren’t forgotten.

Slate Restaurant team with chef Max Stephenson.

For a chef given the keys to this gleaming new supercar, it could either be a dream come true or a crushing source of pressure — particularly when you look not far removed from high school. Max Stephenson, however, has already distinguished himself in a career that includes, most recently, five years at MONA in Hobart, where he was executive chef overseeing its well-regarded restaurant, The Source.

He seems to have settled well into his new role, getting his hands on his fair share of local goodies, and his head around a crowd-pleasing style of cooking to suit the mix of locals and travellers that Pikes would attract. That takes maturity. And discipline.

It’s rare to find anything on a plate here that doesn’t belong or could be construed as showing off.

Excellent local olives and a shortbread that doesn’t hold back on butter or spice are a good start. The house ciabatta, however, needs a little more work.

From the entrees, bluefin (as opposed to yellowfin) tuna is a rare treat.

A generous block of fillet has been spiced and seared, cut to show its luminous ruby centre and laid on a puree of white beans, with citrus segments, watercress, hazelnuts and basil oil all playing their part.

Kangaroo loin is also seared and sliced, leaving the meat as tender as a new mother’s embrace. It is scattered with a little too much of a dukkah-style toasted crumble of nuts and spices, while beetroot and feta pieces watch from the sidelines.

Fried five-spice quail is the unlikely standout, both breast and legs pieces partially boned and surprisingly meaty, a generous allocation interspersed with pickled carrot and daikon ribbons, a few splotches of a perky “green gazpacho” translating easily into what is an otherwise Asian affair.

The brussel sprouts...

... and Bread and butter pudding at Slate.

A recurring citrus tang links a superb piece of mulloway, fluffy fennel soubise, zucchini ribbons, wilted greens, twigs of pickled samphire and salsa verde, even before it gets an extra squeeze of the scorched lemon half. It’s all plate-scraping good.

The “Wunderbar” lamb rump lives up to its moniker, any extra chew more than compensated for by flavour. It sits on a risotto-like mixture of grains in a heavy-duty Middle Eastern spice sauce that tramples all before it, including a smoked eggplant cream that needs to be more than a smear. Pan-fried brussels sprouts and bacon on the side bring back the good times.

So does a final indulgence of bread and butter pudding constructed from slices of brioche with marinated prunes disintegrating in its depths and a scoop of cinnamon gelato melting over the top.

If there is a downside to be found, it is the young service brigade who do a competent job but lack the experience and sparkle the rest of the package deserves.

Still, Slate is a great step forward for Clare. Along with the enticing vibe of Seed Winehouse + Kitchen, the rustic Italian welcome of Umbria and the commendable locavore sentiments of Terroir, the region finally has the dining options to be an attraction in their own right.

There is something for everyone. Just like music.“Take it Easy, Take it Easy …”