Frogmore Creek’s Lounge serves up true southern hospitality

Dining at Frogmore Creek’s city venue on Hobart’s waterfront is a memorable experience thanks to not only great food but also its first-class service, says TasWeekend food writer Alix Davis.

Heartlands Larder's honey bourbon lamb ribs with mash. Picture: Alix Davis

THE LOUNGE BY FROGMORE CREEK

18 Hunter St, Hobart

Opening hours: Wed-Thurs 3pm-11pm, Fri-Sun 11.30am-11pm

On the menu

Hemp seed damper, $10; turmeric glazed calamari, $24; confit duck in filo pastry, $22; watermelon carpaccio, $18; rack of lamb, $35; Tasmanian beef with mash, $52; bombe Alaska, $21; mandarin mousse, $21

Being truly hospitable is a gift, and not one that everyone working in hospitality possesses. It is an ability to put people at ease, anticipate their needs, fulfil their wants and give them a truly memorable experience. I have met a few exceptionally gifted hosts in my time – one was aboard a river cruise boat in France, one was the maitre d’ at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, in Beverly Hills, and one is the venue manager at The Lounge by Frogmore Creek right, here in Hobart.

The Lounge by Frogmore Creek's manager Borche Krsterski is the epitome of hospitality according to food writer Alix Davis. Picture @twobirdssocial.jpg

From the moment he glides by to offer us a pre-dinner drink, to our departure a few hours later, Borche Krsterski is the epitome of hospitality – he’s genuinely friendly, knowledgeable and makes our evening a memorable one. And his passion for his craft is reflected in the other staff as well – including Diego the bartender who happily whips up alcohol-free mocktails that don’t appear on the menu and Alastair our waiter who gleefully trades Scottish history (and a family connection to the Australian cricket team) with my husband.

Of course, service alone isn’t enough to sustain a restaurant and here, they are showcasing the award-winning wines of Frogmore Creek and a fresh new menu from chef Jason Partridge. The leather-bound menu is divided into Sea, Land and Garden with small and large dishes in each section to be mixed and matched as you like. The menu draws inspiration from Partridge’s time in Bali and Croatia, and global influences abound as our meal unfolds.

One of the dishes in The Lounge by Frogmore Creek's Land Sea Garden menu. Picture: @twobirdssocial

We nibble on hemp seed damper ($10) with a creamy thyme and honey butter as we make our selection and begin with small plates of turmeric glazed calamari ($24), confit duck leg in filo pastry ($22) and watermelon carpaccio ($18).

The calamari plays homage to the cuisine of Bali with tender, shallow-fried squid topped with turmeric-hued coconut and lime. Confit duck, shredded and wrapped in crispy filo pastry is a play on a Moroccan bastilla (usually made with chicken) and is topped with pomegranate molasses and hummus rather than the traditional icing sugar (yes, really). The duck is rich and we cut through that with the compressed watermelon carpaccio topped with mint harissa and walnut brittle. This fresh and intriguing dish changes the texture of watermelon by using a vacuum method (do not try this at home with your Dyson), compressing the fruit and making it a crisp, dense slice of intense flavour. The savoury harissa is complemented by the sweet chunks of crunchy walnut brittle and this dish is a must-order.

One of Frogmore Creek’s award-winning fine wines. Picture: @twobirdssocial

We accompany each course with a glass of Frogmore Creek wine, direct from the Coal Valley, and the 2017 Cuvee sparkling – made in the traditional French method – is a particular favourite with us. As we take a moment between courses, there’s time to enjoy the view of the mountain and the waterfront from our elegantly comfortable velvet dining chairs, while other diners relax in cosy banquettes and the thick carpet keeps conversation levels to a comfortable hum.

The Lounge by Frogmore Creek's Compressed watermelon carpaccio with minted harissa pesto, whipped vegan feta and walnut brittle. Picture: @twobirdssocial

Our main courses come from the Land section and my Tasmanian beef fillet with pink eye mash ($52) is tender and the sticky Frogmore Creek cabernet jus is deliciously perfect for mopping up the rustic mash. The garlic and rosemary rack of lamb ($35) is a generous serve of four with a crisp garden salad. It’s been cooked sous vide so it’s meltingly tender and topped with a flavourful mint harissa. I love a good side dish but all the plates in the Garden section were plant-based mains rather than sides.

Some of the dishes in The Lounge by Frogmore Creek’s Land Sea Garden menu. Picture: @twobirdssocial

Two glasses of dessert wine appear along with our desserts – a classic botrytis and a pinot noir fortified with brandy – both are excellent and, despite numerous tastings of each, we are unable to pick a favourite.

Our desserts are equally popular – an individual bombe Alaska ($21) is perfectly formed with a cloak of scorched meringue and a centre of raspberry sorbet hidden within a layer of vanilla ice cream.

One of the dishes from the Sea section of The Lounge by Frogmore Creek's Land Sea Garden menu. Picture: @twobirdssocial

My husband’s mandarin mousse ($21) is crafted into a glossy, faux mandarin with a fat quenelle of salted caramel ice cream to the side. Apparently, he’s not a fan of salted ice cream, but an empty plate about a minute later would beg to differ.

We bid a fond farewell to Borche – who already feels like a friend – and head home, still glowing with the buzz of real hospitality.

Oatlands’ Heartlands Larder’s food worth the detour

HEARTLANDS LARDER

47 High St, Oatlands

Opening hours: Thursday-Monday, 10am-6pm

ON THE MENU

Fried cheese, $12; honey bourbon lamb ribs with mash, $22; braised pork belly with rice and sauteed greens, $25; kale and feta pie with salad, $20; carrot cake, $8.

A walk down the main street of Oatlands is like stepping back in time – well preserved Georgian houses and shopfronts line the road and fields of spring lambs stretch out to the horizon. A rain squall has just passed and the sun breaks through as I take a seat by the stone-silled window at Heartlands Larder, where thoroughly modern food is making a delicious dent in this old-world town.

A walk down the main street of Oatlands is like stepping back in time. Picture: Eddie Safarik

The menu offers a range of items from small to substantial, as well as a display case full of house-made pastries, and we decide to start with a serve of fried cheese ($12). Properly hot, melted cheese is always a good thing in my books. Dress it with a bit of lemon and some salt, with fresh bread on the side and I’m a happy camper indeed. This dish is similar to Greek saganaki, but in this case it’s a Venezualen cheese from La Cantara, a small dairy in Smithton who make a variety of Venezualen and European-style cheeses. Delivered in a small cast-iron frying pan, this slab of cheese has a perfectly seared crust and is easily smeared onto slices of Launceston’s Sweetwheat sourdough baguette. I reluctantly hand a piece to my husband, but honestly, make no real attempt to make it easy for him to access – this one is all mine.

Heartlands Larder's fried cheese, delivered in a small cast-iron frying pan, has a perfectly seared crust and is easily smeared onto slices of Launceston’s Sweetwheat sourdough baguette. Picture: Alix Davis

Which is fine by him as a plate of sticky lamb ribs on mash ($22) has just been placed in front of him. Four meaty ribs and a generous helping of mash are smothered in a delicious honey bourbon sauce, that’s sweet without being cloying. I’m not generally a huge fan of mashed potato but these are sensational and chef/owner Larna Pittiglio tells me that the secret to good mash “is knowing your potatoes.” These are from Down the Road Farm and I suspect there’s a bit more to it than that, but she’s keeping her recipe close to her chest. Before opening Heartlands Larder in late September, Larna had been running her catering business from Ross for three years and cooking for her family of six kids. “As my kids got older, it became more important to me to really understand food and what they were eating. Obviously, with that many children, I’ve done a lot of cooking.”

Heartlands Larder's honey bourbon lamb ribs with mash. Picture: Alix Davis

Larna was recently recognised with an Outstanding Contribution Award by Tasmanian Women in Agriculture for her work advocating for and showcasing Tasmanian producers. Not surprisingly then, her aim with the Larder is to serve food that celebrates the passion and hard work of local farmers and producers – in addition to name checking producers in the menu, there’s a soon-to-be-expanded range of locally made items to take away as well. Fork it Farm rillettes, bacon and chorizo are currently on offer with more to come. “I want to show people how it’s easy to cook when you’re starting with good ingredients,” Larna explains.

In addition to items from local producers, they’ll soon be selling their own range of sauces and marinades, including the sticky Asian barbecue sauce that plays a strong supporting role in my plate of braised pork belly ($25) with sauteed greens. The fat chunks of pork are tender and full of rich flavour that’s nicely off-set by crisp-tender greens dressed with plenty of lemon and garlic. A kale, spinach and feta pie ($20) with a garden salad completes our lunch order. It’s a substantial, quiche-like pie enveloped in light filo pastry and the salad is fresh and well-dressed.

Heartlands Larder’s mile-high carrot cake topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.

While it’s lunch service only at the moment, there are plans afoot to expand the offering with pop-up dinner events “focusing on shared plates and a convivial atmosphere,” says Larna. “We’re still learning exactly what locals and visitors want.”

A relaxed meal in a sunny window is a welcome break on the drive to Launceston, but if you’re pressed for time there are takeaway options available including butter chicken with rice ($18), shepherd’s pie ($17) and chicken tacos ($16) as well as heat-and-serve meals that are ideal for caravanners or visitors enjoying a weekend at local holiday accommodation.

Heartlands Larder kale and feta pie with salad.

Just as we finish lunch, news of the snap lockdown arrives in town and given we won’t be getting out much over the next few days we decide to end on a sweet note with a mile-high piece of carrot cake. Studded with carrot and walnuts and iced with cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect end to a meal that’s definitely worth detouring off the highway for.