side dishes down the coast but in the trees

Montalto's - Mornington Peninsula

(menu has changed since my visit, too bad for you!)

What to do when it's not a beach day? That's the "terrible" dilemma we faced while holidaying down the coast. Dilemma answered - lets wine and dine at the lovely Montalto's. Close the page now if you don't want to share my afternoon of decadence.

So we hopped in the convertible, scarves blowing in the wind, with Frank Sinatra serenading us. Now this afternoon wasn't about doing things in halves. We decided to dine in the restaurant opting to return to the cellar door for a more informal meal in the future. Arriving around 3pm we had just missed the lunch rush and without a booking we were lucky to be seated front and centre along the window, looking over the billowing vineyards.

In the restaurant, on weekends and public holidays lunch is offered as a two or three course menu. $72 for the two and $85 for the three. Why people would only go for the two course option baffles me!

First course, all my favourites. Scallops, beetroot, beef carpaccio, and a bottle of wine ordered for the meal. The scallops were amazing, pan roasted with some sort of leek reduction YUM, I can't go past scallops on the menu. Others at the table ordered a wonderfully salted and salad-ed beef carpaccio and the most silky and raspberry accompanied beetroot carpaccio.

Second course, I need to learn not to order fish at every restaurant I go to. It must be an automatic reaction I have - if your drinking wine - order fish to be healthy - ROOKIE ERROR! While my meal was beautiful I had terrible food envy from the meal next to me. I ordered a pan roasted snapper with a zucchini flower stuffed with a crab and prawn mixture, and some sort of gravy. It was all a bit heavy for me, especially for a fish dish, so I was happy to see that it had been taken off the menu. Now for my food envy meal, it was a lamb rump with braised haricot beans, and the most delicious sauce I have ever tried. I apologise to my dining partner for stealing half of his meal!

Dessert, I'm not one for sweets, would rather order an entree than selecting a dessert. But while I had the opportunity I went for a chocolate fondant with apple ice cream. WHOLLY MOLEY, this was melt in your mouth amazing, literally. Not to chocolatey strong, fluffy, hot and the fondant in the middle oozed out (in a good way). Best way I've finished a meal in a long time.

To yum things up: go for the three course option if visiting on a weekend, request a table in the window, great for group bookings, not suitable for little kiddies, visit the cafe next door and sit on the grass and enjoy yourself, a perfect special occasions venue

33 Shoreham Rd Montalto Vineyard & Olive

Red Hill South, 3937

03 5989 8412