I’ve only ever heard good things about Lenzerheide. This place really sets the benchmark in fine dining, and if you’re got your heart set on that special woman in your life, this is the place to take her. We were given arguably the best seats in the house, table number 38. A table for two, right next to the window, at the front of the restaurant. The dim lighting, and the candles along the window sill and dining table, really set the mood for a romantic evening.

The service here is excellent, and exactly what you would expect from a fine dining establishment. Our coats were taken away and put into a cloak room. Cloth napkins were placed on our laps. Our glasses were constantly refilled throughout the night. The waiter even went through all the specials for the night. The staff were very polite and attentive, and yet not overbearing and intrusive. The waiter did spill water outside my glass on one occasion, but that’s just me being picky.

I have mixed feelings about the decor at this place. The raised ceilings, the internal atrium, the open plan dining area, the warm fireplace and the comfortable leather seating were definite highlights about this place. On the other hand, the carpet and the style of the seating seem to be outdated. But then again, the timber on the seating matched certain sections on the ceiling, and the brown colour coordination style seemed to work.

Tonight, we decided to make it a memorable one and order an entree, main and dessert. With roughly 8 to 10 choices for each course, making a decision was a difficult one. The timing of the dishes was perfect, although in the end we managed to dine in the restaurant for 3 hours. The presentation of the dishes was immaculate, and in some cases, looked too good to eat.

HERB BREAD – The bread was soft and fresh, just like it had come straight out of the oven. You could taste the herbs in the bread with each bite. The butter that came with the bread was a bit hard, but the heat from the bread made the butter spread a lot easier.

BUNDNERFLEISCH – The literal translation of this dish is “air dried meat”. It is essentially lean beef that has been marinated in white wine, salt, onion and herbs, and then dried for 3 to 5 weeks. The end result is a leaner version of your pancetta or prosciutto. Beautifully presented in the shape of a rose, the combination of beef, tomato and parmesan worked really well. The sharp taste of the vinegar complimented the saltiness of the beef, to make an interesting yet tasty dish.

ROASTED FOUR POINT RACK OF LAMB – Believe it or not, I’ve paid the same price for two point rack of lamb at an expensive French restaurant. This place gives you better value for money because you get four. The lamb was lean, juicy, tender and perfectly cooked. The spinach was firm and soft, while the goats curd tart reminded me of a small quiche that you get as finger food. The tart was a bit pedestrian for my liking.

CITRUS PLATE – We had to wait 30 minutes for the souffle to be cooked as indicated on their menu. When it came out, the souffle had not risen evenly, although the top of it was a nice golden colour. The souffle was soft and fluffy in the middle, and similar to eating a moist pudding. It was subtle in sweetness and you could see the bits of passion fruit laying at the bottom. The tartlet and the ice cream were nice, but the souffle was the star of the show. The dessert wasn’t too heavy which was good.

This is an expensive restaurant so bring lots of money. A main is around the $40 mark, but that won’t get you full by itself. You’ll need at least an entree with the main which will set you back around $60. Throw in a side dish, dessert and a few drinks, and all of a sudden it’s over $100. At the end of the day, it’s all about the fine dining experience and the appreciation of some of the best that Adelaide has to offer. Who says money can’t buy happiness?

WHERE: 146 Belair Rd, Hawthorn