Glen Ewin Estate, located in the beautiful Adelaide hills will delight anyone who comes to visit, regardless of the occasion.

First starting out as a wedding function space, the picturesque Glen Ewin Estate has now grown from a simple pizza cellar door, to a more regional food and wine restaurant; recently launching an all new menu that is sure to please even the fussiest of eaters.

Growing much of their own produce on site, owner Willa Wauchope, takes pride in how Glen Ewin Estate produces great quality food, with the freshest ingredients.

“We want this place to be informal, relaxed, highly approachable, just full of good food,” Mr Wauchope said.

“Bring your family, sit down and have a lovely shared meal.”

The beautiful interior of the Glasshouse, with the open brickwork, concrete floors and wood detailing gives off a modern and relaxing vibe, which makes it easy to make yourself feel at home.

The new menu is not only inspired and based around many of the local produce that is available within the Adelaide Hills, but also from Head Chef, Daniel Del Rio’s own experience from working in top European restaurants around the world.

“I’m taking what I learned in Spain, Germany and Mexico, or things that I have learned in Australia as well […] to build an experience where people are able to try different flavours, textures and colours,” Mr Del Rio said.

“75 to 80 per cent of the products we use are local produce and we are always searching for the best.”

The approach to the new menu is sharing food in a casual family dining setting and getting that at-home experience with restaurant quality food.

The Cured Meat Selection with house-made pickles and sourdough was a delicious starter. The deep and smooth notes in the cured meat were beautiful, giving off hints of smokiness in some, while others had a hit of spice. This paired lovely with the tang of the house-made pickles and the sweetness of the sourdough; which was made with fresh figs straight from Glen Ewin’s own fig orchid.

The Buffalo Burrata with heritage tomatoes, basil and olive oil was delicious. The Burrata itself was beautifully delicate and light, and had a soft, creamy texture. When cut open, the gooey and warm cheese oozed out. The light cheese paired well with the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and a lovely crunchy texture was added with the bread crisp.

The Pot and Still Fig Gin Cured Salmon with pickled fennel, horseradish and dehydrated olives was a beautiful and refreshing dish. The salmon was cut perfectly and was deliciously fresh, which held a slight tang of the fig gin. The horseradish and pickled fennel added a lovely crunch element to the dish and gave a nice balance of more earthy flavours with the salmon. The added blood orange wedges gave a pop of sweetness to the overall dish, trying in the sweet and savoury elements nicely.

The Kingfish Ceviche with chargrilled sweet corn, chilli, coriander and corn soil was inspired by the chef’s Mexican background. The pretty dish was again beautiful and fresh, and was a favourite of the day. The Kingfish was prepared well and felt light. The lime based dressing added a nice tang while the corn added a balancing sweeter element and also a lovely salty crunch, which paired perfectly with the kingfish. The kick of the red onion and hit of fresh chilli was not overpowering and created a lovely balance to the overall dish.

The Field Mushroom Arancini was served with house-made relish and aged parmesan. The arancini itself was lovely and warm with a smooth and delicious mushroom flavour in the centre and a crunchy outer layer. The mushroom flavour was prominent but not overpowering and paired well with the fresh tomato based relish. The relish added a sweeter flavour to the savoury mushroom filling. This delicious dish could be perfect as a starter or a small meal.

The Pork belly Bites with hoisin and Granny Smith apple, pickled daikon and toasted peanuts was cooked to perfection and was a wonderful sharing dish. The small pieces or pork belly were packed full of flavour. The sweet and sticky hoisin marinade paired well with the fresh apple slices. The textures balanced well with the crunchy crackling of the pork’s skin, with the sharpness of the apple crunch and the smooth stickiness of the sauce. The apples themselves were beautiful and juicy, and added the sweet flavours to the dish; overall balancing the sweet and sour elements.

The Chargrilled Chorizo with salsa verde and roasted capsicum was delicious. The Spanish cured chorizo was beautifully cooked, holding a slight smoky flavour from the grill and a small amount of spice that pleased the tastebuds. The meaty texture paired well with the soft tang of the roasted capsicum, while the salsa verde brightened the dish with lighter and sweeter flavours which tied it all together.

The Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder was served with tzatziki and new potatoes. The whole lamb shoulder was huge and is served to be carved at the table, just as customers would do at home. Cooked for 18 hours, the meat was soft and tender, and fell off the bone. The lamb was definitely the hero, having tender, juicy meat and a salted crispy skin; delicious. This paired perfectly with the rosemary slated potatoes that also held a soft creamy centre and a crispy outer skin. The tzatziki also added a lovely cool but sharp flavour to the dish, lightening the heavy savoury flavours of the potatoes and meat.

The half free range Adobo Chicken with beer batter chips was another huge meal for a family sharing feast. The large chicken was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy, with lovely hints of spices within the Mexican inspired marinade. The texture was lovely, with the chicken having a slight crunch to the skin. No one flavour was overpowering the other, and it was overall a very balanced dish that left guest licking their plates.

For dessert we finished with a Poached Pear, served with sweet ricotta, butterscotch sauce, toasted pistachios and edible blooms. The dessert was beautiful and we didn’t want to ruin the dish by eating it, but of course in the end we just couldn’t resist. The whole pear was cool and soft, and gave off a lovely light and refreshing tang. The sweet smooth ricotta was beautiful and with its slight savoury flavour, balanced out the sweetness of the thick butterscotch sauce drizzled over the pear. The pistachio nuts gave off a more earthy flavour, and was a lovely balance of textures with the crunchy nut and the smooth pear itself. A delicious dish that can be shared or eaten by yourself.

All the beautiful local foods were stunning, both in presentation and flavour and you could tell the technique and care put into each dish, to respect the produce itself and give customers the best food experience possible.

Glen Ewin Estate not only utilises many of their own produce through their cooking but infuses the flavours into their alcohol; producing a lovely smooth Fig gin from their own fig orchid of 1200 trees.

This orchid is also open to the public in summer, where guests can experience picking their own figs, or just grab a drink or a bite to eat at Glen Ewin’s Fig Bar, which is situated in the centre of this beautiful orchid.

They also serve and sell many beautiful and wines with an Adelaide hills stock wine list and are also about to launch a back vintage catalogue, exclusive from the Bistro and Cellar door.

With over 150 temperature-controlled cellars for personal use, Glen Ewin will be making the wines that clients wish to be moved available in their cellar door.

“It is possible that we will have the best back vintage collection of wines in the state, and one that will be ever changing,” Mr Wauchope said.

“We invite you to have a look, taste the menu and share the experience.”

Only 30 minutes from the Adelaide CBD, be sure to visit and experience all of what Glen Ewin Estate has to offer. Enjoy the food, the wines and even stretch your legs by taking a walk around the beautiful property.

There is a lot to see and do at Glen Ewin Estate; and with the lovely staff and perfect homely atmosphere you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time.

Words by Cyndal King

WHERE: 43 Lower Hermitage Rd, Houghton