We’re no strangers to the amazing dishes Head Chef,  Duane Tilka, brings to the popular beachside eatery that is Acacia. Our last wine dinner here was roughly four months ago, and we were back to enjoy another superb six-course meal. With complementing wine from Signature Wines, we were set for another great evening.

Salmon, Tepache, Apple, Vanilla

To start, we were treated to small circular apple slices sitting on top a portion of silky, smooth salmon. Subtle notes of vanilla were present, and were complemented by the sweetness of the apple and tepache. The dish was paired with the Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, a lively sparkling with delicate citrus aromas. Elegant on the palate, the sparkling was a good match to the acidity of the dish.

Prawn, Butternut Vinegar, Mushroom, Bacon

We really love the creativity that goes into each dish, and this was no different. Thin slices of earthy mushroom sat on top of a delicate segment of prawn, which happened to taste like bacon. All the elements of the dish were brought together by the acidity of the butternut vinegar. We drank the Coordinates Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2018, which had lovely tropical and floral notes. The wine complemented the dish on many levels.

Snapper, Squid Garum, Asparagus

The minimalism of this dish speaks volumes, particularly when it comes to presentation. The portion of snapper and slices of asparagus don’t really do much on their own, but when combined with the squid garum sauce, there’s a flavour explosion in your mouth. The fermented squid sauce was delicious and brought all the ingredients together. The Coordinates Tempinot 2018 had savoury fruity characteristics which was ideal for drinking on its own, and with this particular dish.

Pork, Persimmon, Pumpkin

This dish was possibly the favourite of the night. The star of the show was the generous slice of perfectly crackling pork. The meat was soft and delicate, and the skin was firm with the right amount of chewiness. The dish was further enhanced with the addition of more pork rind and a crunchy persimmon slice. We all know that pork works well with sweet fruits, so the addition of pumpkin puree and the persimmon sauce was always going to be a winner. The Coordinates Tempranillo 2018 had fruity and oak characteristics which were a match made in heaven when it comes to a pork dish.

Beef, Onion, Sansho Pepper

For some reason, this dish reminded me of a kebab that I would have at 3am on a Saturday night. Juicy morsels of well seasoned beef were encased in a thin onion shell. This sat on top of a bed of mayonnaise surrounded by a jus. This was paired with the Summons Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 which had flavours of red berry fruit and plums with a hint of dark chocolate. A suitable red wine to go with a red meat dish.

Ryseo Custard Tart, Kelp, Lilly Pilly

A refreshing dessert to end the feast, the kelp infused ice cream was creamy with subtle flavours of the ocean. The ryseo custard was thick and smooth, and was encased in a firm and delicious tart shell. The lilly pilly berries were sweet and helped balance the savouriness of the dish. It was paired with a Sparkling Shiraz that had lovely fruit and oak characters, which were quite suitable for a dessert.

Acacia is open Monday-Thursday from 7.00am-4.00pm, Friday-Saturday 7.00am-9.00pm and Sunday 8.00am-4.00pm. We thank Acacia and Signature Wines for an amazing night and we certainly look forward to the next wine dinner!

WHERE: 3/269 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach