Daniel Alps at Strathlynn

If Stillwater is the place to be for dinner, then this is the place for lunch. The locals talk lovingly about it and there are rumors of opening on evenings. However the staff debate that the locals will not drive 20minutes for dinner- even one this good! Situated in the Tamar Valley with the Ninth Island tasting centre for company in room next door, it’s a relaxed atmosphere fostered by the views of the rolling hills and river below. The House-made bread becomes an olfactory sensation when the Lentara olive oil appears. Rich and fragrant I could just dab it behind my ears and forget David Jones perfume department forever. Daniel Alps is famed for his passion for local produce the best example of this is the Vineyard platter which changes daily. A rustic tumble of Balsamic beetroot, mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, pumpkin frittata, courgette and ocean trout topped with a toupe of salad leaves was an organic bonanza of goodies just bursting with flavour. It’s a bold move from the kitchen to let the food speak for itself. These are day-spa veggies without a doubt! With just six items to choose from, the selection is limited but with a choice of entrée/main size you can potentially munch through the entire menu with ease. The char grilled calamari and chorizo salad was a riot of flavours, followed by Pan fried Nichols Chicken with pumpkin, red pepper and pine nuts. Mr X opted for glorious Pork belly with mushrooms, rocket and parmesan. Its lovely chewy texture complimented by the lemon oil dressing made the entire meal memorable. Deserts were not the highlight. We felt a bit short with lemon meringue pie which offered little in the way of meringue and a sloppy curd but the flavours were sound. The wine list is unabashedly full of its own brands, but they are so good, why worry when all you need is a refill of Kreglinger Sparkling and your fizz is back. (Date of experience: Feb, 2010 )