The Wine Underground - Review

The logistics of what to do on New Years Eve can be a real struggle. Party, transport, booze, parking. Could the prospect of vomit and sore feet get you excited about a new years eve?! It used to get me foaming at the mouth, so please roll me over! This year was a little more refined, the choice was made to attend a moderately priced degustation at The Wine Underground, 121 Pirie St. This is not my first choice of venue but many options on NYE were over priced or booked out or both! So you may wonder why this moderately priced option for a unique experience. The truth was because I had suggested it to a colleague as an alternative for ‘Citrus’ on Hutt St. and they were pleasantly surprised. So I thought it only wise to try out the new look Wine Underground after it was damaged by an explosion. I had high hopes for the night’s food as the chefs listed on their website are experienced and are more than capable at impressing on the plate. On arrival I enquired about the presence of a Chef of who I knew well enough to enquire about, but sadly a long haired “ink festooned” chef informed me she no longer worked there. Bugger! Dessert’s potential has just crashed, and when I preview the menu some things have been changed from the email version - Hmmm interesting.

We are greeted over the bar in a Restaurant which seems an interesting way to do business, but it is near impossible to miss the bar as you enter the underground restaurant. We perch on the stools and peruse the well lit scene. No zebras were harmed in the making of the carpet squares but it may have added to the drama if the squares were once a herd on the savannah.
After a sweet glass of Billecart – Salmon we sat and ordered a Vertigo Adelaide Hills Riesling which only really matched the Snapper which was the pick of the night. The smoked potato puree was wonderfully intense but I am not sure if vanilla nage is really necessary. The entre was aesthetically pleasing but when tested really needed to be re ordered onto the fork, I am sure the artistic endeavour of our junior chef is worthy but for the sake of the flavour of the dish remove the candied orange and put it on the dessert and try something not so sweet. The erratic wine list has limited choice by the glass which should be rare in a restaurant that attempts a degustation, perhaps a sommelier would help but good help is hard to find. The Maude New Zealand Pinot Noir was the most boisterous type red on the short glass list of reds. The pinot was well matched to the quail, so much in fact that I ran out half way through the tail of ox! The quail breast was brilliantly cooked and was rich and pungent. The twice cooked leg reminded me of the colonels secrets herbs and spices, so the secrets out! The remainder of the dish despite being interesting texturally didn’t come together to support the quail. Poor little bird never saw it coming. The oxtail received good treatment and the outcome reflected it, although I was suspicious of the peas! The peas! Was I seriously pushing the peas around the plate wondering, pondering, calculating, hypothesizing? How much of a wanker would I seem If I asked if the peas were fresh? Why should I seem? Why should the peas be in question in the first place? I know frozen packet peas. I have served more than my fare share to Hotel punters, and they know they are packet peas. (No questions asked) Is it ok to serve packet peas on a $115 per head degustation dinner? Maybe. Maybe not. Dessert was just average and the young girls and boys at the local “Cold Rock” could give you something similar, but they don’t have Sevenhill Tokay.
When I recommended The Wine Underground to my colleague I was lucky that they enjoyed the experience and appreciated the recommendation. I was foolish to have not been there myself prior, but I am not sure if I would change my recommendation. I am sure though a moderately priced degustation will have some glaring issues that will leave you with unanswered questions.
Giles