Darlington Estate

Posted by: Em&Nik | 29 July 2010, 1.05pm

We have been here 3 times now and still am impressed with the service and the food, had feta and chorizo as a shared starter and i had prawn curry for main and my hubby had the duck, we had a sorbet inbetween to cleanse our pallets which was very nice. They had a party on when we went and the owner offered to move us to another table to avoid the noise but they werent noisy at all. We used our entertainment card on this visit and also on the last visit and they did not stratch off the number which was good, will go back again soon.

Food:			Visit: Fri 23 July 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Em&Nik | 7 June 2010, 8.15pm

We went there for Lunch as a birthday treat, it is local so we walked. The atmosphere was very nice, music playing in the background, candles on the table and the tables were well separated. The wait staff was very polite. We ordered the Chenin Blanc wine and platter of chorizo, feta and bread for entree. For mains my husband had the duck and i had the fish of the day which was barramundi, the duck and the fish were cooked to perfection. We ordered another bottle of Chenin Blanc (Darlington's own $18 a bottle) for desert we both had chocolate tart with espresso ice cream, divine! We would recommend anyone to go and also we will be returning. They also have a free membership which includes free bottle of wine on your birthday, priority bookings and also 10% off cellar door.

Food:			Visit: Sun 6 June 2010 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: Cariss83 | 5 July 2009, 3.33pm

I really liked Darlington Estate restaurant when I ate there last week. I had the fish and it was melt in the mouth. I agree with Suz that the Darling White goes really well with the fish and we had a glass of their pinot/chard bubbly beforehand which was gorgeous.
We could see out over the vineyard and the place had a real sense of tranquillity. Only complaint was I was a bit chilly sitting outside and I should have sat next to the fire when the waitress first offered! By the time we decided we wanted to be inside there was no more room :(
But overall, I'd recommend this place.
Oh, and I love my new funky handbag from the gallery/shop!

Food:			Visit: Fri 26 June 2009 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: foodsuz | 23 March 2009, 4.30pm

Tucked away in the back of Darlington is a gem of a place. The restaurant has a great vibe to it and overlooking the vines you get a sense of spaciousness and relaxation......
The staff were friendly, knowledgeable and discreet. Nothing was too much trouble.
The place was buzzing with lots of diners who clearly knew of the delights I was about to experience....
The restaurant menu has recently changed to a more cafe style during lunch which is more my taste than fine dining (which is available on Friday and Saturday evenings still). The food was fabulous and the portions were good as well. The tasting plate was creative and interesting with 5 different selections - the king size prawns were cooked to perfection and the homemade tomato and camembert tarts were delicious. The Malaysian fish curry was well presented and flavoursome. I had a glass of the crisp Darling White which complemented the fish superbly. For dessert, the Sticky Date pudding was a clear winner to me. It was moist and mouthwatering - I still keep thinking about it!
The table flyers mentioned Sunday afternoons with live jazz and tapas which sounded fun and the winery is now open 6 days a week for lunch which is fab for the locals.
Overall, it was a lovely afternoon. The whole package - the view, the food, wine and staff made it a very enjoyable experience. Highly recommended.

Food:			Visit: Fri 13 March 2009 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: suzfisher | 13 January 2008, 5.38pm

Tucked away down a winding country road is the beautiful Darlington Estate. The building, both outside pagodas and gazebos as well as the main structure housing the restaurant and wine room have obviously been well thought out and well taken care of.

The service was impeccable, greeted at the door and immediately shown to our table. Very friendly, knowledge of both food and wine.

We were able to taste all the wines before dinner in the Wine Room. It was interesting to learn that the Estate had changed owners in the last 6 months, however they were very well informed of their new purchase. The Cab Sav/Merlot was a winner, as was the Sparkling.

The menu has a lot of game meat, with only one vegetarian dish comprised of a souffle. I had the duo of Harvey beef (beef cheek & fillet). It was not cooked as ordered. The special was also chosen, a ballantine of quail and macadamias on a red wine risotto and it was outstanding.

Our waitress apologised for the delay in meals, as the chef was 'missing in action' and therefore took 90 mins to arrive. Thankfully we had a wonderful view to look at for 60 of the 90 minutes and were able to walk around the gardens.

Food:			Visit: Fri 11 January 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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