Yuletide Dinner at Restaurant Atelier

Boned Shoulder of Pork Roasted with a Winter herb Cure on Creamed Parsnip and Buttered Kale (left) and Pot-Roasted Murray Valley Moisture-Infused Pork Rack with Broad Beans, Pomme Cocotte and Pine Mushrooms(right).

It all started with a dash from the office to Restaurant Atelier in Glebe, with a rumble in my stomach that can only be sated by Pork. Actually, I lie. It started before then, with an invite from Stewart at Whiteworks and Mel from Fooderati to attend a Yuletide Feast Restaurant Atelier with Australian Pork. How could I say no?

This amazing pork extravaganza was accompanied by Piggs Peake wines in a delightful play on words. Now, I like wine as much as the next person, but I know almost nothing about it, past “Wow thats the kind of wine I wouldn’t mind drinking after a long day at work” vs “um, that one tastes like dead ants”. Furthermore, I don’t actively drink white wine, so this dinner was eye opening for me because I realised that white wine isn’t bad, and I actually quite enjoy it (or maybe it was that the Piggs Peake wines I tasted were of a much higher quality than I am used to). Big thumbs up to Piggs Peake, for letting me in on the white wine secret.

Wine, bread and delicious butter

Though, maybe a little thumbs down to me for drinking too much of that 2007 Sow Vignon Blanc (Hah, so pig-centric), and not eating enough of the melt in the mouth appetiser of Pork Neck Rillette, cornichon, green beans served in a Witlof Leaf as I was starved and a little tipsy by the time entrees were served (though the warm bread and butter did a wonderful job of tiding me over, and tasty to boot). 

Honey-Glazed Pork Hock with Roasted Apples

Grilled Pickled Loin of Pork with Celeriac Remoulade, Pulled Neck Salad with Crystal bay Prawns

This trio of beautifully presented entrees displayed both the deft touch of Restaurant Atelier chef Darren Templeman and the breadth of possibility when it comes to pork. My favourite was the pulled neck salad with Crystal Bay Prawn, light and rich at the same time and topped off with that brilliant perfectly cooked prawn. Divine.

It feels as though I’ve been surrounded by pork lately, what with my recent pork chop discovery and all this talk of swine flu and this video that F. found. Pig news everywhere, some of it scary, other parts delicious. Despite the threat of piglet flu the message is coming through loud and clear, sorry pigs it is perfectly fine to eat your delicious legs and ears and bellies because we can’t get sick from eating you.

Onto mains, and the hopes of many a food blogger at our table is dashed when there is nary a piece of crackling to be seen. Though, whimpers of discontent and quickly replaced with oohs and aahs (after the photos were finished and the eating commenced, of course) at the fork tender moisture infused (though I’m still not sure what that means) Murray Valley pork rack. The buttery kale and parsnip puree are wonderful accompaniments and made me wish for more.

To be honest, by this stage I’m a little porked out, though I could definitely watch that video again.

Poached Winter Fruits with Christmas Pudding Ice Cream.

As far as I know this was the only pork-less dish in the entire meal, unless some piglet got snuck in there somehow. This dish was strangely moreish, warming spices and poached fruits with cool ice cream, the chewy prunes were a winner in my book.

Thanks again to Stewart and Mel for the invite, and also for the goody bag complete with rack of Murray Valley moisture infused pork rack. I have cooked, watch out for the results here soon  

My dining companions for the evening were: Fooderati, Not Quite Nigella, Howard from eatshow&tell, Richard from Here Comes The Food , Karen from Citrus and Candy, Chocolatesuze, Billy from A Table For Two, Helen from Grab Your Fork and Shez from One More Bite. Keep an eye out for their upcoming pork creations too.

Restaurant Atelier
22 Glebe Point Road, Glebe