Magill Estate Restaurant Restaurant Adelaide Credit Cards: All major cards Open: Dinner Tues - Sat Price: Expensive Score (/20): 14.5 Reviewed By Sue Dyson and Roger McShane Phone Number: +61 8 8301 5551 Address: 78 Penfold Road Magill, South Australia, 5072 Country: Australia Food Style: Modern Australian Every two years or so we like to revisit Magill Estate Restaurant to check the food and to enjoy the wonderful space, the professional service and the amazing selection of wines.Our January 2007 experience was very similar to previous visits with one notable exception. The physical space is still stunning and the views over Adelaide city remain mesmerising. The architecture is timeless. The beautiful hue of Tasmanian sassafras dominates the walls, the city side features the huge windows and a long service table divides the restaurant into two areas. The service is still very professional (although there were a couple of minor glitches towards the end) and the wine selection is still as good as ever. However, this time we found the food to be unnecessarily fussy and lacking flavour. It was as if the chef was trying not to offend anyone by avoiding bold flavours and has ended up denuding the food of interest. Let's give an example. An entrée of cepe bavarois with carrot and fennel vinaigrette saw a mushroom-shaped bavarois in the centre of the plate topped with a 'cap' of white pastry filled with marjoram. The bavarois was strongly set and of the very mildest flavour as if trying to hide the fact that it was mushroom. We are all for subtle flavours but this bordered on bland.Around the central mushroom were mounds of onion jam, tomato confit and more mushroom. The carrot and fennel vinaigrette were a couple of artful wisps on the plate.But let's return to the start. We began with a bottle of the sparkling 1990 Drumborg which had survived well (although the first bottle opened for us suffered from seepage and needed to be replaced - which it was willingly). Bread rolls of little interest and a somewhat harsh flavour on the back f the palate were served. An starter of a seared Tasmanian scallop with salmon roe sitting on a dab of Provencal tomato sauce and a ring of capsicum emulsion and parsley puree offered interest and a promise for things to come.We ordered a la carte rather than the degustation as four of us were dining and sharing our dishes anyway. A dish of grilled sardines on haloumi with a tomato and chorizo terrine reminded us of two boxers in their corners of the ring. The tomato and haloumi 'sandwich' was in one corner and the slice of tomato and chorizo terrine in the opposing corner. The umpire was a gazpacho and olive emulsion. There was some flavour here and the sausage and tomato combined well, however as a concept it only just worked for usA seared tenderloin was cooked as ordered, was tender and had well-developed flavour. It sat on a puree coloured with watercress. Two polenta chips were Ok and the accompanying grape reduction added some interest. However the other main course of Hay Valley lamb loin saw two little cylinders of loin that was enclosed by crusted prosciutto sitting astride a similar cylinder of eggplant puree (caviar). This was a classic case of too much intervention in the food, too much transformation. This reminded us of the old days of five star hotel food where presentation and transformation took precedence over flavour and texture.A side dish of potato puree was very good. A plate of vegetables consisted of broccolini, green beans and carrots with the green beans being disappointingly undercooked.However, the wine that we matched to the meats was a revelation. A 1978 St Henri was vibrant, elegant, almost youthful despite being almost thirty years old. This was a special treat and one of the great strengths of the restaurant.Dessert was a bowl of summer berries that had been marinated in vanilla and framboise and served with coconut ice cream and lime jelly. The berries themselves and the liquid they had offered up were quite good. We liked the flavour. The texture of the ice cream was quite good and three little slices of dried strawberries added interest. However the lime jelly was a sign of someone nervous in the kitchen. Too much gelatine had been used to set it so it was too firm and hence too much flavour of the setting agent peeked through. The accompanying Alasia moscato worked well and was a refreshing end to the meal. So this year's meal was somewhat disappointing for us. We would like to see food that is less abstracted and where more flavour is allowed to shine through. We would also like to see more seasoning helping the meats and vegetables to semaphore their flavours.Reviewed: January 2007

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