One of the perks of living in Adelaide is how close wineries are to the city. Within around an hour or so you can go from the middle of the suburbs to the heart of the vineyards.
Traveling up into the hills is exactly what some friends and I did last Sunday, taking a trip into the Barossa for a long lunch and some splendid scenery. After driving around a while we ended up at Krondorf Road Café, part of the Kabminye winery.
Naturally, the winery has lush surrounds, with the rolling hills, vineyards and greenery creating a relaxed and pleasant ambience. They make for a fantastic view while dining or wine tasting and are in perfect view courtesy of the full size windows that line the café’s walls.
The menu at Krondorf is based on traditional foods of Barossa settlers, with a distinctive German-styled cuisine. After around twenty minutes of deliberation I decided on the roast chicken, poached and fried with Linke’s bacon, cucumber and cream salad and roast potatoes.
My decision was validated when the meals arrived. The chicken itself was succulent, lightly flavoured and excellently complemented by the cucumber and cream salad. Also, the roast potatoes added crunch and extra warmth to the dish.
The friends I was with opted to try two other dishes, the kangaroo with red cabbage, fig sauce and mashed potatoes with a side salad, and, the Linke’s country style sausages with sweet and sour cabbage, mashed potatoes and homemade tomato sauce. Each meal looked delicious, and I’m told that taste matched presentation. Of course, being part of a winery each dish had a suggested accompanying wine.
After ordering, we sampled some wines and a few of us changed our minds from our original order. This did not faze the owners, who in fact suggested we could change our order if there was another wine we preferred. (For the record I can recommend the 2008 Semillon with the chicken, they make an ideal pair.)
When arriving at Krondorf we had no intention of staying for dessert, but were soon won over by the cakes on offer. All of my friends bar one chose the chocolate and almond meal cake with Jersey cream, poached pear and syrup (the other order was for a lemon curd tart). The cake was rich in flavour and texture, with the almond meal shining through. The poached pear and syrup have a distinct sweetness that contrasts the cake and balances the dish.
I also had a latte with my cake, with the 100% organic coffee making a great complement to the dessert. Full flavoured with a slightly bitter taste that coffee lovers will enjoy, I would recommend trying a coffee when visiting Krondorf.
All in all, I would say Krondorf Road Café is welcoming, offers a mouth watering selection of traditional meals and of course, a range of delicious wines. A must visit while in the Barossa.
More details: Kabminye Wines
Louis Fameli 