It’s been a long time since I visited Frogmore Creek – the vineyard.
And quite frankly, I don’t know why. A recent lunch was outstanding. The food? Exceptional.
The bar is still as high as it was in the Ruben Koopman days, when Ruben really put Frogmore on the map with his Michelin level small but exquisite dishes that were complex and delicious.
One thing I remember, in a lengthy interview we did back in those days, was that Ruben also set the prices. He wanted the food to be beautiful, but not out of reach of the general public financially. And Mark Burne, who was his sous chef then, and carries the torch now as executive chef is motoring. Sous chef now? Sebastian Gasser, a recent import from the mainland with solid experience under his belt is inventive and keeping that bar high.
What makes a great dining experience? That question has been posed and answered for centuries now. Speaking of which, I remember a fantastic book on the history of restaurants by Anne Willan. It was full of incredible stories that stuck with me. Want to know where the word Bistro comes from? And it’s not French. Though the origin does emanate from Paris.
When the Russians laid siege to Paris, they still had to eat. And would dash into the tiny cafés screaming, “Bistro! Bistro!” which apparently means “Quick! Quick!” in Russian. The French restaurateurs, being as agile as the enemy, saw an opportunity and started hanging out signs, with “Bistro!” proudly painted. Of course, the restaurants became known as Bistros.
But back to our dining/lunch experience at Frogmore. From the entrance, which is the first building block of a great or terrible experience, Ella, as captain of the floor runs a fantastic, welcoming, and tight ship.
From there, our waiter Tristan looked after us, and we got no special treatment by observing the happy and delighted faces at other tables around us. Tristan is young, but enthusiastic and knowledgable. How often do you go to a restaurant now, and the poor waiter has been confirmed as “You’re breathing? There’s the floor, here’s the menu, off you go!”
As the poor waiter bumbles through a service that begins with mystery, the entire experience is, for the customer, lacklustre at best, and dreadful at worst. At Frogmore, they obviously take the training of their staff seriously, and it shows.
It’s such a multi-faceted thing, isn’t it? The dining experience. And no matter how brilliant the chef or the food is, if the service is second-rate? Then, sorry, but not rushing back, are we? Back to the dining, and the menu at Frogmore is still under the categories that Ruben set up, and it works well. Sea, Land, Garden, Desserts. Simple and easy.
We begin with a delicious baguette, with butter as well as the ubiquitous olive oil and balsamic. And here’s my only quibble: Give me the caramalised balsamic every time. The thick, gooey texture matches the oil perfectly, unlike normal balsamic which is thin and seems to dominate the flavour profile.
The dishes march out and we share – four of us, a good selection of the day, and a couple of new ones to test. I’m not going to critique each dish – they were pretty much all on point. And we ate – and drank – some very good wines as well – until we were replete. I include the photos so you can see the attention to detail, and the tiny works of art that were placed in front of us.
I do feel that I have to add a small comparison here to an unfortunate experience I had fairly recently at The Lounge in Maq01. Different chef, with a new manager trying to hold it together. But it doesn’t work. Borce Krstevski, the previous Maître D’ who was a standout and never once faltered, and nor did his team, has left a gaping hole in the entire Lounge experience. And the food? Nope. Not even close.
So, back to the vineyard, and a superb, multi-tick experience. The bill? A very reasonable $104 each considering we ate and drank like kings. The view to the vines still capturing the care and great management that must exist at the top. I hear that the functions, weddings and parties never stop, and for good reason. The chef’s garden still delivers some fresh produce that guests enjoy daily.
It’s worth the short trip out of town, and go with an empty tummy. You won’t be sorry. But book. If there’s a cruise ship in town, which is most days in summer, the team is slammed. For good reason.
C.G.
www.frogmorecreek.com.au and a previous interview with Ruben, about the Caribbean and fresh fields to conquer: https://justthesizzle.com/tassies-michelin-chef-and-the-caribbean/
