The Grill Restaurant at the Stirling Hotel

LOCATION
In the main street of Stirling, just a 20 minute drive up the freeway from Adelaide’s CBD.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
If you haven’t been to this historic Adelaide Hills pub for a while, then it’s high time you scoot up the freeway into the glorious garden-village setting of Stirling. After groovy renovations, Stirling Hotel’s alfresco area is great for enjoying the tranquillity of the town and its bistro has already clocked up industry awards. However The Grill Restaurant wins for extra special-ness. A contemporary interior design fits out several dining areas, with particular fun to be found in the “Moose Room”. Secure this private spot with its antler filled walls and fireplace for your next soiree. Here a sense of play also comes into the seating with “king dick” chairs – heads of the table never had it so good. Chef Gary Rule presides and a glance at his mouth-watering work suggests Gary’s kitchen Rules.

Yum Cha devotees will delight at the entree of filled dumplings, served steamboat style. They come plumped with the likes of pork, chilli and coriander; chicken and macadamia and Szechwan pepper duck. Dipping sauces reinforce the flavours with soya/nvoc cham, chilli oil and pickled cucumber. Szechwan also gets a good work-out on Wagyu rump. The coveted cut is served with sauteed oyster and shiitake mushrooms, black beans, garlic shoots and fresh chilli. Asian inspiration runs into mains such as kaffir and lemongrass marinated gulf prawns and continues with a salad of wakami, tatsoi, blackened chilli, green mango and coriander, with sesame and palm sugar dressing. For a true taste of the Mallee Grill however, try something from its namesake in the kitchen. Scotch fillet with gratin of cauliflower, blue cheese potato, caramelised shallots and tarragon jus is a good place to start. To finish? How does baked vanilla bean and ricotta terrine with shaved pear and almond salad, orange blossom honey and honeycomb sound?

Roz Taylor