PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Eleonore's is the formal restaurant at Chateau Yering, a marvellous historic house hotel in the Yarra Valley that was built by one of the early families in the area. In the mid-19th century, this place was the social centre of the Yarra Valley. The dining room is grand, the furnishings luxurious, and there's a million dollar view of the wonderful gardens and hills. It's worth dressing up a bit to match the surroundings, but the restaurant is not by any means stuffy.
The food is unmistakably modern, prepared with imagination and skill. Chef Mathew Macartney has taken over the kitchen, and the result is a small a la carte menu with the option of two degustations, one of which is vegetarian. There's some Asian influence here and there: a Japanese-inspired appetiser of wasabi pannacotta topped with a tiny roll of kingfish and tuna and salmon roe, for example, or a main course of poached red emperor fillets and scallops with a black bean vinaigrette. Bring along a lively and curious appetite, and settle down to enjoy it all. Younger waiters work under the watchful eyes of the experienced older floor staff; and the wine list makes a feature of Yarra Valley wines with a few by the glass as well. Hang the expense and stay the night, with breakfast and lunch in the more casual Sweetwater Cafe.
Rita Erlich, November 2007
