A stunning autumn day set the scene at our Yalumba winery in Angaston, and we were pleased to invite some special guests along to the Yalumba Chin Chin Restaurant, set up on The Signature lawn adjacent our iconic Clocktower.
Yalumba's Barossa wines: the perfect accompaniment to Chin Chin’s South-East Asian cuisine
As the Premier Wine Partner for Tasting Australia 2022, this was one of the major events marked in the program and tickets for the three restaurant seatings sold out months ahead of time.
We headed up to The Signature Lawn and were greeted with canapes and Yalumba V de Vie cocktails. We were warmly welcomed by our very own Jessica Hill-Smith, who then handed over to Senior Ngarrindjeri Elder Major 'Moogy' Sumner for the Welcome to Country.
We made our way into a grand glasshouse marquee on the lawn and we knew we were in for an special night. The first glimpse of the “feed me” menu was impressive, a list of seven of Chin Chin’s classic dishes – dishes that have been a staple on their menu since they opened their doors on Flinder’s Lane 11 years ago.
Wines were offered and poured as we were seated. The Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier was an easy choice to start, and it wasn’t long before the first course of Kingfish Sashimi (or compressed melon for our veggie lovers!) was served. This delightful dish is a favourite at Chin Chin, with a delicious lime, chilli, coconut and Thai basil sauce that left us wanting more.
This was followed by Chilli Salt Chicken Wings with Bandit sauce. Cooked to perfection, the wings were a hit with the crowd.
A surprising combination of crispy barramundi with green apple salad, caramelised pork, peanuts and chilli melded together for an exciting dish, paired superbly with Yalumba Vine Vale Grenache.
For the red meat lovers, it was hard to look past the twice cooked beef rib with shaved coconut salad and prik nahm pla. Delightfully melting in your mouth, it called for a glass of Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz. Equally, vegan and vegetarians enjoyed a similar dish with twice cooked king brown mushrooms.
The next course raised the bar, with an aromatic Yellow Curry of pumpkin, grilled tofu and eggplant. Chin Chin’s Executive Chef Ben Cooper shares this recipe with us and Broadsheet and suggests it’s a fun curry to make from scratch. The curry was accompanied by cooling smashed cucumber, snakebeans, cherry tomatoes and sesame salad, and a side of jasmine rice.
As the meal continued, we listened to the beats of local DJ Felicity, who got the room moving and ready to kick up our heels.
The autumn sun radiated through the pavilion, and it was a truly memorable occasion. The lunch suitably finished with a Chin Chin Magnum – which was filled with a delicious cherry sorbet.
