We had done very little in the way of pre-trip food research for this weekend, so one of our first tasks was to have a wander up and down the main street and see what grabbed our attention. Leura Garage had the sort of vibe that attracts us - more relaxed than the slightly stuffy white tablecloth style of Silk's - and a menu that was pretty well stocked with vego options. We headed there for dinner on our first night.
It took us a while to hit upon a plan for the meal - Cindy was keen on the pizzas, while I wanted to sample more broadly from the menu. In the end we decided to sneak a side in along with a pizza and come back for a second visit if things measured up.
The pumpkin pizza with house made onion jam, feta and spinach ($26) was impressive. A great base, with some crispness to the crust and a wonderful salty and sweet combination of toppings.
Our side dish was a summer bean mix ($17) - snake, borlotti and flat beans with toasted garlic flakes, pine nuts and an citrus and olive oil dressing. They'd seasoned this heavily too, and the lemon juice and salt really made the beans sparkle.
It's safe to say that we were won over, so when Sunday rolled around we booked ourselves in for another visit. This time we ordered the vegetarian board I had my eye on the first trip - a selection of fresh and house pickled bulbs and vegetables with rustic bread and dips ($26). We matched it up with the yellow polenta chips, served with tomato and red pepper relish and parmesan ($16).
It's safe to say that we were won over, so when Sunday rolled around we booked ourselves in for another visit. This time we ordered the vegetarian board I had my eye on the first trip - a selection of fresh and house pickled bulbs and vegetables with rustic bread and dips ($26). We matched it up with the yellow polenta chips, served with tomato and red pepper relish and parmesan ($16).
The veggie board was a good mix of bits and bobs - heirloom carrots, pickled olives and onions, a smoky eggplant dip, bread, crackers, mushrooms and on and on. I'd have happily traded a couple of the pickled things for another dip, but all in all it was a pretty good package. The polenta chips were fat, crispy and well seasoned - dunked in the relish and sprinkled with parmesan they were terrific.
We were very happy to find Leura Garage - it's got a lovely fit-out, embracing the building's history as a garage without descending too far into quirkiness. There's great beer, friendly staff and decent coffee. It's not cheap - $26 for a pizza is pushing things a bit - but when I'm on holidays I find it easy to just go along with higher prices. And the food is great - that's the main thing really.
_____________
Reviews for Leura Garage are pretty positive - check out food is our religion, maggietea, Nadene's Suburban Farmyard, Confessions of a Glutton, the cooks room, foodies agenda, Got My Vote!, Miss K Licious,, Food Porn Nation, A Table for Two, Not Quite Nigella and Gourmanda. The Adventures of Miss Piggy thought the food was good but overpriced, while beyond jelly and Prick with a Fork thought the service was mediocre.
____________
Leura Garage
84 Railway Parade, Leura
02 4784 3391
menu
http://leuragarage.com.au/
Accessibility: Excellent - a flat entryway, a slightly crowded interior (especially when it's full of people as it seems to be all weekend). It's full table service. The toilets are fully accessible.
____________
No comments:
Post a Comment