Pipers of Penola, 58 Riddoch Street Penola, SA
Early in November I visited Coonawarra and Penola in SA for a couple of winery events: an open garden at St Marys Wines, and the official opening (complete with ribbon-cutting by Julia Gillard) of the Raidis Estate cellar door. Both very fun events - and also both very good excuses to make a weekend of it, including a visit to Pipers of Penola.
I will disclaim at this point that Simon and Erika Bowen, the proprietors of Pipers, are friends of friends, so this won’t be a full critique – merely an exercise in food porn. Enjoy!
Appetiser – cured wagyu with pear and jelly:
J’s entree – sweetbreads, cauliflower puree, asparagus, crumbed egg
My entree – scallops, truffled leek puree, mushroom vinaigrette
J’s main course – oak smoked sirloin of Mayura Station wagyu, duck liver parfait, duxelles, potato puree and jus
My main course – roasted duck breast, pomme anna, white Jerusalem artichoke puree, shitake mushrooms, truffle dressing 
Sides – potatoes and asparagus
J’s dessert – Milawa King River Gold, toasted pain d’epice and star anise macerated oranges
My dessert – house sorbets (pineapple and melon)
KATE
oooh, the scallops look great sitting there all juicy. Little did they know they'd be eaten in three seconds! The duck also makes me positively quiver.
Nice post!
WOW, I'm in the restaurant trade & my family hales from Apsley not far from Penola (on the right side of the border) and now I see there's somewhere other than The Border Inn for dinner. Yee Haa…
I hadn't seen what the new people at Pipers had done since Tim left. Still looking great! Can't wait to go back.