Paringa Estate

It's not the fanciest restaurant on the Mornington Peninsula, but the views of vines and rolling hills put it in the region's dress circle, while the food of chef Julian Hills broaches no argument that here is a special dining experience indeed. The modern menu trills with French technique with measured modernist touches. A fat, poached marron tail topped with lardo sits in a puddle of citrus sabayon and vanilla parsnip puree; amazingly textured beef intercostal (rib fingers) is perked up with pickled baby pine mushrooms and burnt onion skordalia; pink duck breast marries happily to a pistachio paste, cherries and wilted radicchio. Chestnut and cauliflower tortelloni with a nut and seed crumble doesn't see much flavour payoff for technique, but the proof of Paringa is in the pudding, with a yoghurt panna cotta elevated to greatness with apple and sorrel granita, lemon curd, pistachio croutons and poached rhubarb. Waiters keep the room humming happily with service wisdom that belies their youth.