Hunter Valley Restaurant Review: Red Salt for Special Occasions

by Natalie Bennett on April 23, 2011

When choosing a restaurant there are many elements that influence the decision: food, atmosphere, drink choices and location come to mind as factors I always consider when deciding on where to satisfy my culinary cravings.

Mood, occasion, time and finances can help us decide where to go when it comes to choosing a familiar restaurant… but it is difficult to decide on a restaurant to suit your particular expectations when you have never been there! In many cases this can result in us frequenting the same restaurants over and over again, taking comfort in the familiar rather than seeking out a new & delicious destination.

I would like to offer my opinion on some of Newcastle and the Hunter’s most celebrated and successful restaurants through regular reviews that will allow you to know exactly what to expect from these fantastic, and sometimes undiscovered, restaurants (food, beverages, atmosphere), making it easier for you to ‘mix it up’ and break away from the comfort of the familiar next time you decide to dine out!

First things first…

RED SALT

About an hours drive from just about anywhere in Newcastle, nestled among the vineyards of wine country is Red Salt, signature restaurant of the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.

Between the glow of tea light candles, spacious yet intimate dining area, beautiful views, intoxicating aromas and amazing staff, Red Salt exudes class and sophistication and seems the perfect place for a fancy night out celebrating a special occasion with those special people in your life.

To me, Red Salt embodies perfectly intimacy in every sense. The extensive wine list sourced from surrounding vineyards, an exotic menu showcasing local produce, and absolutely flawless service, only add to it’s unique sophistication. A degustation menu is also available boasting the chef’s signature dishes, presently including a wild mushroom ravioli with Hunter goat’s cheese, warm asparagus and cress salad, porcini cream and vanilla cream parfait, strawberries, raspberry coulis and shortbread, diners also having the option to have specific wines matched to complement each dish.

My last dining experience at Red Salt (a mere month ago) was culinary perfection. It began with freshly baked sourdough with rosemary, truffle and garlic butter, washed down with a glass of sparkling mineral water. I chose a vegetarian option for entrée, ordering lightly fried zucchini flowers filled with goat’s cheese and pine nuts on a tomato and basil coulis. Being a meat lover I was slightly nervous about this choice, however it was beautiful, and unique, which added to its appeal. Slow roasted pork belly with crispy crackling, grilled polenta, buttered asparagus and cranberry glaze was my chosen main, complimented by an apple martini. It was quite a large portion, however the pork belly was perfectly cooked and the crackling was crispy and salty and gone within a minute of it being placed in front of me.

Dessert was my favourite part, and it wasn’t just because I have a sweet tooth! The waitress brought out the beautiful vanilla cream parfait, strawberries, raspberry coulis and shortbread with a little extra something. Written in pink icing on the beautiful oversized, glass plate was ‘Happy Anniversary’ (I was celebrating my anniversary with my boyfriend). The simplest gesture, adding a personal touch to the plate, was the most memorable part of the night.

One other important element of Red Salt is the extensive wine list that boasts an array of locally produced wines. It is well known that matching wine to food enhances the experience of taste. At Red Salt you can have wines chosen to match your chosen courses, each picked to compliment the flavours of your meals and your own personal tastes. Some standout wines offered at Red Salt include Audrey Wilkinson Cabernet Merlot 2007, Hunter Valley, NSW and Tulloch Semillon 2010, Hunter Valley, NSW.

The Red Salt experience allows diners to simply enjoy the food, wine and company, without some of the annoyances that occur at so many other restaurants. In my opinion, having dined at Red Salt, which now sits highly on my list of favourite Newcastle restaurants, a number of times, I can recommend it as one to visit if you want a special night out, be it an anniversary, birthday or just a Saturday night. It will be sure to leave an impression. And hey, if you decide to over sample the incredible wine list, you can always stay at the Crowne Plaza and drive home in the morning!