Joondalup Resort
Country Club Boulevard, Connolly
Ph: (08) 9400 8888
www.joondalupresort.com.au
Fabulous Food Presented with PASSION
It is a rarity to have not one, but three excellent chefs in one venue, and that is just what you will find at The Alcove restaurant at Joondalup Resort Hotel. The menu focuses on fresh local produce and seasonal ingredients, and the service is immaculate from a staff who obviously have a passion for their work. They were attentive without being intrusive. All the food is made in-house, and it all looks and tastes amazing.
Mai Joonkasame is the Head Chef and she makes sure that every dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste-buds, with faultless presentation. Each dish is a work of art on the plate. Executive Chef Dylan Cochrane is proud to be part of a solid team and is a very good judge of which wines to pair with each dish. Olivier Cutter makes up the trifecta as Executive Sous Chef, leading the pastry offering across the entirety of Joondalup Resort.
We started with the Farmyard Country Terrine, which was extremely tasty and came with a dob of seeded mustard and one of a delicious fruity sauce, some mini cornichons and slices of pickled onion. This was matched with a glass of 2023 Haha Pinot Noir (Marlborough NZ), a nice light red, perfect to go with the starter dish but not overwhelm the palate.
On to the mains. First up was the melt-in-your-mouth tender Free Range Chicken Breast, served with a separate sheet of crispy skin, sweet corn purée and roasted sweetcorn shaved off the cob, savoury mixed mushrooms, and a luscious Marsala sauce. A glass of 2023 HayShed Hill Morrison’s Gift Chardonnay was a good match for this, not too sweet, not too oaky.
The Kimberley Barramundi had crispy skin on top and flesh that was tender and flaked beautifully with a fork. The Southeast Asian curry sauce was mild in heat but had loads of flavour, and the fragrance rice cake was savoury and topped with grilled shredded coconut, which gave it a nice crispy texture. The tartness of a glass of 2022 Famille Hugel Pinot Gris (Alsace, France) offset the sweet flesh of the fish and the mild curry sauce nicely. A bit of chilli as a garnish, or on the side, would have been a nice addition for those of us who enjoy the spice, without spoiling it for those others.
Time for dessert, and the Crispy Hazelnut and Chocolate Mousse Entremets was a delightful surprise. Entremets means ‘between courses’ and is traditionally a sweet offering served between savory courses at a banquet. It is made up of layers that each give textures of spongy, creamy, bubbly, crunchy and wobbly. Each of these should be different but work well together for an overall delicious flavor. This one had spiced caramel and poached pear purée, delicate sponge, creamy chocolate mousse, flakes of crisp toasted hazelnut and dulce de leche ice-cream, topped with a fine leaf of toffee. The Koonara Sparkling Shiraz was the perfect foil for the sweetness of the dish, sweet enough to be a great dessert wine, but the bubbles cut through the sweet creaminess of the mousse and helped to cleanse the palate.
The restaurant overlooks the pool area which would undoubtably be a pleasant place to sit in summertime. We dined indoors, cozy and comfortable on a cool but sunny winter’s day.
The Alcove is absolutely worthy of a return visit as I would definitely like to try the signature dish Futari Wagyu Beef, which is very popular. The Alcove will also be starting a high tea soon, which no doubt will be delightful too. In the words of Arnold Swartzenegger: “I’ll be back.”
By Georgina Goss
