Note: We were invited as guests to dine in and try the 4-course tasting menu at Poachers Pantry. However, all opinions are my own.
I hadn’t been back to Poachers Pantry out in Hall in years, so when I received an email inviting us to come try the Spring tasting menu, it was a definite yes. The smokehouse restaurant is just how I remember it surrounded by a beautiful green lawn and garden.
We first headed to the cellar door for some wine tasting. What was the Wily Trout label has now been rebadged as ‘Poachers’. Mr FPJ sampled all six wines available for tasting, with his favourites being the riesling and the syrah (which he later purchased).
Course 1 – scallop crudo with citrus emulsion, ginger, crushed cashew, chilli oil and cucumber ribbons. The scallops are delicate and soft, and I like the flavours of citrus mixed with the heat of chilli and ginger.
Course 2 – kangaroo prosciutto with beetroot and apple relish, horseradish cream and baby turnips. We both loved this combination. The sweet beetroot cubes and syrup brushed onto the plate is a perfect match to the kangaroo. I couldn’t taste any heat from the horseradish so it tasted more like mayonnaise to me which I didn’t think it needed. I actually scraped most of this off. I was happy with the prosciutto, beetroot and apple combination on its own.
Course 3 – smoked duck breast with foie gras, spiced pear puree, French plum and buttered spinach. This was the dish of the day. We could smell the smokiness of the duck breast as soon as it was placed in front of us. It was beautifully pink, succulent and mouthwatering. The ribbons of duck liver foie gras was a teaser, making us want more of it. Mr FPJ didn’t like the thickness of the gelatinous pear puree, but I didn’t mind it. The sweetness worked well with the duck along with the beetroot syrup brushed onto the plate. The buttered spinach was still warm and tasty – probably due to all the butter! We would both order this dish again.
This came paired with the Poachers Syrah 2018 (Mr FPJ later purchased a bottle).
Course 4 – chocolate fondant with macerated strawberries and mascarpone. The fondant was warm with an amazing chocolate gooeyness inside. The macerated strawberries had a nice balance of sweet and sour. The mascarpone and strawberries definitely helped to offset the richness of the chocolate.
We were also given the dessert of the day to try out. This is the white chocolate mousse with lemon sorbet and seasonal fruits. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate so I was glad to discover that the mousse wasn’t too sweet.
After our lunch, we had another look inside the refridgerated pantry and bought a smoked duck breast to go (which is also delicious in case you haven’t tried it).
The 4-course tasting menu is $65 per person or $90 with matched wines. Alternatively, you can order off the a la carte menu. If you can’t make it out to Hall, the Poachers wine can be found at the Ainslie IGA and Prohibition bottle shops.
Poachers Pantry
431 Nanima Rd, Springrange, NSW
Opening hours:
Thursday – Sunday: 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Saturday – Sunday: 9.30am – 11.00am
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