Ten Minutes by Tractor

I really wanted Ten Minutes by Tractor to impress. Steve and I were bringing my parent and sister here during their trip to visit us and I was really keen to find a special place for Sunday lunch that we would all enjoy. I wanted it to showcase some wonderful produce, challenge their tastebuds a little beyond the more traditional and conservative tasts and yet still be comfortingly familiar.

The menu appealed to us all and entree dishes varied between the 5 of us with my dad, sister and I all going for the risotto.

• Pan roasted quail, Mock Orchard pears, pea puree, pata negra
• Asparagus, Red Hill goat's cheese, pickled pumpkin, macadamias, freekah
• Risotto with scallops, squid, whiting with grilled watermelon

Mum's quail dish was probably the best although the other dishes were good too. The quail was just so soft and flavoursome the tastes going deeper with the pata negra and then the sweet pea and pear combo lightening up the salty sensations.

Steve's asparagus dish was extremely generous with almost a dozen stems of asparagus, a huge mound of freekah and massive dollops of goat's cheese. Great complimenting flavours.

Risotto was tasty and beautifully presented, The seafood was fresh and fragrant and the chef had also considered texture as we experienced a variety of sensations from the chewy to the flaky to the crispy to the juicy.

Main courses continued to be a hit. Again beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Steve's lamb course came with a variety of home grown veggies adding a Summery touch to the heavier meat. Fish dishes were vibrant and fresh.

• Snapper with peach and tomato fondue, prawns, crushed potato, asparagus, verjus beurre blanc
• Roasted Cape Grim eye fillet, wild watercress, onion and olive compote, heirloom carrots and red wine jus
• Fine herb roasted rack of lamb, 1333 vegetables, rosemary and mint jube, green olive jus

We enjoyed side dishes of roasted kiplfler potatoes and an organic beetroot, Mock Orchard apples, Red Hill goat's cheese. The beetroot was pale pink in colour and so sweet and the green beans added a grassy flavour to the sweet beet.

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• Michel Cluizel chocolate ganache, poached cherries, honey espuma, coconut ice cream
• Raspberry panna cotta, rhubarb compote, almond cake, white chocolate parfait, sabayon
• Rice pudding, apricot compote, caramelised rice puffs, sable, cashmere sorbet

The desserts were decadent and the winner was probably the raspberry dish which I-Lin and I shared. Just so many dimensions to it and all very scrumptious. Steve enjoyed the rice pudding and the chocolate and cherry combo was also polished off with aplomb.

We were also served petit fours but by this stage I was full. The others enjoyed them and declared them good.

We were looked after well by our waiter. He did a really good job. We had a lovely corner table with a picturesque view of the vines.

This is a place that is a little bit special. It's not so formal that it's off putting but it does feel like it's not an every day restaurant and deserves an occasion. It's expensive but I do believe it's worth it as it does offer that little bit extra.

Ten Minutes by Tractor fulfilled everything I wanted it to. My family appreciated the beautifully presented plates of food and the visual pleasure was backed up firmly by tasty fresh produce and impressive culinary skill.

I'd love to return and enjoy the degustation menu. There were some exciting contraptions and plates of food coming out the kitchen.

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