Red Hill - Dromana

TODAY IS LABOR DAY HOLIDAY AND SM AND I WANT TO TAKE A DRIVE AROUND THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA. The forecast is sunny and 36 degrees. There will be no cool change until coming Thursday. Damn. Lucky for us the aircond in the car is effective.

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First stop is Estat Bukit Merah a.l.a. The Red Hill Estate in Red Hill South. Red Hill is in the hinterland on the Peninsula between Dromana and Safety Beach.

The Max's Restaurant is well known and has won the Victorian Tourism Award 2010 & 2011 and the Australian Tourism Award in 2010 for Restaurant and Catering Services.

Unfortunately they only serve a standard 3 course meal today and so we find ourselves a table at The Still Water which serves 2 course meals.

Still Water is part of the Crittenden Estate. We are in uncharted waters as we have not dined there before.

 Red Hill Estate with view of the Bay in the far background - stunning view seen in person

 Crittenden Estate - lunch at Still Water

 Dukkah, estate made olive oil and salt flakes for the bread roll. This restaurant is a little "stingy" - they only serve one bread roll p.p.

We ordered two serves of twice cooked pork belly, honeyed onion puree,  shaved radicchio, fennel  & apple salad, chorizo and apple caviar; because we both like pork. However the pork belly is too fatty for SM's liking and I could see she hates it. " This is just like 东波肉, why won't you have it?" SM would have not a bar of it. She is like "Don't talk me into it! And don't you have it either.". Oh oh.

SM's main - Slow cooked Tuscan style lamb rump with, fondant potato, spinach puree and pepperonata. She likes this dish because she asks for the lamb to be well done. And they did..... Lucky for me she likes the dish or else I will be the 罪人 because I recommended her to eat it. OMG.

My 150-day grain fed Diamantina Angus eye fillet steak, roasted chat potatoes, organic vegetables with an onion & pine nut agrodolce, bone marrow fritter & a sherry vinegar jus. Hmmm. Yummy. Just the right amount for me.

The meals are value for money but the service is below average because they are fully booked today and the lamb is seasoned 太重手。It's a 6/10 by my resident professional cook.

We go up 1/2 way to Arthur's Seat to take in the view, for old time's sake.We have been there many times before but today, by far, is the hottest day we visit this spot. Not nice.