Manjimup and Pemberton

We have arrived in Munjimup which is close to the Pemberton Wine Region in the vast state of Western Australia.

Pemberton is a cooler climate region that does reds and whites. It is also known for it Marron ( a big version of a fresh water yabbie)

We decided to pay for 2 nights in a caravan park as the weather in Walpole had us damp and drippy not to mention muddy and a little sombre.  It is a marked difference to living in a house where you might take a glance at the weather. We plan our itinerary by it. If the forecast is rain or wind we tend to head inland as it is usually kinder. The weather decides where we will sleep and for how long until it is safe to move on. The weather does dictate our decisions in a very primal type of way.

We visited Hidden River Winery and Cafe for lunch yesterday and the food was absolutely outstanding. The menu was small and packed with variety and the owners, chefs and waiters are one and the same people. We started with chicken liver pate which I had not eaten before. It was very strong with a creamy smooth texture. Defiantly worth a try. 

Mains were Sea Food Laksa and Spaghetti Bolognaise Northern Italy style with freshly made pasta. The dishes were simple, big food done very very well. I think a food revolution is happening. I think and hope that we are moving away from small fiddley dishes to big hearty meals. Simple food done well. The GFC had made us re-evaluate our spending and I think we want more bang for our buck in terms of eating out.

Dessert was very indulgent and we ordered a 4 plate $25 taster which was really just 4 desserts to share. It consisted of sticky date, pavlova, stewed fruit and home grown rhubarb crumble. Yum!

We met another couple at the restaurant who were  very friendly. We travelled with them to the next winery to sample their vino and chatted about work, married life and travel. They were doctors so I am sure they retired back to their chalets as we retired back to our camper!

Warrens Winery was a stand out also and they gave us a free bottle of wine for our troubles which was very generous. The cellar door had a homely feel and was a little like Redmans in Penola for those of you reading this that have been there. Generally the service here has been of a good standard also.

So much yummy food!

We tried the Marron which was a little underwhelming but worth a try and enjoyed truffle oil and honey from a local truffle farm. I am in love with their hazelnuts in truffle honey as we purchased a jar from the Sydney Fish Markets a few years ago and were excited to find the company was here in Munjimup.

Our dinner last night was wine, cheese, fruit, and honey hazelnuts! Decadence! We keep saying to each other how lucky we are to be doing all these things and the freedom that Australia offers in terms of allowing us to indulge in extended travel like this. We do feel very lucky.

On that note the ute is playing up a little and more rain is forecast!

Marron!

Hope you are all well at home. Sending lots of Love

Krystal