Valentina chef and co-owner Ash Cotter (back row, centre) said he was proud of his team and acknowledged their efforts in earning a Good Food hat for the third consecutive year. Photo: Valentina.
Merimbula has been known for its beautiful beaches, scenic town and gourmet oysters for a long time, but this stretch of the Sapphire Coast is increasingly becoming a foodie paradise. And fine-dining Mediterranean-inspired Valentina is the jewel in its crown.
Ash Cotter, a co-owner and the head chef at Valentina, told Region that the South Coast location provided access to great local produce.
“The proximity to producers is great down here, and the fresh produce is on par with what you’d get in Sydney,” Ash said.
“Especially with seafood; we have great relationships with suppliers, who will touch base and say, ‘We caught this today, can you use it?’, so we’re getting things fresh off the boat.”
Narooma blue-eye cod with pippies, XO, and white beans. Photo: Valentina/Instagram.
Valentina retained its chef’s hat in the SMH Good Food awards for the third year running, and Ash said while a pat on the back from your peers was nice, awards such as this also helped out the other venues in the area.
“People used to come to town and run out of places to go, but there’s a great little scene now,” he said.
”It’s nice for us to get recognised, but it puts a little spotlight on the area as a whole.”
I visited Valentina for dinner with a friend and we opted for the tasting menu ($90pp). The meal starts with beautifully fresh, local oysters and mignonette dressing: a perfect opener to complement the views across the oyster leases on the lake. Next, crostini with a mix of salted and white anchovies were balanced with creamy ricotta, and tender octopus paired beautifully with spicy ‘nduja. I was transported back to my days as an apprentice with a plate of salty jamon and sweet melon (it’s a classic for a reason). We also enjoyed mopping up these dishes with a slab of sourdough and generous serve of umami-rich black garlic butter.
The seafood-heavy menu has excellent attention to detail in each course. Photo: Valentina/Instagram.
I started with an aperitif Sour Revelation cocktail, and my friend enjoyed a classic Tom Collins. Moving on to the wine list, we were informed that Pinot Grigio had been a popular choice that evening but we opted for a glass each of riesling and chardonnay.
The next dish was a scallop on the shell with beurre blanc and black pepper. I’m sure that slurping the sauce off the shell is not considered refined dining behaviour, but when it’s this good, sometimes you just need to chuck manners out the window! We had the choice between fish or grilled striploin with Diane sauce but we went with the fish of the day: Narooma blue-eye cod served with charcuterie XO, white beans and pippies alongside a green salad and frites. The firm-fleshed fish was beautifully cooked and perfectly juicy with a lovely depth of flavour from the XO sauce.
It feels wrong to rave about something as simple as hot chips when the rest of the meal was so good, but honestly, the frites were incredible: seasoned with saltbush and vinegar, it was like light ‘n’ tangy chips grew up and got fancy. You expect the showstopping main dishes to be great at a place like Valentina, but the attention to detail on small things such as bread and butter and fries is what can elevate a restaurant to the next level.
The Good Food judges were impressed with Valentina’s Mediterranean-inspired menu. Photo: Valentina.
The restaurant fitout feels appropriately coastal without being kitsch: neutral, sandy tones bring a lightness to the space, and candlelight adds warmth in the evenings. There are several large, round banquet tables for bigger groups, while smaller tables are well spaced and positioned to catch the views from the large windows over the boardwalk to the lake. Service is consistently friendly, knowledgeable and professional.
For dessert we were served Midnight Mousse: dark-chocolate mousse with pistachio gelato and macadamia cream. Although rich, the dish wasn’t heavy and we easily polished off the plate between us.
The price point makes Valentina a special-occasion venue, but a trip to beautiful Merimbula is a special occasion in and of itself.
Valentina is at Upstairs 5, 2 Market Street, Merimbula, NSW.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm until late, and for lunch on Saturday between noon and 5 pm.
Book online, and follow Valentina on Instagram.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on About Regional.
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