The Artel Gift Shop & Gallery. Photo: Willunga Wino
High time we popped in to sample the foodie wino wares.
Through the door and it is like you are in a Parisian cocktail bar.
The Artel Bar. Photo: Willunga Wino
Lovely bentwood chairs, moody charcoal colours, and booth seating are inviting.
Flowers and the bar. Photo: Willunga Wino
A lovely chandelier casts beautiful light and shadows.
Chandelier. Photo: Willunga Wino
Pops of colour in the feature lighting over the shiny black bar, and as a finishing touch, fresh flowers on each table.
Fresh flowers on the table. Photo: Willunga Wino
A large covered indoor/outdoor deck overlooks Main Rd McLaren Vale and is more casual.
We visited twice; once to sample their tapas styled lunch menu and once at dinner, which has additional a focus on a la carte options particularly from the onsite wood grill.
Now I try and avoid deep fried food, as it always leaves me feeling a bit heavy. For the vego, there are only a few tapas options so on our lunch visit I had the loaded potato skins ($9). Mr Wino tried the salt and pepper crocodile, and the fried chicken.
Selection of tapas, presented on a board. Photo: Willunga Wino
The potato skins were deep fried, and topped with fairly brown, oxidised guacamole. Sour cream and cherry tomato topped them off.
Salt & pepper crocodile ($8) was a bit tough and – as predicted – “tasted like chicken”. The chutney it was served with was sweet and spiced.
Southern chicken ($7) was served with a jalapeno aioli. It was crispy and golden but a bit dry.
The salads were fresh, but undressed.
Unfortunately we found it pretty unremarkable.
Stuffed potato skins; Salt & Pepper Crocodile; Fried chicken. Photo: Willunga Wino
We gave the Artel another go, meeting friends there one night.
Beef sliders ($15) came as a trio of tennis ball sized burgers, topped with cheese, onion relish and rocket.
Sliders ($15). Photo: Willunga Wino
At this point our wine was served, after the wrong one was initially brought to our table.
Lino Ramble Marsanne Roussanne. Photo: Willunga Wino
Tapas was served on a plank.
Haloumi and beetroot ($8) salad was a bit overcooked. The beetroot was lovely. The rocket underneath was unremarkable.
Zucchini Flowers, a serve of three, were battered thickly and quite greasy, stuffed with ricotta.
Haloumi & Beetroot; Zucchini Flowers. Photo: Willunga Wino
Mushroom arancini balls ($8) a serve of three, are also battered and deep fried. They are fairly bland and dry inside.
Roasted duck shanks ($12) are fairly small and dry, but there were around 6 of them, there were also meatballs with a yoghurt dip.
Tapas, served on a plank. Photo: Willunga Wino
We were still hungry, so we also ordered the haloumi salad.
It was served with grilled, oiled zucchini and eggplant, cherry tomato and rocket. It was drizzled with balsamic glaze, and overall was sweet, acidic, salty and oily, so fairly over-seasoned.
Haloumi & Grilled Veg Salad. Photo: Willunga Wino
Its good for soaking up cocktails or to be shared with lots of friends, but it’s not what I’d enjoy regularly. Keep in mind that the portion sizes vary between dishes, making the tapas a bit tricky to share with a group.
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