When Bella Vedere closed their doors there was an almost audible gasp from the Yarra Valley locals.  The most upsetting part was that the two story building rising from the vineyards of Badger’s Brook would stand empty.  A venue with so much potential, so much promise and character would remain locked up and unused.

Enter Nick and his team.  With a background in food and wine and a resume that heavily features the restaurant scene of Melbourne’s CBD, Nick and co. are the perfect fit to breathe life into a venue wilting under the weight of weariness and a history spanning a decade.

With a Yarra Valley Life visit booked, the date was set for my introduction to Tramonto Kitchen and Bar.

First Impressions:

To describe my first impressions of Tramonto I would have to use the term, ‘bathed in light’.  The entry hall to the restaurant is expansive and bright.  The use of glass throughout the hallway is perfection and the sun streaming through the French doors and glass ceiling highlights the rustic stone flooring I love so much.   Neutral tones are used throughout the interior to allow the view to take the glory and the crisp modern lighting pops to steal your gaze -if only for a second.

The View:

Sitting on the property of Badger’s Brook Estate, Tramonto is blessed with views of the vineyard spanning two sides of the restaurant, with the third wall looking out onto the garden.   If you were privileged enough to walk through the well-tended garden of the previous owners you would be a little upset to read that most of it has been removed (due to the state of it when  the new owners took over).  Now don’t stop reading just yet… Nick assures me that a kitchen garden is going to be planted when the time is right (I’m no green thumb, but I know that most gardens are planted around Spring … Please leave a comment below if you would like to educate me further in the art of gardening)  So it is definitely a garden in progress.  The beautiful vines covering the window and decking roof provide enough greenery to suffice for now and I look forward to seeing the garden in the making and as it evolves.

The Menu:

With a young and vibrant staff offering advice on food choices and wine matching, you will feel confident in knowing that every last detail will be attended to.   The menu will offer you all that is beautiful about this country we live in.  Nick likes to call it a ‘Modern Australian’ menu as it is multicultural in its infusions and offers a choice of dishes for all pallets.  With a chef that is highly experienced, yet shies away from acclamation, you will devour your meal with a grin and a satisfactory rub of your belly.  You must not, and I mean, MUST NOT go past the dessert menu.  This was a highlight of the meal for me.  Well let’s be honest,  dessert often is a highlight to me.  I have been known to be disappointed with the entire experience if the dessert lets me down.  The Kennedy and Wilson was above and beyond my expectations!!!  The flavour was intense, the sweetness subtle and the texture smooth.  I walked away with dreams of strawberry and white mouse dancing in my head.

The Future:

Taking over a well-loved address is like wearing someone else’s number in basketball or taking over a well-loved character in Bold and the Beautiful.  Everyone expects you to be the same, but you want to show the world that you are up to the task, you are professional and you will do it with your own flare.  Well , Tramonto are definitely owning 874 Maroondah Hwy Coldstream and they are bringing their own flavour and style.  There are many plans to expand the offering of the iconic building and the menu will continue to be tweaked with whispers of old fashioned milk shakes to make an appearance.  From what I experienced, this dynamic team has started strong and plan to continue with vigour.

Special offer:

10% discount to those that mention Yarra Valley Life.Valid from 1^st of April until the 30^th of June 2017. So pop in and say welcome to Nick and his team!