Port Phillip Estate and Kooyong Wines — Restaurant in Melbourne

Absolutely incredible from start to finish.

My partner and I had been looking for places to celebrate our anniversary for a while and decided to explore out of our comfort zone and make the trek down to Mornington Peninsula, usually frequenting the plethora of options available to us in the CBD.

The views and building itself in particular are extraordinary. Limestone walls decorate the the exterior of the estate and although i imagine may appear harsh and brutal in appearance to some, compliments fantastically with the wide panoramic view of Western Port Bay stretching the length of the building.

Standouts for the food was the definitely the duck breast, described as being the one constant on the menu for nearly 2 years, with the rest of the menu altered from season to season. I can see why.

What was really the highlight of our visit however was the service. From the second we arrived, a gentlemen by the name of Ash greeted us warmly and avidly, guiding us to our table and congratulating us on our anniversary. From table to table, we watched as he walked each individual guest through on what makes the place special, acting as a host, waiter and sommelier all at the same time. He curated and probed for each persons wine preference, expertly showcasing and matching accordingly, as well as going through the entirety of the menu top to bottom with his own personal recommendations, explaining comprehensively yet concisely on how each dish works, where it's sourced, why each component goes with what. We really felt like his own private guests and were subject to some of the best service we've had in quite some time, thanks again Ash.

Thank you very much for a wonderful afternoon Port Phillip Estate, we're looking forward in eager anticipation to experiencing more of the same when...

We did lunch at Port Phillip Estate so that you don't have to. A grand entry and view save this from being no stars though going by the vibe on the day, I'm not sure anyone at the Estate would give a hoot. I've had a friendlier welcome from a car park attendant. Staff seamed to just be going through the motions and weren't very attentive.

The menu looked appetising, but the meals lacked. A sea bream starter tasted neutral, the snail risotto seemed okay but not as rich as it could or should be for a dish of French origin.

Mains were weird. The ravioli was more like a swollen pasta pillow from the stuffing of a Red Rooster chicken, the Barramundi came with a weird, warm and wet lettuce salad.

Dessert was creme brulee with ginger bread, spiced ice cream and mandarin. The mandarin seemed to be a bit "behind enemy lines" with the rest of the dish feeling worlds apart. The creme brulee had a "made ahead of time" hard top on it that sat flush on a glorified yogo. I loved yogo's as a kid, but they were $1 - so if that's what you're going for, don't be cheeky and charge North of $80 for three very below average dishes.

Coffee after was a little weird - no Almond milk or alternatives other than soy. Even my petrol station could whip up something better.

All in all, not worth a revisit, a first time visit all the same. Head up the road and munch glass from Glassblowers, it will surely be more satisfying.

Photos of the stuffing cushion and wet salad included for your...

Excellent service and friendly staff. That is about where it ends for the positive review for this establishment. The view is good however it is not the Amalfi coast view you are paying for. This restaurant has taken the portion size to a new low level. I had the duck as a main course. Two approximate 8cm rashers about 1.5cm wide x 1cm thick. I may not be refined enough to know whether it was supposed to be cold to luke warm or not. However, it was tasteless. Accompanied by a small tasty beetroot that had shavings of beetroot next to it. I had to purchase potatoes and beans to accompany the main. The potato was an cooked and crispy still on the inside. Entree was too very small prawns that were crumbed. Deserts were average to good at best. Extremely small portions once again. Bread for the table came after the main meal. I wouldn’t be surprised if the chefs and owners had bets on how much people would pay for how little you get. I understand with Porsche GT3’s less is best because of the performance you get. In this case the performance of the food was good at very best. This might be good for Frankston and the rest of the peninsula. However, for Melbourne and the worldwide food scene it does not cut it...