It's freezing in Melbourne in June. One remedy is to travel north. Another is to mind travel, kindling memories to provide warmth. I remember a beautiful Friday afternoon, 24 March 2006 to be exact, having lunch at the Star of Greece in Port Wilunga on the Fleurieu in South Australia. I recall asking my companion whether it could get any better than that place on that day. I remember small, regular windows, white wooden walls. The artwork was eclectic with posters, woodcuts, pen and ink drawings and model sailing boats. The sea deep blue through the windows. The tables were small and close, too close, together. The chairs were colourful and comfortable. We knew we were eating in a restored kiosk and somehow that heightened the experience. There were two outdoor areas, the first set up as a bar with limited seating overlooking the gulf, the second a sun-filled, covered terrace beyond the main room. The pace was leisurely, all tables occupied, but gradually. We left at 3.00pm withstragglers still arriving.
Only one bottle of wine was consumed at the Star of Greece, a 2005 Mesh Reisling, an Eden Valley wine which was mouth filling. And $45.
We started with local squid with roquette and lemon mayonnaise and a creamy asparagus and mushroom soup. I followed with sweet fleshed garfish and chips which had lots of potato and plenty of crunch, a Star of Greece special. My companion had prawns and ravioli. We had to have dessert. The food was too good and the place too beautiful to leave. So we shared a raspberry pannacotta with poached peach slivers and raspberry sorbet and an almond tuille sitting like a lid over the top of it all. I can't remember the coffee.
The memory and the warmth it inspires are still with me.
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