When speaking about Sri Lankan cuisine, the first words that pop into the minds of many people are “spice” and “curry”. Vinura de Silva, or Vinnie as he is better known, is on a mission to prove that Sri Lankan cooking can’t be so easily pigeon-holed.
In his Hunter Valley kitchen, the executive sous chef at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort is taking the flavours of his native Sri Lanka to the next level. Drawing on his classical training in French techniques, he is producing exciting dishes quite unlike anything else being done in the valley.
The response has been enthusiastic, with regular degustation dinners a sell-out and a growing clientele enjoying the a la carte offerings in the resort’s fine dining restaurant, Oak & Vine. Vinnie is thrilled that guests are enjoying dishes that mean a lot to him, and he is delighted to be showing them that spice doesn’t necessarily mean “hot” but instead, “really well-balanced flavour profiles”.
Vinnie believes every dish should have a burst of flavour from the first bite, and his passion is evident in the sketchbook of drawings that he showed us when we dined at Oak & Vine. As he comes up with new ideas, he sketches them in his book before bringing them to life in the kitchen.
Vinnie’s hospitality journey began at the Hilton Colombo at the age of 17, when he did a work placement during his studies at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management. That was followed by a decade of 5-star experience around the globe, from Sri Lanka to Bahrain, to the Maldives, to Rick Stein at Bannisters in Port Stephens, before he landed at Oaks Cypress Lakes in 2019.
Appointed executive sous chef in July 2021, he quickly got over the Covid hump (Oak & Vine was shut down for 2½ years) and has been busy transforming the restaurant into a valley gem. For someone relatively new to Australia, he has settled easily into his new home, taking to the local produce like a duck to water, and getting to know the local wines.
The restaurant is unashamedly parochial in its wine list, and why wouldn’t it be when it is situated in the heart of Australia’s most visited wine region. Bimbadgen, Tamburlaine, Brokenwood, First Creek, Draytons and Margate all feature strongly on the list.
One of Vinnie’s favourite wines is the First Creek 2023 Limited Release Fiano that he paired with his signature trio of entrees on the night we dined. Another favourite is the Silkman 2022 Shiraz Pinot Noir that he served with an outstandingly tender and flavoursome rack of lamb, elevated to great heights with a classic Sri Lankan eggplant moju and sweet tamarind sauce.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. A glass of Tamburlaine bubbles to start (High & Dry Cuvee) hit the spot with crumbed crab and prawn cutlets with a piquant mustard pumpkin sauce, and delicious coconut roti with chilli onion sambol.
The signature trio of entrees ranged from the traditional (Black pepper pork dry curry with string hoppers and coconut sambol) to modern interpretations such as Treacle and fennel glazed duck breast, and Scallops garnished with coconut, finger lime, coriander and curry leaf.
A course of Crispy barramundi took on sweet and sour flavours with a Ceylon-spiced chilli sauce and pineapple coriander salsa, paired expertly with First Creek 2019 Balmoral Chardonnay.
That was followed by the rack of lamb, and finally a lovely dessert of Panna Cotta flavoured with kithul (Sri Lankan palm syrup) and topped with gingernut crumble. I loved the inspired pairing of the dessert with First Creek’s 6 Barrels, a Verdelho liqueur with ever-so-subtle sweetness (18% ABV).
Vinnie has created six Degustation Dining Experiences with paired wines over the past six months, each experience different. The experiences have generally showcased a single winemaker, but future ones will likely involve a selection of local winemakers.
Vinnie is grateful to have been given the opportunity to bring his own touch to Oaks Cypress Lakes’ signature fine dining restaurant. He thinks of it as a baby needing “a lot of commitment and care … each dish is created with a lot of love being the secret ingredient.”
“I would love to have as many people as possible come and try the dishes that mean something so special to me,” he says.
Oak & Vine is open for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Its Sri Lankan-inspired a la carte menu is $79 for two courses and $95 for three courses. Keep an eye on the resort’s website for information about the special degustation experiences.
If you go:
Oak & Vine restaurant
Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort
15 Thompson Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Tel: +61 (0)2 4993 1555
www.oakshotels.com
With thanks to Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort for hosting us for this superb Degustation Dining Experience. All photos in this post were supplied by the chef Vinura de Silva, and used with his permission, except for the dessert photo which is © Food Wine Travel.
You can read all about our stay at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort in this separate post.
What a wonderful meal, and a real journey exploring the flavours of Sri Lanka.