What better way to enjoy dinner, than by overlooking the ocean? Whether on a warm sunny day, or a moody cool evening, it’s a beautiful location to enjoy a drink or a delicious meal.

The Promenade restaurant, located at the Stamford Grand Hotel in Glenelg, overlooks the ocean. They have a new Executive Chef, who’s changing things up!

Darren Greenwood has just returned home to Australia after spending 10 years working in some of the best hotels in China and working as Executive Chef of the Australia Pavilion during the Shanghai World Expo in 2010.

His desire is to return to a food culture that he grew up with – produce that’s fresh and local. “Growing up in Australia, some of my earliest food memories are of my mother and her vegetable garden… Every meal revolved around what was in season and this has influenced my own style of cooking.

“My seasonal produce-driven menu focuses on quality ingredients with low food miles and fresh, bold flavours.”

Darren has been Executive Chef for about three months and he’s certainly embracing this philosophy, which he shared with us on a beautiful summer’s evening.

And what better way to highlight local produce that with a South Australian Seafood Tower!

This features Eyre Peninsula Pacific oysters, Spencer Gulf king prawns, Blue Swimmer crab, Goolwa pippis, Port Lincoln black mussels and scallop ceviche served with home-made condiments. The seafood was so fresh and served as natural as possible. Absolutely delicious!

The salads we enjoyed were Caprese salad with tomato, basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella. Always a favourite!

And Promenade Caesar salad with pancetta, roasted garlic and parmesan;

And their signature prawn cocktail salad, with local prawns.

For mains we sampled Charcoal grilled, 24 hour marinated spring chicken with kipfler potato, salsa verde. The chicken had a beautiful chargrilled flavour, while still being tender and moist

Cape Grim grass fed OP ribeye was cooked perfectly, pink in the middle and so incredible tender, with a delicious char flavour.

While chatting with Chef Darren he tells me how he’s working with some Adelaide Hills farmers on different projects and he’s most proud of the South Australian saltbush lamb porterhouse chops. I’m pretty happy too as they taste just delicious!

The South Austrian King George whiting with grilled asparagus and dill beurre blanc needs nothing else. The fish is in all its glory.

Vegetable sides we enjoyed were double baked baby carrots infused with organic honey; steamed seasonal green vegetables topped with warmed butter and sea salt; confit cherry tomatoes; confit fennel, lemon and sage; balsamic glazed mushroom and asparagus, parmesan and EVO.

A sample of desserts were:

Cherry chocolate and almond pavlova with vanilla bean ice cream

Lemon pie with lavender meringue and blueberry

Chocolate brownie and chocolate macaron.

Fig pistachio with raspberry tart with raspberry coulis, double cream and frosted almonds. This was most unusual but delicious all the same.

I really enjoyed Chef Darren speaking with us and telling us about his background and his vision for the future of The Promenade Restaurant. He’s come a long way in just three months and with his passion and experience. The Stamford Grand Hotel in Glenelg would be proud to have him.

**I was an invited guest.