Leonards Mill has something no other destination restaurant in South Australia can boast: proximity to Kangaroo Island.

Located at Second Valley, a pretty coastal hamlet just 20 minutes from the island ferry at Cape Jervis (and a 90-minute drive from Adelaide), it sources produce from both the Fleurieu Peninsula and KI.

Kangaroo Island lamb and wines are a highlight of the menu and wine list.

In fact, owners Jane Mitchell and Alan Greig’s commitment to the Eat Local initiative extends beyond food to the crockery it is served on and the artworks featured on the walls. All are produced by local artists.

Boer goat in brik pastry, with date, smoked yoghurt and bulghur wheat salad.

Mitchell and Greig decided to make a sea-change from corporate Adelaide to the southern Fleurieu when they saw Leonards Mill was for sale almost five years ago. It was a project to which they could apply their skills and shared interest in food and wine.

Together they cleaned up the 170-year-old mill, but retained its charming historic features such as the stone mill wheels, chimney stack and furnace. They employed the best chefs and floor staff they could find and, after a relatively short time, began attracting diners from all over Australia.

Smoked kingfish sashimi, chargrilled octopus, dashi pearls, daikon and yuzu.

The kitchen and floor staff have impeccable CVs. Husband-and-wife chef team Brendan Wessels and Lindsay Durr came from one of Australia’s top restaurants, Lake House at Daylesford in Victoria, where they were schooled in the fine art of regional dining under the renowned chef Alla Wolf-Tasker.  Sebastian, who originates from France’s Loire Valley and is now charge of the front-of-house at Leonards Mill, has also worked at Raffles in Singapore and London’s Dorchester.

Leonards Mill is a relaxed and friendly place. There are no white tablecloths (although the café tables would probably look better if there were) and the handmade crockery is made by Mark Pearse.

When InDaily visited, it was a cold, winter’s day, and a long lunch in the intimate dining room was the perfect way to spend it. We chose the Taste of the Fleurieu degustation ($185 per person; food only, $125), but not everyone wants to work their way through a six-course menu with matched wines. Leonards Mill also offers the option of choosing two ($65) or three courses ($80), or the Miller’s Menu: an offering of simple robust winter dishes using local ingredients, such as Hungarian goulash, slow-cooked beef short rib ,and brussels sprouts with roast chestnut and pancetta (all dishes are under $30).

House-made sourdough rye bread and a selection of snacks.

Mitchell and Greig have just opened up a mezzanine area overlooking the bar for drinks and snacks. Further entertaining spaces are being planned and the mill’s outbuildings are currently used as gallery/studio space and for guest accommodation ($145 per night).

In the warmer months, when the “population explodes”, Mitchell says they can seat an extra 50 people on the deck at the front, where stopping for a glass of wine and some fresh oysters or house-made beef spring rolls is popular with holidaymakers.

Favourite dish: A very difficult choice because every dish was excellent, but the Kangaroo Island lamb neck with charred shallots, apple and sheep labneh (pictured top) was the ultimate comfort food on a cold winter day. Slow-cooked lamb neck, pulled and compressed, torched and served with delicate pieces of poached apple and shallot cups filled with thick yoghurt.

Other dishes: To start, a plate of perfect house-made rye sourdough, hand-churned butter and local olives oil was brought to the table. This was quickly followed by an amuse bouche of black olive crisps topped with small dollops of aioli and parmesan churros with kale chips and soft clouds of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Beetroot and buffalo curd, rye and hibiscus.

An impressive beetroot dish presented pickled beetroot, whole sous vide baby beetroot, smoked slices of compressed beetroot and micro planed beetroot-juice-soaked toasted rye bread served with pearls of buffalo curd and micro beetroot shoots.

The smoked kingfish sashimi with chargrilled octopus, dashi pearls, daikon and yuzu was a masterpiece of Japanese flavours and construction.

The Boer goat pastry – served with date paste, smoked yoghurt and a bulghur wheat salad – was succulent, soft, crisp, sweet and savoury all at once.

Lemon, caramelised white chocolate and ginger boterkoek.

Something sweet/to drink: Two desserts were served as part of this degustation. The lemon, caramelised white chocolate and ginger boterkoek (Dutch buttercake) was delightful with dots of ginger caramel and delicate fennel garnish. The roasted almonds with bitter chocolate, muscatels and amaretto presented as shards of chocolate and marzipan ice cream sprinkled with groggy muscatels and roasted cracked almonds.

On suggestion from Sebastian, we enjoyed a glass of Kangaroo Island The Islander Wally White Semillon 2012 ($12) and the locally made Brocksview Estate Shiraz 2010 from Carrickalinga.

Roasted almonds with bitter chocolate, muscatels and Amaretto.

Leonards Mill
Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am for coffee, with lunch and bar snacks from midday, and for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.
7869 Main South Road, Second Valley, 8598 4184