Watch out Perth – Oakover Grounds have upped the ante!

It’s hipster meets funk décor with friendly service, good hearty food and naturally fab drinks from the wine, beer and coffee on offer. You may or may not be aware that Oakover Wines (now called Oakover Grounds) in the Swan Valley has had a bit of a makeover over in the recent months, but I am darn sure you’ll be impressed whether you remember the old look or not.

The property has always been amazing with the lovely lake and large green grounds but they have now made it a venue to be reckoned with in the Swan Valley in my opinion.

A huge thank-you to the team at Oakover for inviting Mr. Spittoon and I along for lunch to see the new digs. Paul, the manager has absolutely superb customer service – maybe that’s something to do with him being a Kiwi 😉 And our waitresses were lovely too!

The New Oakover Grounds Look

I loved it all! From the resin covered old door benches and tables to the polished concrete floors with the white spray-painted flowers which looked like something out of the 70s. The retro chalk-board like coloured art work caught the eye and how could you not love the tin plates and dishes the food was served on, it was like glamping but better!

It really did have that trendy hipster feel to the industrial shed the venue is housed in (yep there’s no ceiling, so you can see the insulation and roofing beams above). And being a huge fan of red doors, I just loved the barn like doors at each end of the venue.

The coffee area was out of this world, any coffee lover would be in heaven with the big fancy barista machine to the tasting station with cold-drip coffee and more! From the retail area you can see the impressive rustic coffee roaster machine as well as the stacks of coffee beans in their hessian bags. I also hear that you can do barista training out there (a good gift idea for that coffee addict in your life).

Naturally the wine area was my favourite and I have to admit I didn’t realise they had so many different labels. I remember doing a tasting at the old cellar door but I don’t remember the range being so extensive. Plus there were some amazing good deals for your weekday quaffer wines for #TCWeekdayWine

What really caught my eye in the wine area though was the ‘What’s that aroma’ sensory tests. Their are a couple of wine barrels with 4 different oak barrel bungs in each that holds a different scent that is typically associated with one of their wine styles. The idea is to give the bung a sniff, guess the aroma and then check under the hidden panel if you’re right. Mr. Spittoon aced this!

Outside there is plenty of room for the kids to run around as well as pedal boats, which I am so having a go on next time! Plus the solitary barrel and stools out on the little deck over the lake. This looks like an absolutely blissful spot for a Sunday session.

The Drinks

Where do I start? Foodies and winos of Perth, get out here now!! I started off with a glass of the 2013 Clockwork Verdelho for $8 a glass (read my tasting note here) and then upon our waitresses recommendation (after she bought a couple of tasters to our table) I opted for a glass of the 2014 Classic Dry White (read my tasting note here).

Mr. Spittoon is a coffee fiend so he went for a couple of cups of Oakover’s fresh Fiori coffee which he said was beautiful! It looks like Yahava may have some competition over dominating our coffee machine at home now as you can buy beans and ground coffee to take home.

There are beers and ciders on tap as well as 14% sangria 2 litre jugs and of course soft drinks plus there are even freshly squeezed juices as popsicles (next time!!). Check out the drinks menu below.

The Food

I am so glad Paul recommended the Southern Style Chicken Wings with Spicy Mayo and Sliced Pickles ($15) as they were insanely good! They are the reason I’ll be back next weekend! Plus one of our waitresses gave us the key to literally having a food-orgasm over these wings – you must have all 3 elements on the plate together, the chicken, mayo and pickle!

Alongside now my favourite dish in Perth we enjoyed the:

• Crispy Pork Crackling with Apple Cider Sauce ($9)
• Hand Cut Chips with Cheddar Mayo ($7)
• Slow Cooked Pulled Pork on a Brioche Bun with Apple Slaw, Spicy Mayo and Sweet Potato Chips on the side ($22)

We ate way too much and even though my tummy was hurting I am so glad I tried all those dishes as they were the highlight of my week! I can’t wait to go back and eat my way through the rest of the menu. Check it out below!

Final Thoughts

This section is probably irrelevant as if you’ve read this far then you may have worked out that the new and improved Oakover Grounds is my new fave weekend hangout spot in the Swan Valley. I can’t wait to go back and in the meantime I have stock piled some wine from the cellar door and Fiori coffee to tie me over until my next visit!

For more information check out the Oakover Grounds website or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.