10481 West Swan Rd, Henley Brook
Phone: (08) 9296 0211
The All New Valley View
If you’ve been searching for a great venue in the Swan Valley for your next meal, function or wedding, you need look no further than Valley View. The biggest and best function centre in the Valley has just changed hands. It’s now being managed by Stephen Connor and Barry McNamara of Global Catering WA, in partnership with food and beverage guru Chris Farrand. Steve and Barry also manage the delightful Jacaranda Café at Houghton’s Winery, and act as consultants & manage events, as well as many other functions in and around Perth.
Valley View has not been working to its full potential for a while but Steve, Barry and Chris intend to turn it into the number one reception centre in the Swan Valley by bringing it back to its original glory, with a revamped menu, some extensive garden restoration work and general sprucing up of the décor.
The garden has loads of potential as a wedding venue, with a pretty gazebo and rustic wooden bridge both making good spots for photographing the bridal party. Barry is a keen gardener himself and has lots of ideas for improvement in this area.
More than just a reception centre alone, the venue will also be open as a café for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea on Wednesdays from 9am to 5pm, and breakfast, lunch and dinner from Thursday through to Sunday from 8am to 9pm. The brand new menu will be all quality, and designed to appeal to a broad range of tastes, and prices will be kept at a realistic level. As the name suggests, the green, pleasant views make for a very relaxed dining experience. There is a covered courtyard outside where you can enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and garden views; wheras the dining room inside is warm and inviting on a crisp winter morning.
The new menu will be similar in style to the one at the Jacaranda – basically modern Australian. Some of the choices available on the menu include a delicious Salmon Mousse, served with skewers of mixed pickled vegetables; top quality home-made pasta, such as Spinach and Ricotta Tortellini with a hint of cocoa (an unusual touch – you don’t normally think of chocolate as a savoury flavour, but it works well); tender and tasty Lamb Cutlets coated with wholegrain mustard and rosemary and served on a bed of couscous; a delicious dish of Duck Breast with a herb crust, served with roasted sweet potato and seasonal vegetables and also a Seared Salmon Fillet dusted with crushed pepper and served with Chateaux potatoes and winter leaves.
The Chicken Breast Alexander stands out – a tender breast of chicken stuffed with double brie and semi-dried tomatoes, wrapped in puff pastry and topped with Hollandaise sauce, served with salad and seasonal vegetables – beetroot, baby carrots and asparagus. Is your mouth watering yet? There’s also the Farmhouse Mixed Grill for Two, which includes a selection of lamb and beef sausages, pork sausages, lamb cutlets, steak, black pudding, soft yolked fried eggs, fried tomatoes, sweet potato and salad. This would make a hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner for two, or a huge meal for a bloke with a big appetite.
For the more adventurous diners with a yen to try something truly Australian, there is the Outback Platter. Australia must be the only country to dine on its own Coat of Arms! A real man’s dish – this includes braised Crocodile Legs dusted in lemon myrtle, thinly sliced Carpaccio of Water Buffalo (just lightly seared with rock salt and pepper), scrumptious savoury Emu Sausages, and also thick slices of rare, roasted Kangaroo Fillet served on croutons of fresh bread, garnished with pepper-berries and accompanied by a salad drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. It also comes with little dishes of mustard pickle, quandong marmalade and a chargrilled vegetable dipping sauce. Again this is a huge meal, perhaps best shared by two, or even as a tasting plate for a larger group.
The official opening date is July 5th 2007. We had a sneak preview of the new venue and menu in May. It is truly a lovely place for a wedding or any other function, and I would be delighted to go back there for a meal anytime. Steve, Barry and Chris are very friendly; they make a great team and certainly have some excellent ideas for the venue. So whether you’re planning a romantic Swan Valley wedding, a relaxed breakfast or lunch, or just looking for somewhere different to dine, do give Valley View a try. You’re sure to be impressed.