The melodious warble of a magpie’s song and the joyous laughter of a kookaburra is the music that met my ears upon waking up at Comfort Resort Leura Gardens.
I recently made myself at home at this Blue Mountains hideaway, nestled within renowned heritage English-style gardens bursting with colours of crimson and gold to welcome the Autumn season.
I arrived at the 24/7 reception after driving through the leafy village of Leura. Straight after checking in, I explored the destination’s three gardens: the Gazebo Gardens, the Lady Fairfax Gardens, and the Pond.
The Gazebo Gardens are sculpted to surround a walkway that wraps around the left side of the resort and guides wanderers back to the middle of the venue. Bustling branches shade the pathway, and patches of sun light up the colourful flora and the wings of the friendly neighbourhood kookaburras as the fly between the trees.
The Lady Fairfax Gardens echo the colours of the Gazebo Gardens but feature a large grassy area where I could imagine children running around or ladies taking a stroll. It also features magnificent trees with wide trunks that make you ponder for a moment just how long they have been around for, and how much longer they will remain.
The Pond reminded me of a Japanese garden. It featured a steel and cast-iron bench overlooking a lily-pad-filled pond, over which was an arched wooden footbridge. I sat on the bench in the afternoon sunlight, watching the rays bounce off the water, making the garden look ethereal.
From there, I walked under the Linden Tree – where another two kookaburras had landed to enjoy some late afternoon people-watching – and made my way to the giant chess board for a competitive pre-dinner game of strategy.
After suffering a shocking loss, I freshened up in my room before my dinner reservation.
The room was chic and classic. The blue patterned carpet felt regal thanks to its pairing with a gold floor lamp in the corner, which lit up a blue and brown leather armchair. The balcony jutting off the building offered views of the Lady Fairfax Gardens, the restaurant (which was soon to become my favourite dining destination in the Mountains), and Leura Golf Course across the road.
From the additional window above the armchair, I also took in the cubby house below – painted in bright shades of pink, blue and green, and surrounded by beautiful trees and bushes.
As I imagined returning to the gardens with my own family one day, I made my way to Fairways Restaurant and Bar where I discovered a world of bold flavours and next-level hospitality.
The restaurant – which is situated at the resort – fuses modern Australian cuisine with Flipino influences thanks to Executive Chef Emilio Llausas.
With guidance from Nick, my fantastic waiter for the evening, I went on a mind-blowing journey through the menu. I started with rosemary and garlic focaccia served with mandarin and miso butter. I have never seen or tasted anything like this before, and that set the benchmark for the remainder of my reservation.
Another menu standout was the Tuna Kinilaw ceviche served with green tomato, onion, cucumber, and spicy coconut espuma. With one bite of this dish, I decided I need to move closer to Leura. This was the freshest, most balanced ceviche I’ve ever tried. It was tangy, spicy, and simply perfect.
I followed that with the Bone Marrow Kilawin Tartare – the most beautiful tartare I’ve ever seen. Unlike the usual pre-chewed presentation that beef tartare is known for, this dish looked and tasted like luxury on a plate. It featured punchy acidic flavours accentuated by the savoury undertones of the bone marrow.
One of the final menu items I tried was the Char Siu pork – a slow roasted pork neck with apple and fennel salad, szechuan pepper oil, and fermented pineapple jus. The sweet and savoury share plate was eyes-rolled-back-into-the-head good.
With each bite, you can tell the Chef is passionate about delivering amazing flavours with seasonal produce and elegant presentation. After my experience, I genuinely wonder how the name Emilio Llausas has not been brought to my attention before. His skill and creativity deserves infinite recognition, and Fairways Restaurant deserves to be on everyone’s fine dining radar.
The restaurant is open for dinner from Thursday to Saturday; lunch from Friday to Sunday; and the refreshing buffet breakfast is available every day of the week from 7.30am to 9.30am.
For anyone with an appreciation for beauty, nature and food, the friendly team at Comfort Resort Leura Gardens and Fairways Restaurant and Bar are ready to welcome you – alongside the feathery singers.
You won’t regret it.
