A Culinary Handshake: Pepper & Salt Weaves Spice and Story Amidst Denmark’s Vineyards
Monica Tindall
Not many fine dining restaurants pull off a handshake between turmeric and timbered hillsides, but Pepper & Salt makes it look effortless. Here, Chef Silas Masih writes flavour stories with a Fijian heart and a Great Southern accent.
Pepper & Salt, Denmark WA
Set on the grounds of Forest Hill Wines just beyond Denmark, WA, Pepper & Salt is a restaurant shaped as much by its surroundings as by the man behind the pans. Floor-to-ceiling glass captures a rolling panorama of vineyards and towering karri forest. At the same time, the dining room, all clean lines and gentle warmth, keeps the focus firmly on the food. Chef Silas Masih — Suva-born, Italian-trained, and instinctively local — has a knack for layering spice with restraint. His dishes carry the soul of Fijian-Indian home cooking, elevated by the cool-climate produce of Western Australia’s south coast and a generosity that feels deeply personal.
Forest Hill Wines
At Pepper & Salt, the wines of Forest Hill are a natural extension of the table. Established in 1965, Forest Hill Vineyard is Western Australia’s oldest cool-climate site, first planted on a gently sloping patch of gravel and loam in Mount Barker. The vines were never irrigated, and yet they thrived, producing a Riesling in 1975 that quietly rewrote expectations, collecting a sweep of national trophies and gold medals. Today, the vineyard stretches across 35 hectares, still family-owned and guided by a philosophy of site-driven expression. Served just metres from the cellar door, these wines echo the same care and connection to place that defines Chef Masih’s kitchen.
Pepper & Salt Seasonal Menu
Rooted in seasonality and guided by instinct, the menu at Pepper & Salt evolves regularly, reflecting what’s fresh, ripe and ready in the region. Guests can choose between a two-course ($80) or three-course ($95) experience, each thoughtfully composed to honour the interplay of spice, texture and local provenance. Dietary considerations are warmly welcomed — gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options are available on request. It’s a philosophy of inclusivity, a small guesture with large impact.
Entrée
There’s a subtle magic at play in the roasted seven-spice marron, where sweet, just-cooked shellfish meets umami-laced kombu dashi and a crisp duet of Japanese-style fried fish cakes. The spicing is nuanced rather than fiery — more aromatic hum than heat — and the whole thing feels like a coastal detour through both Japan and Fiji, with texture and restraint in equal measure.
To meet it head-on, the Vineyard 2024 Mount Barker Riesling ($16 glass / $58 bottle) steps in with precision. Brisk lemon-leaf aromatics and a spine of natural acidity make it a textbook foil for the dish’s elegance, while the fleshy citrus notes quietly enhance the umami dashi. Shellfish and Riesling is no novel idea, but this iteration feels particularly sharp — a reminder that the classics endure for a reason.
The char-grilled pork loin arrives with confidence — smoky from the grill, cloaked in a velvety cashew and coconut marsala, and cleverly punctuated by a tangy green apple achar. It’s a dish that plays with depth and contrast: creamy, spicy, bright, and bold. Each component builds upon the next, but it’s the achar that delivers the final flourish. This sharp, fruity kick pulls the richness into focus.
In the glass, the Vineyard 2024 Mount Barker Chardonnay ($16 glass / $58 bottle) keeps pace with ease. Wild-fermented and lightly oaked, it brings white nectarine and grapefruit to the table, with just enough flint and acid to steady the curry’s mellow richness and spar with the tang of the pickled apples. This pairing hits a satisfying sweet spot — plush, polished, and quietly clever.
Mains
The market fish—today, a buttery fillet of Rankin cod—changes with the tides, but the treatment is reliably bold. This iteration comes aside Kent pumpkin, coconut flesh curry, cauliflower, and a generous dollop of hummus, all brought to life with a spirited swipe of nam jim jaew. It’s a riot of textures and flavours: the sweetness of pumpkin and coconut, the silkiness of hummus, and the zesty snap of chilli-lime dressing. Rich, creamy, and just a little wild, it walks a tightrope between comfort and edge.
The 2025 Gewürztraminer (A$16 glass / A$58 bottle) is a clever match. All rose petals, candied ginger, and lychee on the nose, it brings a fleshy, textural palate that complements the dish’s richness while amplifying its exotic notes.
There’s no mistaking the intent behind the Kashmiri lamb rump, rubbed with cardamom and chilli, then paired with smoky-sweet eggplant moju, a flicker of tamarind, and a crisp curry leaf papadum. It’s a dish that leans into its spice and doesn’t apologise—rich, aromatic, and boldly expressive, yet balanced enough to keep you chasing the next bite. At our pleading, the chef graciously obliged with a side of roti, perfect for mopping up every last drop of those intoxicating sauces.
We’re fortunate to have the 2023 Lonely Shore Pinot Noir alongside—usually only available by the bottle (A$58), but poured by the glass for this visit. With notes of black cherry, rose petal and vanilla pod, a mouth-filling mix of plum and blue fruits, and the lift of light aniseed and orange peel, it’s a wine that plays well with spice and reaffirms Denmark’s promise as Pinot country.
Dessert
Dessert arrives with a tropical wink: spiced rice pudding dressed in coconut-lychee curd, rum-infused pineapple, a pandan biscuit, and a vivid scoop of raspberry sorbet. It’s more fragrant than sugary, with warm spice from the pudding, tang from the sorbet, and just enough richness from the curd and pineapple to feel indulgent. The pandan meringue adds a gentle crunch and a nostalgic nod to Southeast Asia, tying the whole ensemble together. To close, a Chai Latte (A$5) brings the same warmth and comfort as dessert itself—petite, like a piccolo latte, but with the conviction of a double shot. It’s a soft, spiced embrace on a rainy afternoon.
Pepper & Salt Restaurant Denmark Review
Few kitchens manage to speak in so many dialects — Fijian, Indian, coastal WA — and still sound entirely like themselves. At Pepper & Salt, every plate feels anchored, every pour deliberate, and the view just quietly watches it all unfold. It’s a restaurant with a voice — confident, generous, and impossible to imitate.
Reasons to visit Pepper & Salt Restaurant: stunning views of rolling green hills bordered with giant gums; a natural light-filled setting; unique recipes that make us want to lick our plates clean.
Pepper & Salt Restaurant
1564 South Coast Highway
Denmark WA 6333
Link to Pepper & Salt Restaurant on Google Maps
+61 08 9848 3053
www.pepperandsalt.com.au @pepperandsaltrestaurant_wa
*Gluten-free, vegan & vegetarian options
Pepper & Salt Restaurant Hours
LUNCH | Thursday – Sunday
Open 12pm, Latest booking at 1.30pm
DINNER | Friday
Open 6pm, Latest booking at 7.30pm
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