Recently returned from a trek in South America, Leigh Hall returned to the kitchen to produce pork – but strictly of the domesticated variety.

But first, some pleasing canapes in the shape of, first, a lively mix of eggplant and miso on pickled ginger with Japanese seasoning and a flaky biscuit underneath; and, second, a mild but moreish tapenade on the same biscuits, topped with ½ a Kalamata olive for colour and extra flavour. These were washed down by a disappointing 2011 Tim Smith Eden Valley Riesling, with fruit dropping out since its last appearance. No problems with the omnipresent Lustau amontillado sherry.

So, back to that pork, with tenderloins rolled in a stuffing of dried figs, prunes, walnuts, bacon and heaps of garlic, then roasted, sliced and served on a smooth as silk kumera and potato mash with green beans; not to mention a superior jus made from a veal reduction with plenty of red wine and a dark, pleasantly bitter note from the crackling on the pork, which had burnt a bit in the roasting. The pork was done perfectly, and the whole came together well, although matched, at the chef's request, with a couple of big gutsy reds: a 2011 Seghesio zinfandel from Sonoma in California (14.8% alcohol), and a NcLaren Vale blockbuster , the 2009 Olivers Tarango shiraz (14.5%). Both full and fruit-driven, the Sonoma perhaps a little more elegant, but both a bit hot for the food, where something with a bit of acid would have helped to cut the richness of the meat.

The cheese, presented by Gary Linnane in the absence of Ross MacDonald, had most heading overseas, but it was in fact a Berry's Bay Mossvale blue from Gippsland in Victoria; a rich cows' milk cheese in the gorgonzola style, deliciously soft and sticky with a lovely ivory paste and a wonderful lactic blue mould flavour which ended quite sweet. Some simple fresh pear and assorted salted nuts went well with it, as did (some of) the accompanying wines: a2007 Protero merlot which attempted a Pomerol style and failed; a mystery wine which was unveiled as the 2007 Balmoral shiraz from Rosemount in McLaren Vale and drinking beautifully; and a surprise white sticky, a 2011 Ch La Rame from Sainte-Croix-du-Mont near Sauternes, a terrific wine in its own right although maybe a bit young to balance the richness of the cheese. Still, the matching of blue cheese with a sticky was brave, and successful.

Spencer Ferrier's tour of commercial coffees continued with a high end Vittoria blend. High roast in the Italian fashion, it was a tad bitter and finished very short. Back to the real stuff soon, we hope.