Mexican
Lunch Review
When I received an email from Mr A-List himself, Paul Kitching (PK), to join him for lunch at the new Mexican Food Truck that roams the streets of 'RADelaide' my eyes lit up and my excitement erupted. Mobile catering and food trucks have always been an interest (and dream) of mine due to their ability to be a portable presence of provisions to a varied clientele that can follow the demand whilst maintaining lower overheads.
With the team from Burger Theory already well grounded and affectionately respected on the scattered Squares of Adelaide streets, it was only a matter of time until someone took up the opportunity to add to the procession. There aren’t too many menu options that would fit the food truck kitchen space; the model requires swift service and an ability to meet eclectic punter requirements - but Mexican Street Food is the perfect addition.
The bright orange truck stands out like Fanta at a Lemonade stand, which instantly created interest. As I walked over to the van there was a generous gathering of around 8 people (compared to 20+ people at the Burger Theory truck) which seemed pretty acceptable for only 2 weeks on the road. As I stood back and observed I noticed that there was a steady turnover of orders and new Gringo’s entered the line maintaining the momentum; there were even some gate-crashers from the Burger Theory line-up.
The menu is simplistic yet covers all bases. There are options for the carnivore or vegetarian, with soft shell taco’s encasing choices of beef, blackbean and chorizo, smoked chicken, spiced pork or zucchini and mushroom. At a mere $5 each or two for $9 this is definitely something that won’t empty the peso’s from your pocket or purse. The front counter was also loaded with spicy sauces to heat up the temperature for those who like a volcano in their mouth.
In order to get the complete mobile Mexican experience, PK and I decided to share the entire suite of soft shell tacos matched with an imported Jarritos soft drink chaser available in mandarin, guava, pineapple or lime flavour. I couldn’t go past a matching shade of mandarin, whereas PK chose pineapple as his lunchtime tipple.
The light, crunchy, toasted outer casing of the soft taco was the perfect shell to hold the fillings in place with no splatter or spillage for the concerned corporate customers. The meat was well marinated, tender and cooked to perfection with fresh flavoursome accompaniments to keep the taste buds dancing; the sides included pint-sized pineapple cubes with the pork or the pico de gallo (fresh salsa) and sour cream on the smoked chicken. Most surprising was the earthy intensity from the zucchini and mushroom taco with zingy lime which offered vegetarians a great alternative that wasn’t bland or boring.
With 3 staff monitoring the border the food was served piping hot within 5 – 10 minutes and came with a free side of by spritely smiles. 2 soft shell tacos left me feeling content, although a fistful of crunchy corn chips and pico de gallo would have been the perfect treat.
If you are looking for a swift, savoury lunchtime sensation that will almost come to you, keep an eye out for the La Cantina truck or follow them on Facebook and chase them down for a satisfyingly healthy alternative. Don’t jump the queue illegally though, because that’s just downright ill-mannered. Gracias!
Darren Richards
(AKA Dougal McFuzzlebutt)
Soft shell tacos: $5 each or $9 for 2
Jarritos soft drink: $4
Where: Roaming the streets of Adelaide
Trading: Mon – Fri 11:30am – 3:30pm and Fri – Sat 9:00pm – 12:00am
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaCantinaCo
Contact: 0419 707 300
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Spanish Infusion
Dinner Review
The Festival of Food round 2 took me to Panacea in Halifax St, directly across from the well established Greek on Halifax. I presumed that I was about to delve into a great new little Spanish restaurant with some Italian influence which was upbeat and a great after-work venue for the Friday night flurry of beverages or that cool little mid-week hang out with friends for a bite.
As I greeted and sat with my previous festival of foodies, Nick and Athena, it quickly grew apparent that there was a lack of service being offered. Nick and Athena had arrived 5 minutes before me, she had ordered a carafe of Sangria at 6:30pm, yet by 6:45 we had not seen the Sangria, nor had we been offered any further drinks. Finally we hailed down a waiter whose morose attitude and facial expression only increased my initial frustration and disappointment.
With the waiting staff clearly in a state of bedlam and no sector management being enforced, it was like a game of tag to beckon the acknowledgement of our thirst and hunger. After inspecting the broad yet overpriced wine list, my watch struck 7:00pm and we finally received the Sangria. At this point we were also given a menu, yes, I mean one single, solitary, lonely little menu to share between the three of us.
As our mains orders were taken I started to ponder as to whether our treatment thus far was due to the fact that we weren’t full paying patrons - it is compulsory to book under the Festival of Food banner - but I noticed many other diners flashing their flyers too. The meals sounded great on paper, so we ordered the following:
Athena: Slow cooked pork belly with sour citrus & prune compote.
Nick: Grass fed 250gm Tasmanian scotch fillet with hand cut chips & herb butter.
Myself: Goat Tagine with aromatic spices, dried fruits & herb quinoa pilaf.
As the entree platter arrived, I felt a sense of joyous resurrection come over me. The presentation and flavour of each of the components was delicious. The light fluffy texture of the rosemary and sea salt sciachatta (flat bread), the crunchy boldness of the gorgonzola stuffed crumbed olives, the smooth creaminess of the white anchovy and labneh crostini and the crisp spiced pork empanada (pastry) were the kick start my tastebuds needed to override my anxiety of the first 45 minutes.
With a satisfactory wait between courses we were greeted by 3 bland, mediocre looking dishes which just didn’t seem to have any life to them. I’m a big advocate of ‘first impressions count’ and ‘eating with your eyes’, however what we received was a range of dark brown hues with no freshness. The steak was accompanied by overly thick chips; the pork belly was gelatinous, un-crackled and over loaded with the prune compote; the fruity, yet tender, goat was too rich and the quinoa pilaf under-spiced. The food was edible and had loads of flavour, but the richness of the fruit in the goat and the sour citrus & prune compote on the pork were overpowering and left you wanting another drink to rinse and refresh your tastebuds.
We were all left wondering if the dessert selection of chocolate filled churros could return the meal to a happy medium. Nick also decided to order the crème bruleé with angel hair toffee for a sugary overload. As a small ashtray-like dish with finger sized churros appeared in front of us we chuckled, speculating when the other 2 serves might also arrive. Needless to say, our satisfaction levels dropped even lower, but when we tasted the supermarket like crème bruleé we realised that we were now drowning in our own dining despair.
Without doubt I found it difficult to walk out without feeling a little disappointed with the quality of plated produce, but more importantly shocked at the manic inconsistency of service in a jam packed restaurant. This is the first year Panacea has participated in the Festival of Food and I sincerely hope they rise to the levels of expectation that long term fans of this annual event hold. Panacea has a massive opportunity to prove itself as a competitor in a fiercely growing Spanish Tapas culture, with just a few tweaks to meal presentation and service.
Darren Richards
(AKA Dougal McFuzzlebutt)
Special Menu Pricing
Lunch & Dinner Monday – Thursday $29.50
*Bookings and brochure essential. Quote ‘Festival of Food’ when booking
**Full menu options also available
Where: 72 - 74 Halifax Street Adelaide 5000
Trading: Mon – Fri 7:30am – 10pm and Sat 6pm – 10:30pm
Website: panacearestaurant.com.au
Contact: (08) 8232 3523
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Breakfast Review
Country Cafe
‘The morning after the night before…’ we all know what that means; strong coffee and a BIG brekky to soak up yesterday’s digestive dampening of fermented fruit. We had spent the night in the Barossa Valley and, not being a local, thought it was best to check-in with a trust-worthy and regionally familiar friend, Tara Sullivan from Two Hands Wines. She advised that there was a great little place in Tanunda that did fantastic breakfasts. Without hesitation I rang and booked for 5 people under the name of ‘Dougal’.
Arriving at the cafe we were greeted by Hobbsy and Mariel at our table which was mistakenly titled ‘Ouaul’ - I must work on my Irish accent [giggle]. Flashing back to his childhood, Hobbsy said that walking through the door was like carrying a fistful of 5 cent pieces into the local deli for a bag of mixed lollies or strapping on a pair of Clark’s school shoes. The menu is on a large framed chalk board near the counter. This can make it a little difficult to decide unless you are sitting in the nearest chair or ready to go up and order, but at the same time the venue felt so nostalgic that it was totally forgivable.
All 5 drinks were served promptly in mismatched cups and saucers which matched perfectly with the decor. Although slightly tardy, breakfast was served with a ‘Once Upon a Time’ theme like a fairy-tale tea party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; the scrambled eggs were served in tea cups; the crispy local bacon with rocket on crusty toast; and the chutney in a Peter Rabbit egg cup. When first impressions count and eating with your eyes is more than an expression, this was undoubtedly an ‘eye-gasm’. My tastebuds only confirmed what my cornea communicated.
Nosh Cafe was like eating at an extravagant op-shop. The prices were very reasonable for produce that certainly tasted fresh and had been cooked with the love you’d expect from your Grandma. The lovely young ladies working in the cafe were all extremely friendly, well mannered and beaming with smiles even though they were run off their feet due to the steady stream of young patrons after some good ‘Nosh’. I love the feeling of a country kitchen from a bygone era and this lovely little cafe was that, and more. If you are in the Tanunda area, go back to the future, but don’t stick your gum under the desk!
Where: 64 Murray St, Tanunda, SA, 5352
Trading: Mon – Fri 7:30am – 4pm, Sat 8:30am – 5pm and Sun 9am – 4pm
Website: facebook.com/NoshBarossa
Contact: (08) 8563 1097
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Italian
Lunch Review
Have you ever walked down the alley alongside Telstra in Pirie St at lunchtime and wondered what the buzzing little restaurant was with seating out front? Well if you have but haven’t stopped you have yet to dine at one of my favourite coffee, breakfast and lunch destinations in Adelaide. The only hours Pranzo is not fluttering with suited smiles is when they are closed, as this is genuinely a treasure chest of food, wine and most importantly, service.
Finishing up last Tuesday (after 5½ years with Telstra) from my day job in Marketing and Event Management, it was only fitting that my ‘Last Supper’ be at the one foundation I had frequented most often during that time. My fellow foodie and long term friend Macca joined me for what was to be a memorable afternoon of savoury salivation.
As always, we were attended to very swiftly to ensure we had sparkling mineral water and artisan olive sourdough with local oil. With a long day ahead, we stared blankly at the amply listed, single paged lunch menu, whilst sipping on James Squire Porter Stout, which was a mild thirst-quenching break from our norm of a heavy black ale.
Without having to look, we ordered the Antipasto plate to share with an accompanying Trumer Pilsner from Austria. I then curiously interrupted and asked if a rumour I had heard of a horse tasting plate was true. Unfortunately the tasting plate wasn’t, but to my delight, a special they could offer was a Cavallo burger with peppered fries. For those of you who know my eating habits and willingness to devour anything with edible flesh, this equestrian entree was something I couldn’t pass up. Basing my anticipation on other game related meats I usually eat such as kangaroo, goat and buffalo I was pleasantly surprised to find the horse meat to be finely textured, very lean and delicate, yet still succulent and astonishingly alluring.
Due to our early indulgence, we requested that the kitchen delay our main course consisting of:
Macca: 300g Beef Fillet, heirloom carrots and sherry jus.
Myself: Semi deboned, cumin yoghurt baked chicken, beetroot and quinoa salad.
Wine: 2009 Torbreck ‘The Steading’ GSM
Our food arrived at the perfect time, just as our stomachs had settled and we were ready to ravage the gourmet delights that greeted our eyes. Without a second thought, we both instantly (and with synchronised precision) bestowed the other with a portion of our own. I tucked straight into the steak to ensure it retained its tenderness and as per my confidence in the chef, my regular butter knife slid through with the greatest of ease.
Some readers may wonder why the mix of chicken and red wine? The addition of beetroot to the quinoa salad was a pleasant complimentary flavour to the soft velvety fruit of the GSM which break through the cumin crusted chicken, earthy pesto, radicchio and acidity of the sour lemon juice. As a dish it melded into a harmonious marriage of flavours only intensified by intermittent drizzles of the wine.
With both Macca and I sporting contented grins from ear to ear and requiring minor belt loop adjustment, we settled in for a digestive afternoon and slumped relaxingly into our chairs as we ordered the last bottle of Magpie Estate 2006 ‘The Election’ Shiraz. As always, the staff were welcoming to all our needs and requests and joined us for a small celebratory drink to capture the essence of the day.
The hand on my watch ticked closer to 3 o’clock which meant we either had to abandon our comfort zone to meet another mate, Hobbsy, or lure him along to join us for a beverage. Once again we were accommodated with our request for another bottle of wine to ensure our continued position at the pinnacle of our day. We left it to the colossal wine wisdom of Abdulla to bring us something that was bold enough to leave us breathless - a Yangarra 2008 ‘Ironheart’ Shiraz from McLaren Vale, which was the perfect closure to and afternoon’s dining that could only be described as perfection.
Once again, I left Pranzo Restaurant amazed and somewhat dazed by the overall dining experience, due to the mastery of the chefs, the meticulousness and sociability of the floor staff and of course the high standard of the boutique wine list. If you are looking for somewhere special for lunch with a very respectable price, you seriously won’t get better than Pranzo’s for a complete all-rounder.
Average Menu Pricing
Entree $17 - $20
Pasta $26 - $28
Risotto $25 - $28
Pizza $19 - $22
Main $32 - $38 plus specials
Sides $2 - $10
Dessert $16 plus cheeses on request
Where: 46 Exchange Place, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Trading: breakfast Mon – Fri from 7am – 11am, lunch Mon - Fri (bookings essential)
Website: pranzo.com.au
Contact: (08) 8231 0661
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Modern Australian
Dinner Review
With 2 English friends flying over to visit from Melbourne for the weekend my key objective was to show them some of South Australia’s (if not Australia’s) finest wine and where better to do this than the Barossa. It was recommended that we stay at The Lyndoch Hill Retreat which only left the question of where to eat? As I had eaten at Appellation (The Louise) before, my other option was ‘1918’ in Tanunda. Due to the sheer distance to Tanunda, lack of taxis in the Barossa and the fact that we were looking to sample some of the wines we decided on staying within the confines of our accommodation and booked a table at the Lyndoch Hill Restaurant.
After visiting a number of the world class wineries throughout the Barossa we freshened up and meandered across to the restaurant with our pick of the day’s wine tasting in hand. We were greeted warmly by our waitress Shae and showed to our table in the middle of the wooden domed restaurant. We had brought 1 bottle of white wine and 2 bottles of red and we politely asked to start with the Rockford’s Semillon (white) and have the Rockford’s Frugal Farmer and Charles Melton Nine Popes decanted, to which we received a glowing positive response and prompt service.
As we had eaten minimally during the course of the day, we were absolutely famished and were keen to devour some scrumptious food. We were delivered some bread with the ever so common oil and balsamic accompaniment to nibble while examining the menu. As an avid oyster lover, I decided to try some of the Coffin Bay oven-baked oysters with garlic butter topped with Carême puff pastry for a starting stomach liner. Also being a fussy Virgo, I asked Shae if they were fresh as I refuse to eat frozen or jarred oysters, which to my delight she replied affirmatively with the knowledge of the delivery date and age. I must say I was a little bewildered when I initially saw them, but the first mouthful confirmed my affection for another subtle alternative; each was like eating an individual garlic oyster pie.
For entree we ordered the following:
Helen: Sautéed scallops, pea puree, parmesan mousse, crisp prosciutto.
Amanda: Baked homemade beef cheek pie with pea puree, beef jus.
Myself: Duck galette, rice cake, pickled ginger, fig jam, parsley, coriander salad.
The serves were a good portion size with the beef cheek pie almost being a little too generous for that of an entree, especially with the doughy outer casing. The scallops were elegantly presented as a trio on a slate board and cooked to perfection. Unfortunately my duck galettes were far too salty and a little over cooked, which dried them out to a stringy consistency. The accompaniments didn’t balance the saltiness, as something more earthy and light may have stabilised the over seasoning, but it certainly didn’t stop me from finishing the dish.
For our main course we ordered the following:
Helen: Beef eye fillet, mushroom & potato pave, roasted garlic butter, red onion jam, jus.
Amanda: Five spiced roasted pork belly with garlic, eggplant & cherry tomato relish, spring onions, apple fritter.
Myself: Slow braised goat leg, resting on polenta cake, gremolata and root vegetables.
Side(s): Crispy fried brussel sprouts with mint, lentils and lemon dressing and Broccoli, fresh chilli and garlic.
Once again, the dishes were ample and decoratively garnished. All 3 were complimented well by our choice in red wine. The lack of discussion during this course gave damning evidence that we had all chosen well. My slow braised goat leg was absolutely divine and completely dissolved in my mouth due to its tenderness. The side dishes were varied; the brussel sprouts being a little over cooked giving off a slight burnt flavour, whereas the broccoli was fresh and livened up the tastebuds.
I’m not sure if it was the constant “oohs” and “aahs” projecting from our table between mouthfuls or the length of our dining experience that left us on our lonesome, but we had truly reached a cuisine cloud nine. With a rally of compliments being offered to the chefs, I thought it was only fitting that I also send the crew some of our wine to enjoy their night’s success. Upon Shae’s return from the kitchen with our offering, she asked if we would mind being joined by the kitchen staff for a drink instead. With no hesitation and great excitement, we were joined by Julian and his kitchen team who were more than happy to receive not only our praise but also my constructive criticism as outlined above for the duck galette.
We were asked to try their array of desserts to which all 3 of us replied that we felt our stomachs couldn’t possibly cope with anymore food. The answer was clearly incorrect as we were told they were a must try delicacy, to which I agreed and prompted that a tasting plate would be sufficient for the 3 of us to share. Clearly my idea of a tasting plate differs from that of the Lyndoch Hill as we were served 3 plates containing one of each of the following:
Honey & vanilla cheesecake with lavender ice cream, almond crumble, candied violets.
Baked chocolate mousse, double cream, strawberry compote, rich chocolate sauce.
Steamed banana pudding with peanut butter ice cream, salted caramel, chocolate pashmak, popcorn.
Now I must be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of sweet food, so luckily my hesitation and slight feeling of intimidation was overwhelmed by the infusion of wine in my system. Thankfully I took the plunge as all three were devastatingly delicious. The desserts weren’t overly sweet and had a beautiful balance of saltiness - perfect for the palate of a non-sweet tooth. My only worry is that these charming dishes may be what unleashes my inner dessert beast.
The mains could be a tad cheaper and it is a steep climb from the entree prices, but without doubt I would be very happy heading back to this country retreat time and time again.
In closing, I can only say that this is the clear-cut reason I enjoy travelling out of the city; the opportunity to eat at a well-established restaurant serving earthy, wholesome and hearty meals enhanced by the friendly, inviting and good mannered staff – just what you would expect from any restaurant of this nature.
Darren Richards
(Dougal McFuzzlebutt)
Average Menu Pricing
Entree $13 - $18
Sides/Salads $7 - $8
Main $32 - $39
Dessert $13 - $16
Children $8 - $12
Where: Corner of Barossa Valley Highway and Hermann Thumm Drive, Lyndoch, SA 5351
Trading: 7 nights a week, lunch Sat + Sun (bookings essential)
Website: www.lyndochhill.com/restaurant.html
Contact: (08) 8524 4268
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