Classic Italian
Lunch Review
With Xmas only just around the corner and the thought of silly season revellers rushing to restaurants for debaucherous lunchtime lunacy, we felt that getting in early for our annual lads Christmas lunch would be the safest bet. I’d heard that the historic and prestigious Manse in Tynte street had stopped operation and been reopened with a new flavour and style under the name ‘Ruby Red Flamingo’. It was the perfect opportunity to have a long lunch with Macca and Hobbsy who are equally passionate about their food and wine.
On entry to the classic building, it was clear that much of the previous décor had been retained; just touched up with a retro styling that gave us the feeling we were eating at our best Italian friend’s parent’s house. The plates and water glasses were mismatched with old school flair, and they had even used the old Manse’s signature pink display plates as part of the standard service.
By 12:30pm the restaurant was already half filled and 15 minutes later it was at capacity - certainly a great sign for a restaurant that had only been operating for 8 weeks. As we took our seat we confirmed with our waiter, Richard that the rumoured $12 corkage was correct as we had decided to break out some top shelf red’s to share. I requested that we have our 1998 Ingoldby Cabernet Sauvignon decanted, which received a positive response, and it arrived out our table with some proper Riedel Cabernet glasses - what a treat!
To start the celebration we were offered an opening ale or white wine to give our tastebuds some life. I was most impressed that they offered a homebrew beer and Macca and I thought it would definitely be worth a try. The homebrew was a light refreshing pilsner style that even non-beer drinkers could enjoy.
With drinks in hands and the obligatory Xmas cheers performed, we moved into phase two, ordering food. Noticing the lack of on table menu’s it only took a slight turn of the head to find the scattered menus displayed on the walls around the dining room. We felt it would be better to allow Richard to make our decisions for us and advised that we had a medium-to-well ‘hunger rating’! Our menu included the following dishes:
Bresaola: Cured beef, rocket & parmesan
Gnudi: Ricotta, spinach & tomato
Polenta: Mushroom, 4 cheeses & spinach
Red & green salad: Mixed lettuce leaves
Gnocchi Pomodoro: Gnocchi, tomato & basil
Maccheroni Eggplant: Smoked scamorza, dry ricotta & tomato
Mafalde Ragu: Chicken, turkey & tomato
Special: Pork Sausages with grilled vegetables & bread
Most of the menu items are offered in small and large sizes creating a perfect opportunity for a shared meal with friends. Every dish was cooked perfectly with rich, abundant flavours that were simplistic in their arrangement. The pasta was all handmade on the premises and cooked flawlessly; the gnocchi was soft, silky and melted in the mouth; while the maccheroni and mafalde were aptly al dente. These dishes took me back to my childhood, growing up in Campbelltown, eating at my Italian friends’ houses and are certainly traditional recipes that any Nonna would be proud to serve.
The service was impeccable with Lauro, Richard and Sarah having complete control over all guests. Their friendly nature and can-do attitude made the whole experience feel so homely and welcoming, like a well executed dinner party. Once service had finished, we even had the opportunity to sit and discuss the experience and pass on our gratitude before taking a seat outside in the warm spring sun to enjoy a thirst-quenching Rosè.
To our surprise and great delight, the total bill for such an incredible lunch only came to $198.50 for the 3 of us. Ruby Red Flamingo is an exceptional restaurant in all facets of dining requirements. I will be visiting this establishment frequently and encourage all Adelaidians to do so. Make sure you get in quick as bookings are not accepted and once word gets out expect a line up of eager patrons.
Darren Richards
(AKA Dougal McFuzzlebutt)
Where: 142 Tynte St, North Adelaide 5006
Trading: Lunch: Wed – Fri 12:00pm – 2:30pm
Dinner: Wed – Sat 5:30pm – 10pm
Website: facebook.com/RubyRedFlamingo
Contact: (08) 8267 5769
Photography by Darren Richards
