The Chopping Board - Adelaide food and restaurant review blog

Quick Chop! The new van on the block - Papa's Hot Dogs

2013-05-24T10:02:00.000+09:30

I still get excited when I see a new food truck grace the streets of Adelaide, so when exiting my office building for lunch yesterday I immediately gravitate towards this shiny van like a magpie to light.

Papa's Hot Dogs is a new kid on the block - literally having it's first day out yesterday. Papa's serves gourmet hotdogs where the customer can select the specific sausage type, toppings and condiments to add.

New and shiny!

After some deliberation, I decide that I will go for the standard bun, with spanish chorizo, sauteed onions, cheddar cheese and hot mustard with a side of fries. The bun was soft and slightly sweet (think burger theory bun for hotdogs), the chorizo was well charred and tasty (I did want to try the Wagyu but didn't have the time) *sobs*. All-in-all a very tasty meal.

Paired with some shoestring fries dusted in rosemary and salt and its a great lunch-time meal. In total, the meal was $10 so in my opinion a decently priced and decently sized lunchtime meal. I will be visiting this van again to try the other sausages and condiments that they have on offer!

Congratulations on your first day!

Hot dog and fries - $10

PacMan says give this a go if you see it on the street!

St Louis House of Fine Ice Cream & Dessert - Quick Chop!

2013-05-22T11:06:00.000+09:30

Pretty sure the dessert craze will not wane, looking at the continual stream of dessert bars being opened around Adelaide. Very new to the scene is St Louis House of Fine Ice Cream and Desserts trading down the Victoria Square end of Gouger St at just one week old. On Saturday night this place was bustling with people attracted to the crowds like moths to light – or should I say ants to sugar?

Fancy eh?

As their name suggest, St Louis offers specialty ice cream made locally and a range of desserts including churros, crepes and tasting platters. Tonight ice cream was on the menu given their name sake (notice ice cream comes before desserts?).

To maximise flavour tasting opportunities, my boyfriend and I opted for the 3 scoop waffle basket with honey and fig, salted caramel and cafe.

Waffle basket three scoops $7.80

In view flavours - honey and fig, cafe

Each of the ice creams had a nice texture and did not have any ice-iness to them. Honey and fig flavour was subtle and not too sweet. However, I wish the girl serving my ice cream gave me more of the purple fig syrup - you can't even see that it exists from the photos. Salted caramel didn't have a noticeable amount of saltiness but the caramel threaded through the ice cream was gooey and delicious. Cafe was just plain Jane coffee ice cream. Waffle cone was dipped in chocolate, which was a nice touch. But it was hard and very cumbersome to eat from the foam cup provided. Would've been better if we had the three scoops in the foam cup and shards of broken waffle cone mixed in.

The ice cream at St Louis is nice but fails to blow the brain, despite having some interesting flavour combinations. Praise should be given for the lovely interior making it perfect place to hang out and indulge.

Ping Pong gives St Louis House of Fine Ice Cream and Desserts 15/20 chops on the Chopping Board.

Food: 7/10

Service: 4/5

Ambience: 4/5

Promoting Italian food and beer - 32 Via Dei Birrai and Pizza e Mozzarella bar

2013-05-21T07:32:00.000+09:30

A few weeks ago, I (PacMan) was lucky enough to be invited by the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to one of their Qualitaly events. The event of the night was a degustation and beer pairing which was a collaboration which showcased the food of Pizza e Mozzarella bar with the beer of Italian company 32 Via Dei Birrai.

32 Via Dei Birrai (here) is an Italian beer company with a focus on artisan beers. From the discussion had with the Master Brewer, the key points were noted:

All of 32's beer is non-pasteurised
Beer is to be treated like wine, in the sense that you can have different beers with different meals with table service in mind
Beer is not served chilled

32 Via Dei Birrai's entrance into the Australian market has only been recent and to showcase the beer this food and beer event was held in Adelaide with further events to be held in Melbourne and Sydney.
Now onto the food and beer! Note: I am not a beer expert so my thoughts on the beer will be quite basic.

Pizza Margherita

First on the menu is the Margherita pizza. Margherita pizza's are the most basic of pizza's so in my opinion are a good judgement of how the rest of the pizza's will be. This was delicious. Fresh ingredients with a thin base. Can't really go wrong. We have previously done a review on Pizza e Mozzarella bar - see the review (here).

Port Lincoln yellow fin tuna crudo, shaved fennel and 32 vinegar

Second on the menu was the Port Lincoln yellow fin tuna crudo. As can be expected with good quality fresh tuna it was nice and tender. The fennel salad added a needed crunch. Part of the presentation was spraying of the beer vinegar prior to serving. At this time, the vinegar smell was very strong so I was expecting the same in flavour. I was pleasantly surprised when the opposite was present and the vinegar was quite pleasing to the palette. All-in-all, a good combination of flavours. The 'Tre+Due' beer was served with this meal. The beer was fruity and sweet with light spice elements and overall easy to drink.

Mozzarella di Bufala campana DOP & nduja

The third dish was a simple, rustic dish. These in my opinion, can be some of the best. The bread was made with the 32 Via Dei Birrai beer and was served with a buffalo mozzarella and nduja (spicy spreadable sausage made with pork). The buffalo mozzarella was creamy and in combination with the spicy nduja tasted delicious.

The only downfall was that the bread was too tough for my liking – very hard to cut and bite through. The 'Audace' beer was next. This was stronger in flavour than the Tre+Due beer but surprisingly easier to drink. The subtle sweet and citrus notes in the beer were definitely needed to cut through the spicy spread.

Squid ink croquettes, prawn salt and milk foam

The fourth meal was the squid ink croquette with prawn salt and milk foam. I have previously had squid ink pasta but the croquette concept was new to me. Visually, the meal was not appealing but the expected flavours were there. A pretty standard dish. The 'Nebra' beer was next to accompany this dish. The Nebra was sweet smelling almost floral and not as bitter in taste to the other beers provided.

San Daniele prosciutto, bone marrow, green tomato and shaved egg

The fifth dish was the San Daniele prosciutto with bone marrow, green tomato and shaved egg. The bone marrow, as one would expect, was very fatty and definitely required the prosciutto to balance out the flavour. The serving size was sufficient – I would not have been able to have any more than was provided. One of my least favourite meals of the night. The 'Oppale' beer was a great compliment to the dish.

Pulled barossa suckling pig, lasagna, creamed peas and cauliflower

The sixth dish was a loose interpretation of what the typical lasagna is. The pork crackling was thin and crunchy with the right amount of saltiness - delicious! The pasta was cooked al-dente and the mash was creamy and sweet. The pulled pork was tender and made for a great meal. The use of local produce was great. The heaviness of this meal leant itself to the bitterness of the 'Curmi' beer balancing out the flavours nicely.

Smoked pepper seared milk fed veal and Russian salad

Now when I was reading this menu, this was the dish that excited my palette the most. The smoke pepper seared milk fed veal with Russian salad. The veal, as expected, was well cooked and seasoned. Very tasty with the smokey notes of the veal coming through the charred edging. When I read Russian salad on the menu, I must admit that I did not know what it was – this reminded me of a different take on a coleslaw…and I was not a huge fan. The 'Admiral' beer was a slightly bitter, ruby red beer.

Poached pear with ricotta

Last but not least, dessert! If you have seen previous posts, I do have a bit of a sweet tooth so was looking forward to this. The poached pear with ricotta was on the menu. The sweet poached pear with the slight acidity of the ricotta worked well together. I would have liked the pear to be poached just a little longer to ensure that it was easier to slice through. The beer provided for this meal was the 'Atra'. This beer acted as the equivalent of a dessert wine. The beer had coffee, caramel and chocolate notes which went well with the dessert.

Whilst I have not provided detailed descriptions of the beers that were tasted I can say that they were quite flavoursome and were different in taste to the standard beers that one may normally drink. If you are into your beers and have not heard of 32 Via Dei Birrai, give them a go and see what you think.

Overall, I had a great night. I learnt some new things about beer, had some good food and met some new people. For further information on 32 Via Dei Birrai visit (http://www.32viadeibirrai.com/). For a more detailed review on Pizza e Mozzarella bar, view our previous review (here). Suffice to say, we are fans of this place.

Adelaide Coffee Roundup - Where is Adelaide's best coffee?

2013-05-20T13:18:00.000+09:30

Hello fellow Choppers. We have finally started our much promised Adelaide Coffee roundup. It's going to be constantly updated, so make sure you bookmark it & subscribe to it! Just click on the link to it on the right of the page!

Adelaide Coffee Roundup

The Fleurieu Pantry - Vegan noms in the south!

2013-05-16T13:43:00.000+09:30

We'd decided to buy tickets to my high school's production of Joseph and the Technicolour Dream Coat which meant we had to venture waaaaay south of the city of Adelaide to Noarlunga. Being slightly disorganised, we hadn't taken the time to find anywhere vegan close-by the theatre and somehow thought it would be OK to wing it. I turned to Yelp for advice and Yelp came through with the goods.

One light, an umbrella and a sign mark the entrance to The Fleurieu Pantry.

The poorly lit, unassuming entrance leads down an open air corridor to the restaurant. A bright sensor light greeted us before the waitstaff knew we were there. This is one of those places that you don't want to sit down straight away. There's stuff to look at, pick up and buy all over the place. Art is tastefully hung on the walls, there's a corner shelf stocked with vegan foods, powders, potions... you know the sort of stuff I mean. Not dissimilar to the wardrobe leading to Narnia, there's a doorway at the back of the restaurant leading to a shop. We were on a time limit so my exploration stopped there.

The first thing I notice is the specials list on our table. I admire the time it has taken someone to handwrite each specials list for every table - the same attention to detail is evident through our dining experience. Each menu item is clearly identified as vegan, vegetarian and gluten free which means I get to skip the interrogation of waitstaff - hooray!

Huzzah! Making ordering easier since colour printers were invented.

To kick things off, Mark ordered a Goodieson Brewery Wheat Beer (brewed in McLaren Vale, Adelaide) and I ordered a green smoothie. I think everyone has their own way of making their perfect green smoothie and while this wasn't exactly how I like it, I give 10 big hat tips to them for adding it to the menu.

We ordered the Single Falafel plate as an entree. The falafels were soft, rolled in sesame seeds and more paste-like in consistency than falafels I've had before. When wrapped in a spinach wrap with lettuce, tomato and cucumber, they were delicious! In fact, if they had been a firmer consistency, the finished wrap would've been difficult to eat. The eggplant, caramelised onion and SDTs added a delicate sweetness to each wrap without the overpowering taste you can sometimes experience from antipasto type accompaniments.

DIY Falafel Platter.

Between our entree and main, I picked up a small tin containing cards with one-liner jokes on them. We had a few giggles, another drink and before we knew it, our mains were delivered.

Vegan Curry with tofu, chickpeas & veggies. Served on basmati rice, with pappadum

The veggies in my vegan curry were still firm, not in an undercooked way, but in a freshly cooked way. The tofu tasted like it had been added straight from the packet, if it had been browned first, it might've added a little more texture to the dish. However, the balance of coconut cream and spices worked well for me as did the addition of fresh greens, the crunch of the pappadum and just enough rice to soak up the liquid.

Mark, a man of few words, described his lasagne as "hearty and delicious. The salad has a good variety of ingredients, not too much lettuce and the toasted pumpkin seeds add crunch and flavour". Well done Mark, well done.

Vegetarian Lasagne. Spinach, ricotta & cherry tomato lasagne, served with a gourmet side salad

As we brought our cutlery together, we checked our watches and realised we had to go. We paid our $60(ish) bill and left feeling like we'd discovered a gem of the south.

Ambiance: 4/5 - It has an eclectic glow at night, the website shows a bright an airy feel during the day
Service: 5/5 - Friendly and sincere, the staff are happy to be at work - something rare to see these days!
Food: 8/10 - A good selection of vegan dishes, presentation lacked but flavour is definitely there.

In total, Twillyon gives The Fleurieu Pantry 17/20 chops on the Chopping Board.

Quick Chop! Fancy a 'sneaky pickle'

2013-05-14T10:30:00.000+09:30

For those of you who frequent the Adelaide CBD, have been to the Depot during Fringe or any of the Fork on the Road events, you will be aware of the Sneaky Pickle food truck.

Sneaky Pickle has been in operation for a few months now so this post is well overdue. Whilst I was away on holiday earlier this year I had some friends post their visits to Sneaky Pickle and the 'Reuben' sandwiches instantly caught my eye reminding me of my visit to NYC and the iconic Katz's deli for a pastrami on rye. It would be my (PacMan) mission to try this sandwich!

Reuben Sandwich & Fried Pickles

Menu board

So when I saw that the Sneaky Pickle van was near my workplace I went down to try what they had to offer. Sneaky Pickle offered a pulled pork bun as well the Reuben Sandwich (which I went for). The sandwich itself is basic in its concept - bread, mustard, corned beef and sauerkraut. Served with a side of chips (crisps). I also ordered a side of fried pickles for extra measure.

Overall, I think that the construction of the sandwich was a little poor. The butter/margarine that appeared to be added to the outside of the bread (to add in the toasting process) was a little too heavy for my liking leading to the sandwich being slightly soggy and oily. Whilst overall the flavours were there, I would have provided thinner slices of corned beef and for the sandwich to be toasted for a little longer as the outside was warm whilst the inside was cold.

As for the side of fried pickles - this divided the group. If you like pickles then you will like this addition, so just be aware. I would have liked the batter to be a little lighter.

All in all, the dish was good and for the price, it was a substantial meal. A few teething issues which I think can be resolved quite easily.

The Emperor's Reuben Sandwich with Pickles and Coleslaw

When I (PacMan) asked the other members of The Chopping Board if they had visited, The Emperor commented that he enjoyed his Reuben very much. He didn't have the same over oily feel to his, and commented that his pastrami was great. This leads me to believe that there are some consistency issues, that will probably be all ironed out soon enough.

If you haven't tried this dish before and are interested in giving it a go, try the Sneaky Pickle.

Windy Point Restaurant - An amazing experience

2013-05-10T13:58:00.000+09:30

Windy Point restaurant doesn't need much of an introduction. Everyone knows it as being one of the finest dining locations in Adelaide, and when we were recently invited to review their menu, how could we say no?

Arriving at 6pm on the dot, my wife (an excuse to take her out as it was her birthday) and I were greeted by our waiter for the evening and led to our seats.

We were left alone for a minute or two to admire the magnificent view from the restaurant when our waiter returned with the menu and specials. After having a quick read of the menu my mind was made up for entree – Steak tartare... my favourite dish. Japan’s Beef Tataki, Korea’s Yukhoe, I never get tired of eating rare beef.

With such an amazing menu and a wine list to match, my wife and I were unable to decide with mains and entrees, however our waiter (Jai) was quick to assist us, providing us with alternatives (accommodating by making a main into a entree for us to taste), suggestions and wines to match.

Brioche Bun, smashed eggplant, dill and extra virgin olive oil

First to arrive - Brioche Bun with smashed eggplant, dill and extra virgin olive oil.

My oh my, how soft, warm and fluffy and slightly sweet. I’m not a huge bread fan, but I could not have passed these up. The smashed eggplant was gone within a few seconds.

Murray Valley Gold Beef Fillet Raw Tartare with capers, shallots, egg yolk, fries and béarnaise dressing

Next up, the dish I was waiting for.... The combination of the capers and shallots and the creamy raw egg was just magical. I was in heaven.....Give me a truck load of this dish any day of the week please. Absolutely delicious. Team it up with Jai’s suggestion of a 2012 Rockford Alicante Bouchet it was a truly delightful combination.

Pressed and Fried Ham Hock Terrine with fine slaw, sauce gribiche and a pomegranate molasses dressing

I wasn't sure what to expect with this dish, as I have never had terrine at a fancy restaurant....I tried a little bit of the terrine itself, and it was quite salty, smokey and fatty piece of ham. Definitely full of flavour and chewy texture. Not something you would eat by itself......I then tried the terrine with the slaw and dressing and waited for all the tastes to merge together...they all melded together very nicely. However, the aftertaste was a little bit salty still... I then thought how wonderful it would be if all these ingredients were placed into a sweet Brioche to create a slider or a mini burger....

12 Hour Braised Pork Belly with swede purée, sorrel, baby turnips, anise glaze

I love pork belly, and it is usually my main at any restaurant I visit. Luckily Jai was accommodating and created this main into an entree so I could still try the Windy Point Steak below. The meat was sooooo soft, juicy and fatty - just the way pork belly should be. This dish was very easy to eat for me simply because it tasted similar to Asian pork belly dishes I normally eat or cook. It was gone within seconds. Highly recommended 'safe' dish if you cannot decide what to eat. The only thing I was unsure about was the way the skin was cooked - it somehow didn't fit with the dish I thought. I would have preferred the traditional salty crackling compared to what was done.

Sorbet

A nice and refreshing watermelon and mandarin sorbet to cleanse the palate before the mains.

350 gram Chateaubriand of Beef Roasted Murray Valley Gold export grade grain fed beef fillet

The main event....My stomach was screaming for more after the lovely entrees and this was the piece of meat to rule them all. I am a fan of rare meat, and would never normally order steak that is well done simply because I do no like chewy overcooked meat. This steak was served medium, and I started to worry, would my mouth be tired from chewing 350g of medium cooked meat? It was accompanied by 3 large hand cut potatoes and 3 sauces including horseradish cream, home-made spicy BBQ and a Bearnaise.

My first slice....wow... soft juicy steak with a smokey flavour that didn't require chewing! I couldn't believe it. Even the well done edges of the steak was nice and soft. Together with the 2010 Yalumba Menzies The Cigar Cabernet Sauvignon, this was a match made in heaven....

I felt the creamed spinach bed was a bit of a distraction, as I wasn't sure whether the chef wanted me to use the sauces or the spinach or combine them together with each bite. In the end I tried each of the sauces with the spinach but preferred sauces without the cream as it seemed to complicate flavours. For me, the BBQ sauce was the clear winner because the meat was quite smokey and I am huge fan of spicy food.

Three sauces, creamed spinach and hand cut potatoes to accompany the steak

Roasted Victorian Duck Legs with spiced pumpkin purée, kohlrabi and dukkah remoulade, glaze and truffled pear syrup

As you already know, I am a huge fan of duck so we couldn't pass the opportunity to eat roasted duck legs at Windy Point Restaurant. The taste of this dish was unique to say the least. At first taste, the dukkah was a bit overpowering, however further into the dish, you come to appreciate all the different spices and sauces that make this dish wonderful. The duck was roasted nicely resulting in a tasty skin and moist meat. There were some areas of the drumstick that were a bit dry, but I'm not sure how it can be avoided with roasting.
This dish was teamed with a 2008 Murray Street Vineyards SGM, together they went down a treat.

Dessert wine

Because one picture of a dessert is never enough

Chocolate Mélange for Two assortment of decadent chocolate masterpieces

Dessert time! My wife and I were very full from the entrees and mains. However @mireillelb from Twitter highly recommended desserts to end the evening. Once again, Jai was very accommodating and was able to halve the serving of the Chocolate Melange.

I'm not a dessert expert unlike fellow blogger Pacman, so I'm not going to go into too much detail for everyone, but all I can say is OH EM GEE...... I normally pass on desserts, but WOW, these 'masterpieces' were just that! Tiny little bite sized pieces that 'non-dessert' eaters like me would fall in love with! Amazing. Chocolate? I first though, doesn't it all taste the same? To my surprise none were overly sweet, but every piece had a distinguishing factor to be mildly different from each other. It was very entertaining eating this dish.... highly recommended.

Windy Point Restaurant is a venue that I believe everyone needs to visit once in a lifetime. Whether you love food or not, it's an experience that is definitely not far from anyone's reach, whether it be distance or price. With today's cafes and restaurants where main courses are easily $25+, why people would not consider Windy Point is indeed a question that needs to be asked. You will receive service second to none, a view second to none, and quite possibly a culinary experience that would be hard to match in Adelaide.

Fino - Willunga - Go to McLaren Vale and make a day out of it

2013-05-08T11:57:00.002+09:30

After spending the day in McLaren Vale helping out a friend being 'extras' on a documentary for a winery (very fun with some wine tasting in between takes), what better way to end the day with a late lunch at Fino Restaurant in Willunga.

This is a restaurant that I have only heard good things about, so after a friend again recommended I should go try it out...I did! Located in Willunga, this unassuming restaurant has a lot to offer. The restaurant itself is quite small with a nice indoor and outdoor setting (note: I was unable to properly view the outdoor location given a private birthday function taking place). Atmosphere was fun and casual - really enjoyable.

Fino's dining concept encourages the sharing concept which has become quite popular in recent times. I must admit that Fino does it well and from the pictures below you will be able to see that the dishes themselves are presented in a way which makes it quite easy for the diners to do so. As a result of this sharing concept, diners have the option of sharing a-la-carte, or having a set menu. My friend and I went with the a-la-carte menu.


Sour dough & Diana 'Novello' extra virgin olive oil - $2.50

To start off the meal, my friend and I go for the sour dough. Note that the above picture shows a serving for two. Sour dough and olive oil is a classic, simple combination and Fino does it well with fresh bread and good quality olive oil.

Roast beetroot, carrots and woodside chevre - $18.00

The next item on the menu was the beetroot salad. The salad itself was quite basic in its concept with the chef letting the produce speak for itself. The beetroot was sweet and tender whilst the carrots were cooked al-dente with a slight bite to them. The chevre (goat's cheese) was creamy and salty and when combined with the vegetables make for a great dish. Simple in concept, great in execution.

Berkshire chorizo and pickled green tomatoes - $18

Second course was the chorizo. Looking at the chorizo, it had all the elements that I liked. The chorizo had a char to the skin which gave it a great texture with the fat inside the chorizo being well rendered. No lumpy, uncooked pieces of fat here. The chorizo also had a nice flavour with slight heat. As mentioned above, the chorizo was already cut for us making the 'sharing' concept much easier for the diner. The pickled green tomato, whilst potentially sounding a little too strong for some, packed a lot of flavour but did not overpower the dish.

Garfish, green beans, almonds and aioli - $33

Course three was the garfish. Now I must admit that I am not a huge fan of fish, so my review may be a little biased. Having said this, the garfish was not overcooked and was flakey in texture. My friend and I agreed that the taste of the fish was subtle, but in combination with the beans, almonds and aioli, it was a nice dish. Beans again were not over-processed and the almonds crunchy.

Wagyu beef - price not provided

The fourth dish was the Wagyu beef. Whilst this dish was available as part of the set menu option, it did not appear on the standard menu however was available for diners to try. My personal preference (which is completely open to comment) is that any restaurant that serves beef should ask the diner how they would like it cooked - in this case Fino didn't. My personal preference for beef is medium-rare and the Wagyu came out rare. Now, I don't know whether this was deliberate on Fino's part given the quality of the beef cut being used - but this is me being really nit-picky here!

As noted, the Wagyu came out rare, you could definitely see the quality of the cut with the beef having the fabled 'marbling' of fat throughout the cut. The beef cut (as can be seen) had a great char on the outside which gave it a great flavour with the beef speaking for itself. In some cases the beef did not cut a smoothly or softly as I would like (however I am not sure if this was due to the knife that I had). I would have preferred a little more cooking time so the fat rendered a little more.

Depending on how much you like to eat, 4-5 dishes between two people is sufficient. I do recommend speaking with the waiting staff about how many dishes may be required, as the combination of dishes will depend on sizing (between entree and main). Ok, now - dessert!

Dark chocolate mousse, salted caramel and berries - $16

When I sometimes see chocolate and caramel, I get a little worried. Each flavour is so strong by itself, that in combination can be too sickly and sweet. You do not have to worry here. The dark chocolate mousse was light and creamy with a slightly bitter quality given the use of dark chocolate. The salted caramel is limited in its quantity and is there to support and cut through the mousse. Berries are slightly tart and balance the entire dish. A favourite for both myself and my friend...*drools*

Crema Catalana - $16

Not thinking that one dessert was enough, we ordered the Crema Catalana - Spain's version of the Creme Caramel. There are a few things that I look for in a good Creme Caramel. The 'snap/crackle' of the sugar top with a creamy filling. This did not disappoint. The picture shows that the top was blow torched correctly with a nice crack being made when the spoon was put through. The sugar was sweet and slightly chewy and not hard or bitter (indicating that it may have been over torched). The filling was so smooth, creamy and luxurious - like custard again, *drools* (no lumpy bits at all). The infusion of citrus made the custard mixture sweet to taste with slight citrus tones. Two great desserts to finish off a great meal.

In total, the above dishes with a latte, short black and two glasses of wine totalled $161.00. Not a cheap meal, so just be aware of this if you want to try it out. In terms of booking, I would recommend it as the facilities are a little small. Plan ahead, and make a day out of it as the restaurant is located in Willunga about 15 minutes away from McLaren Vale and some wonderful wineries.

Ambiance: 4/5 - I like the casual vibe and small location...looks like you are coming into someones house....someones great looking house with awesome food
Service: 4.5/5 - Staff were attentive and knew the restaurants philosophy and dishes whilst not being over-attentive
Food: 8/10 - A few points off for the fish (again, a little biased), and the Wagyu not being as soft as I would have hoped

In total, PacMan gives Fino 16.5/20 chops on the chopping board.

Vego and Love'n It - Adelaide's secret vegan gem.

2013-05-06T09:44:00.000+09:30

I'm always hesitant to catch up with old school friends for meals since choosing to eat a vegan diet. If I had a dollar for every time I was asked to explain why I'm vegan, I wouldn't be here writing a blog at 8pm on a Thursday night.

When Liz asked to catch up with me while she was back in Australia and told me she was a vegetarian, I jumped at the chance to set-up a lunch date at Vego and Love'n It. When I actually met Liz, she confessed to me that "I'm mostly vegetarian except I eat animals my mates hunt in Canada, I can't remember what the name of that diet is". Well Liz, it's not vegetarian but I'll give you two points for trying.

Liz was as surprised as I was to see the small yellow doorway squeezed in between Naked and Cherri Bellini on Rundle St. We scurried up the narrow, worn staircase to find a red door leading to a kitsch, typically vegan cafe.

Entrance to Vego and Love'n It. Image credit: Google Street View

The combination of vinyl chairs surrounding laminate top tables and an eclectic collection of art haphazardly adorning the walls of this small space resembles the cute and random way a four year old dresses themselves. We took a seat and began studying the menu board. As soon as we'd decided, our order of two half-sized Bali Burgers and a large and small carrot, celery, beetroot and ginger juice was taken at the table - impressive!

The menu board blends in with the other artwork on the walls.

Liz had barely finished telling her next story about watching a bear catch salmon and our juices were delivered (we couldn't tell which was large and which was small but they were both definitely fresh with well balanced flavours), our burgers followed shortly afterwards. I should let you know that the burgers are $14 for a whole burger and $7 for a half serve - unless I'd just finished the 40 Hour Famine, a half size is more than enough.

The Bali Burger. Epic half serve.

Now to the serious stuff. The rye bread roll surrounding the burger was fresh and slightly crusty on top but the base was lost somewhere under the patty. I was hoping for a toasted bun - something I miss since being vegan is crunchy textures in food. The patty was thick, moist and perfectly seasoned. It didn't crumble when I cut into it but I couldn't identify every ingredient. Maybe it was potato, maybe it was cauliflower, maybe it was both. Whatever it was, the flavour brought that smiley frown to my face that says "golly gosh, I'm enjoying this food". Topped with grated carrot, a piece of lettuce and delicious chilli sauce, the burger is as generous as it is delicious.

Every where you look, there's something cute and kitsch.

Our plates were cleared quickly, we didn't have time to stay for tea so we settled the $24.50 account (that's not a typo) and we went back down the stairs to Rundle St.

This may indicate how much I enjoyed my Bali Burger.

Ambiance: 3/5 - it's cute, quaint but a little cramped.
Service: 4/5 - I loved the table service but there is minimal effort made to up-sell.
Food: 9/10 - it's great 100% vegan lunch grub, creative vegan menu and more than just burgers.

In total, Twillyon gives Vego and Love'n It 16/20 chops on the chopping board.

Highway Hotel - Game season, game on!

2013-05-02T10:36:00.000+09:30

The Chopping Board, along with a few other Adelaide bloggers, were recently invited by the Highway Hotel on Anzac Road to sample their new 'Game' menu to be introduced in the month of May (1-15). This was another rare occasion where all four members of the Chopping Board were able to meet up and review together. (Late cancellation by Ping Pong meant our good friend and regular guest blogger Hazemo was able to join us).

On arrival, Head Chef, Nick Finn provided a detailed run down the menu, produce, how it was sourced, prepared and presented, along with a few of their craft beers for tasting to entice us to stay for the night! As the name suggests, the Game menu focuses on game related meats (think venison, rabbit, duck). We were advised that tasting dishes were to be served first, and once complete, we would have the opportunity to go to the dining area and select a sample item to be then provided as a main serving.

Given we were provided with tastings as well as mains, this review will cover both items (where a tasting and main were provided). As each of the reviewers got a chance to taste the food provided, you will see (where possible) the opinions of all reviewers.

OK, so now to the food!

Rabbit Cacciatore

A cacciatore style of dish which makes the hero of the dish, rabbit, seem less daunting

First on the menu was the Rabbit Cacciatore wtih tomato, olive, speck & pugliese ciabatta served as both a tasting and main.

Japanese School Girl – I had this as a tasting option, the rabbit presented was very soft and without mentioning that it was rabbit one could not tell that this was the case. The mash on the side was creamy and smooth and was a great combination with the tomato sauce. A very hearty dish for cold winter nights.

The Emperor - I loved this as a taster, loved the depth that the olives provided and the slow cooked tomato sauce was spot on. These key flavours were still there in the main, however, I was a little disappointed that the rabbit was not the same. It was a lot drier and chewier. Not sure if this was just the bit of meat in the main, or maybe an outlier to the whole process.

Hazemo - The rabbit was soft and tasty, and not quite as 'gamey' as you could expect from the dish. The olives slow cooked in the sauce brought through a strong taste throughout the dish, and the mash throughout all the dishes was creamy and delicious. Definitely a fan.

PacMan - As a result of the little taster that was provided to us (and how much I liked it), I decided that I would have this as a main. The rabbit was served on the bone with the creamy mash and ciabatta. For me, the main was a little bit of a let down. Whilst the flavours were there - nice tomato base with a little saltiness from the olive, my rabbit was very dry - not tender and falling off the bone like I would have hoped. The mash was creamy and smooth. The ciabatta was also nice but a little too oily for my liking.

Kangaroo Burger

Head Chef, Nick Finn worked with his suppliers to create these burgers

Second to grace our plates was the Kangaroo Burger w bush chutney & chips. Whilst we all had this dish, we will let the resident expert, The Emperor, make comments on his thoughts.

The Emperor - This was served to us as an entrée slider size. As you may or may not know, I am a bit OCD when it comes to burgers and how they are set up, cooked and served. When I read the menu the prior night, my first hope was the the patty was minced kangaroo meat. When the chef was informing us about the dish, he described the level of detail that went into getting the right mix of kangaroo cuts and fat content when mincing the patty - BOOM! I'm excited.

Creating the humble burger but mixing it up from the standard chicken or beef patty was exciting for me so I could not wait to try this burger. To my surprise, it was really good. In my opinion, Kangaroo has a distinctive flavour which can be strong, with an almost smoky quality. This was definitely maintained in the patty, and these flavours stayed the hero of the burger. It wasn't over sauced, it was presented with a good dollop of sweet chutney and a dash of aoili. It all worked really well together, and gave me a great taste of kangaroo via a different medium. This is definitely a dish I would have again, but potentially as part of a trio of different sliders. My only question was if it would get overwhelming if it was in a larger size burger.

Fries with seasoning

Crocodile Skewers

Meat is harvested from the tail of the animal. Being a subtle flavoured meats, it is spiced using Asian flavours

Third on the tasting menu were the Crocodile Skewers w Asian salad & chilli jam

PacMan and Japanese School Girl – The skewers were a little dry and tough for our liking. When questioned, the Head Chef mentioned the skewers are made from the tail of the crocodile resulting in its texture. The chilli jam was delicious, very hot and went very well with the salted fries on the side.

The Emperor - I have had crocodile before, so I knew what to expect. It's a little chewy, but, when you have an amazing chilli jam, I forgot about the crocodile. Other than being a little chewy, the crocodile was nice, not too strong in flavour. So all in all, a good dish. I think that the chilli jam should be a permanent addition to The Highway menu!

Hazemo - The chilli jam was the star of this dish. Reflecting on the dishes, I'm yet to be convinced that crocodile is worth trying to work with - as the flavour wasn't particularly strong, and the texture was similar to eating something akin to salt and pepper squid. It should be noted that I feel this was more of a reflection on the meat itself rather than the cooking process or the skills of the chef, but honestly anything with this chilli jam was worthwhile having a go. Those sensitive to spice should be warned, be prepared for some heat with the sweetness.

Denver Venison

The venison is cooked for three hours. Being a tougher meat, braising it allows the meat to breakdown and soften

Last on the tasting menu was the Denver Venison with gnocchi, fennel & parsnip chips.

Japanese School Girl – I had this as both a taster and the main as I loved it so much! This was the winning dish for the night. I fell in love with the gnocchi, each piece was soft and slightly chewy, but never soggy or too moist. Each piece was uniform in its size and texture and were pure delights. The venison was soft and plentiful. I could eat buckets of this dish...Amazing.

PacMan - Definitely the winner of the night for me, by far. The venison was soft and swimming in that gravy. It was so appealing that I would have loved some fresh bread to dip straight into it! As for the gnocchi, they were slightly pan fried fluffy pillows of deliciousness swimming in pools of gravy in my mouth *drools*.

The Emperor - A great dish. Classic flavours from the gravy, balancing out the strong meatiness of the Venison. Plus some great little pillows of gnocchi goodness. Definitely the dish of the night for me too, something I would have expected to see at an upmarket restaurant, this is the second item of the night that I would return for if it was permanently on the menu.

Hazemo - The gnocchi were superb, fried to perfection with a firm casing on the outside and a soft inside. The venison was tasty and without any unexpected flavours. If you're a fan of gravy-based dishes, grab this in a heartbeat.

Crisp skin Duck Breast

Duck is often a dish that is overlooked when it comes to game meat, for Game Season, the Chef opted to use the breast.

At the completion of the tasting, we were directed to the dining room where we tried the Crispy Skin Duck Breast with braised lentils, tomato, sugo & witlof hearts as a main.

PacMan - The menu touts this as a 'crispy' skin duck dish, so when I see that key word, I expect it to be on the dish. The duck was flavoursome but I was a little disappointed that the duck skin was not crispy at all however this was only a small issue in what was a great dish.

The Emperor - I chose this as my main, as I don't often eat a lot of duck, other than down Gouger St. The duck was really well cooked, just past medium rare and still soft and juicy. Some might like it a little rarer, but this definitely catered to the majority. The skin was almost crispy, but, didn't quite have the crunch to meet the brief. The other parts of the dish were a great compliment to the strong flavours of the duck. Braised lentils had great smooth texture, the sugo slightly sweet and was great with the duck breast, and the witlof hearts provided some necessary crunch. A great dish only let down by some missing crispiness.

Crocodile Sausages

These sausages are a play on a classic pub dish.

Hazemo had the Crocodile Sausages with sweet relish mash potatoes & glaze as his main. This dish was unfortunately the most disappointing of the night. The sausages weren't particularly flavourful, and really reminded me of herbed chicken sausages in terms of flavour. The texture of the snags themselves were a tad pasty, with a bit of unexpected stickiness to the filling. The chef has obviously gone to significant lengths to make a tasty crocodile sausage, and to his credit, I think they've probably produced the best possible representation of this dish, but I do wonder though whether crocodile as a meat suits this sort of meal? Again, the accompaniments were great, with pickled cabbage and a wonderful creamy mash coming alongside the snags.

Dessert Platter

Dessert platter

The Chopping Board - We thought this was a great representation of what spending some time as a patisserie chef can do for your dessert offerings. There were lots of options on the plate with the Creme Catalan being a favourite for all particularly when in combination with the basil and blood orange sauces. The combination definitely tickled our taste-buds and The Emperor mentioned that he would go back just for this. There was nothing wrong with any of the other options on the platter, they were all great too, but the Catalan was definitely the fave!

Overall, we believe that the Chef has presented a good variety of game dishes which in some instances are different to the norm whilst not scaring off the typical diner. Many of the dishes had rich game flavours and were executed well, however the dry rabbit (as a main) and croc skewers along with a non-crispy skin duck are areas that may need improvement. Another factor to consider would be the price of such dishes under a typical dinner setting.

If you are in for something a little different, The Chopping Board definitely recommends that you give the Game menu, especially the Venison with Gnocchi a go whilst it is available (May 1-15).

Quick Chop! The Loft Oyster and Wine Bar

2013-04-29T12:40:00.001+09:30

For those of you whom are regular readers of the blog, you would be aware that we have Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Reading through our twitter feed a while back, I noted that @loftwine was following us. Looking at the Twitter profile page for Loft Wine I noticed that it was located on Gouger Street however it was not familiar to me so I investigated further. After some back and forth I realised that it had its opening night on 24 April 2013 so I decided to pay it a visit.

Walking down Gouger Street I realised that it was located near Morphett Street in a building which previously housed clubs (Black Cat White Cat and Gateway) near Mars Bar. Now, I have previously been at said clubs so knew what this space previously looked like. To say that I was shocked at the transformation was an understatement. What was previously a dingy club location has been transformed into a classy, cozy, modern establishment. The space is decent in size with different stations ranging from comfy couches to bar seating and tables. The dim lighting also provided a cozy ambiance.

Loft Oyster and Wine Bar as the name suggests, serves oysters, wines, cocktails and a selection of other foods. I arrived with a friend of mine and go straight for the oysters.

Great selection of wines available, with different oyster types also

Upon viewing the menu, it can be seen that oysters can be purchased in either half-dozen or dozen quantities, with both hot and cold varieties available. Since we were eating later that night, we go for a combination of hot and cold options (half dozen each).

Cold: Natural, fresh lemon (1/2 dozen - $14)

The first dish to come out are the Oysters Natural. One of the issues that you can come across when eating oysters natural is that they can sometimes taste too much like the ocean and therefore detract from the subtle flavour of the oyster. I can say that this was not the case. The oysters were plump with a creamy tan colour and smelt quite fresh.

Hot: Kilpatrick - prosciutto and worcestershire sauce (1/2 dozen - $15)

Second on the menu was the oysters kilpatrick. Again, well presented with great flavours. The tried and tested 'kilpatrick' combination didn't disappoint. The combination was made a little more sophisticated with prosciutto as opposed to bacon. The kitchen did not skimp on the kilpatrick sauce and the oyster meat was plump and juicy.

Good listing of wines and cocktails.

I believe that Loft Oyster and Wine Bar is going to be a good addition to the Gouger Street Bar Scene. I see it being a great spot to unwind after a long day's work, as well as after work drinks on a Friday night or pre-dinner oysters and drinks.

If you are ever around the Gouger Street area, give Loft Oyster and Wine Bar a go.

www: http://www.loftbar.com.au/
twitter: @loftwine

Mama's Pierogi - giving the Polish dumpling a go

2013-04-26T13:11:00.000+09:30

The Chopping Board team always likes to try new places, now before anyone says, yes we are aware that Mama's Pierogi has been around for some time (on Port Road) so this review is for the newly opened CBD location. We will also stress that this review is only for the Pierogi (which covers a number of different flavours) and not the other dishes on the menu.

Mama's Pierogi

Mama's Pierogi serves a combination of savoury and sweet pierogi with small servings (6 dumplings) at $5.50 (savoury) and $8.00 (sweet) and regular servings (12 dumplings) at $10.00. Hot dishes are all $12.00.

As the Chopping Board team went on a group visit, this review has been written up from each of the reviewers perspective, with a consolidated score at the end. We also utilised the knowledge of a friend of the Chopping Board - Hazemo who has an Eastern background and was able to provide some background information on what a Pierogi should be like. Ok, the review...

Hazemo
As a kid growing up sitting in my Ukrainian grandma's kitchen eating Pierogi (pronounced peer-ogg-ee in the Ukraine), I fondly remember demolishing these tasty morsels and the amazing, heart-stopping pool of melted butter they were fried and served in.

While Mama's is a pretty good representation of the Cheese and Potato Pierogi, I can't help but feel the mass production of these little suckers might have detracted somewhat from the richness of the flavours. And maybe it's just a Polish thing - but there was no pool of butter for me to dunk my face in. I also gave their Kopytka a go, and again, I was disappointed with the lack of flavour - no real cheese or onion baked in flavour, but their texture was spot on.

All of this said - there ain't that many places you can relive your Eastern European childhood at lunchtime, so I've gotta give them some points for authenticity.

The Emperor
Walking into Mama's, I get the feeling that this place must be good. There are no free chairs, a massive line up, and people looking quite excited. I eagerly decide that I am having a mix of 12 dumplings - Spinach and Feta, Potato and Cheese, and the Beef and Sauerkraut. There is a bit of confusion as to when mine is ready, and it is collected when someone else hears their name called, and they also collect mine. Some improvements are needed here. Onto the food!

Of the mixed serving that I had, the best were the Potato and Cheese - smooth, cheesy, well salted and heavy in taste, they were the pick of the group. In my opinion I needed more sour cream but, I was informed that that's not the usual serving method, so maybe I am just non traditional. The other two flavours were ok, the sauerkraut wasn't that strong in flavour, nor was the feta in the other. I would try another flavour if I return.

PacMan
I order the beef and pork pierogi. I open my take-away container and I see a hair in it - not a good first impression (note: I have had such bad luck with this! If you have read our Gilbert Street Review, something very similar happened...anyway!)

I returned my meal to the counter and let them know, and without fuss I am given a new meal and a kind apology. I believe that you can tell a lot by a restaurant and how they handle issues like this and they dealt with it well. Now the pierogi...the filling was quite dry and did not have the depth of flavour that I was expecting. The dumpling casing was also a little thick (compared to the Chinese dumpling) and stuck to the roof of my mouth. The additional toppings of bacon and sour cream were a much needed addition.

Ping Pong
Being the first time to eat Polish food, I wasn't sure what to expect. However, after seeing Mama's Pierogi on the Polish episode of Food Safari I was relatively excited. I ordered the Spinach and Feta pierogi with all three toppings of caramelised onion, bacon and sour cream. What was presented looked nice and appetising. However, after tasting the pierogi I was disappointed. These dumplings were stodgy and bland, with very little excitement factor. So much so that I got bored eating it and only ate 5/12 dumplings - and I hate wasting food. After eating at Mama's I was left with a weird mouth feel all afternoon. This unfavourable experience may be due my choice of pierogi flavour. However, I'm not really keen to go back to try the others.

Ambiance: 2.75/5 - Very busy, tables are small so it may be difficult for larger groups
Service: 2.5/5 - Average, but you can't expect alot given the environment under which its operating
Food: 5.5/10

In total, The Chopping Board gives Mama's Pierogi (Pierogi only - CBD Location) 10.75/20 chops on the chopping board.

Whipped Bake Bar Cafe - it never ends on Semaphore Road

2013-04-24T07:33:00.000+09:30

For some time now, people are starting to realise that the Western suburbs, in particular Semaphore Road is becoming a hub of activity on the food scene. The Chopping Board has done a few reviews of places on Semaphore Road so I have decided to continue this trend with a review of Whipped Bake Bar Cafe - doesn't hurt when I have friends that live around the area so its easy and convenient to get to!

There are three distinct eating areas at Whipped, there is an outdoor area out footpath, inside area (great when its raining - like it was on my visit) and outdoors at the back, which would be great during the warmer sunnier days. Quite a large space and definitely children friendly.

Note: This review was done over two different visits.

Sourdough, mushrooms, avocado
and hollandaise - no longer on menu

First on the menu was the sourdough, mushrooms, avocado, hollandaise and poached eggs. Please note that this doesn't appear to be on the menu currently, however I will still review it as I believe that people still need to hear about it.

Whilst I have had avocado on toast at many places, I have never had it in combination with mushrooms and hollandaise and egg. In my opinion there was too much going on - this would have been better if the avocado was removed. The hollandaise sauce was also too salty overpowering the entire dish and drowning out the earthy flavour of the mushrooms and the slight sweetness of the avocado.

During my second visit I had a friend of mine order a dish with hollandaise and her comments (without any bias of my previous experiences) were that the sauce was again, too salty.

Toasted banana and macadamia bread - $12.50

Remembering my first visit, I decide to stay away from the eggs and go for something a little different (and I wasn't too hungry). I choose the toasted banana and macadamia bread, with mixed berries, pistachio, banana and marscapone.

The bread was delicious - light and fluffy, completely opposite to the dense bread which I was expecting. The marscapone was creamy but in my opinion there was too much of it which lead to leaving a lot of it left on the plate. The berries added a great tartness to the dish which I believe was needed to cut through the richness of the marscapone. The crunch of the pistachio also added a different textural element which was needed on the dish.

I would have preferred more berries and less marscapone and banana - but this is personal preference.

Finish it off with a nice latte and it's a great weekend!

Ambiance: 3/5 - Children friendly, laid back vibe, great during a warmer day
Service: 3/5 - solid service, standard for cafe
Food: 6.5/10 - nice flavours may need a little more refinement

In total, PacMan gives Whipped 12.5/20 chops on the chopping board.

Quick Chop! Cikolatte Restoran

2013-04-22T13:51:00.000+09:30

After a visit to the Loose Caboose, my friends and I were looking for something sweet to eat. So to try something different, we went to Cikolatte Restoran. I ordered the white chocolate and berry brownie with hazelnut gelato.

White chocolate and berry brownie with hazelnut gelato - $7.50

The brownie was everything that you would expect - slightly crunchy top and chewy middle. The gelato was also smooth and creamy. Decent size for a decent costing dessert. My friends ordered desserts also and agreed that it was good. I did notice (and this may only be on the specific day we went) that the demographic was much more 'mature' than I expected. Cikolatte also serves lunches and pide so if you are on Prospect Road, PacMan recommends that you give it a go - but the temptation to cross the road (literally) and go to Devour may be to great!

Star of Siam - Simply the best thai

2013-04-19T16:13:00.001+09:30

Star of Siam needs no introduction. I’ve been eating regularly at this Thai restaurant for over 20 years and amazingly their quality hasn’t changed. I was surprised that it took me this long to do a review of one of my favourite places to eat in Adelaide.

Greeted at the front door by the amazing and ever so bubbly Jasmine we are seated and provided with menus and asked for drinks. If you have ever been to Star of Siam, I’m sure you’ve met Jasmine. She is the true definition of a maître d'.

Even at 6pm on a Monday night, half the restaurant was full. We quickly ordered our favourite dishes so we could beat the rush of other orders.

Less than 10 minutes our dishes start coming out, the waiting staff politely asking whether we wanted each dish served for us or whether we would serve ourselves. We were happy for everything to be thrown in the middle of our table to serve ourselves. It’s always nice to be asked.

First up, everyone’s favourite; Pad Thai. Not much to say except I’ve introduced many to this dish served by Star of Siam, and 100% of responses were “best I’ve ever had”.

On this occasion, the Pandan chicken was a bit overcooked. The edges were a bit too crispy leaving the centre to be drier than usual. I can honestly say, this has been the first time (out of over 20 visits) I have encountered this problem. Other than that, a beautifully marinated piece of chicken thigh, not too overly sweet.

We normally get the Larb Chicken for our salad, but we decided to choose the Snow Pea Salad today. Lots of snow peas and minced, in a mildly spicy sauce. I would have preferred it to be bit more spicy, but overall, a very refreshing dish.

The Barramundi with Green Mango, is a MUST TRY. I’m going to make a big call, but it is my favourite dish from any restaurant in Adelaide. It is a seasonal dish depending on the green mangoes, but if it’s on the menu, do not hesitate to order this. The barramundi is deep fried with skin, deboned and drizzled with a tangy fish sauce with cashews and green mangoes.

Mooyang is another one of my favourite dishes. This dish goes particularly well with rice as the charcoal grilled pork is slightly sweet, very soft and tender.

The last 2 dishes are the curries, a Green Chicken Curry which is spicy, compared to a sweet Red Duck Curry. Each curry is very generous with large pieces of meat and freshly chopped vegetables. Great with rice, and don’t worry if you can’t finish it because you’re too full or ordered too much, take-away for a great lunch the next day in the office and make everyone jealous.

Once again - I believe this is Adelaide's best Thai. Thai Orchid down on Henley beach is also nice, but some dishes are lacking behind compared to Star of Siam.

Japanese School Girl gives Star of Siam 17/20 chops on the Chopping Board

Food: 9/10 (slight deduction this time for the overcooked Pandan chicken)
Ambience: 3.5/5
Service 4.5/5

Quick Chop! Cafe Stella .... not so stellar

2013-04-18T14:22:00.000+09:30

Another sunny day, another place to visit for brunch. So on the menu for this outing, Cafe Stella in Henley Square, Adeliade. As I wasn't very hungry I went for a smaller breakfast option - the Mushroom Bruschetta.

Mushroom bruschetta - $9

The dish at Cafe Stella was not so stellar. What was presented to me was a piece of toasted bread heavily covered in rocket, fetta and a miniscule amount of mushrooms. Whilst the combination was flavoursome, something that is touted to be a mushroom bruschetta provided me with very little mushroom.

PacMan gives the bruschetta 5/10 chops on the chopping board. If you are in Henley there are a number of other eateries that are worth trying.

Quick Chop! Burger Addiction ... not so addicted

2013-04-17T09:57:00.000+09:30

Looking for something quick and easy in the city, I head to the new Rundle Place food court '77' to see what is available during my lunch break. Having had Soonta and Salsa's at Rundle Place previously and in the mood for something a little more substantial, I see Burger Addiction and decide to give it a go. Let's be honest, if I didn't fellow blogger The Emperor would have never forgiven me!

Blue sun and chips - $15

The menu is split into three different categories (from memory), beef, chicken and pulled pork. I order the 'Blue Sun' - Beef patty, blue cheese, whiskey BBQ sauce, tomato and greens ($10). I order a small side of hand cut chips ($4) and roasted garlic aioli dipping sauce ($1).

All in all, I was disappointed in the meal. For me, the bun was underwhelming and was not the typical softer, sweeter bun that I like in a burger (completely personal preference here). The beef patty was dry and my tomato still had part of the core on it. The chips were average and when compared to Salsa's crinkle cut chips, these paled in comparison!

For the amount charged, I would definitely go and get a Burger Theory burger or pay a little more and go to Press* for a Wagyu Beef Burger and Onion Rings. Alternatively, Salsa's is very similarly priced and in my opinion much more tasty.

Overall PacMan gives Burger Addiction 5/10 chops on the chopping board.

Tangritah Uyghur Shish Kebab Restaurant - An unexpected delight!

2013-04-16T11:16:00.000+09:30

Have you ever walked past a dingy looking restaurant with dated decor, clear plastic table cloths covering lace table cloths, lavender washed walls and random hanging pictures of Egypt and thought 'I want to eat there!'? Well I found myself in this situation on a Friday night, wanting to try out Tangritah Uyghur Shish Kebab Restaurant on Grote St, which always seemed to pull a solid crowd.

Lamb Pie (Gush Nan)

With none of the dining party ever having tried Uyghur (pronounced wee-gur) food before, we had no idea what to expect or even what to order. This doesn't happen very often given that most of my friends are avid foodies. Lucky the A4 primary school binder menus we were provided with had photos!

After much deliberation, we decided on Lamb Pie (Gush Nan), Lamb Dumplings (Su Mantisi), Lamb Kebabs, Chicken Kebabs, and Stir Fried Chicken with Vegetables (Tohu Qorumisi). First to come out was the Lamb Pie and this set the Uyghur food experience bar very high. The Lamb Pie was a flaky, short pastry encasing flavoursome marinated lamb mince, dotted with flecks of chilli and spring onion. The pastry of the Lamb Pie was very similar to that of a shallot pancake commonly served at Cantonese restaurants. Meanwhile, the style of the Lamb Pie was very similar to a Turkish Gozleme but was much more tasty.

Lamb dumplings were good but less of a pleasant surprise when compared to it's lamb predecessor, the Lamb Pie. Dumpling casing was cooked well and didn't taste stodgy. Special mention should be made of the dumpling filling, succulent lamb mince that glistened with meat juices. The flavour of the lamb was very evident and remained on the palate some time after the dumpling had been eaten. This is a plus in my books, as all too often when you eat a dumpling the flavour of the filling becomes lost.

Lamb dumplings (Su Mantisi)

As the Uyghur people are originally from a region that incorporates Western China and the'Stans (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan), the influences from a mixture of cultures is represented in their food. After the dumplings came the lamb and chicken kebabs, tender pieces of meat skewered on metal spears. It is believed that the origin of the kebab came from Persian soldiers using their armory to cook meat over open fires, and as a result the modern kebab is very similar in appearance to swords used in battle. Both types of kebabs were heavily spiced and packed a considerable amount of heat. This heat would coat the corners of your mouth and lingers for the rest of the meal. Both the lamb and chicken were tender and cooked to perfection, and would rival the famed grilled meats of well established Greek restaurants.

Lamb kebab

Chicken Kebab

Last to come out was the Stir Fried Chicken with Vegetables (Tohu Qorumisi), a very unassuming name for an incredible dish. This dish was chosen as a recommendation by the waiter considering our experience with Uyghur cuisine. It was touted as being very popular, coming in two sizes and was for those keen to enjoy some spicy fare. What came out wasn't exactly stir fried chicken with vegetables but a spicy, spicy chicken casserole containing whole chillies, chicken pieces still on the bone, strips of capsicum and tender potato. This was supported by a base of handmade flat rice noodles, that had an amazing amount of chew - Al dente aficionados eat your heart out. It was evident that the broth for this dish was prepared slowly, as it was steeped with deep flavours of ginger, star anise and pepper. I don't know if it's cold where Uyghurs come from but Tohu Qorumisi certainly would be perfect for a cold winter's night, they were not kidding when they said it was spicy!

Stir Fried Chicken with Vegetables (Tohu Qorumisi)

The food at Tangritah Uyghur Shish Kebab Restaurant was an unexpected delight. I would definitely recommend it to those who are yet to experience Uyghur cuisine. This restaurant also has some added 'charms' which may or may not tickle your fancy such as; going outside and around the building for access to the bathrooms, the verbal '$73' bill at the end (no receipt) and having to distribute the plates and cutlery for the table ourselves. If you're looking for fine dining this is not likely to interest you, however, for those after something a little more interesting and exotic, perfecto!

If you enjoyed reading about this Kebab, check out http://kebabquest.com/ for some more kebab reviews!

Ping Pong gives Tangritah Uyghur Shish Kebab Restaurant 14/20 chops on the Chopping Board.

Food: 9/10
Service: 3/5
Ambience: 2/5

Bistro 25 - Would skipping German fare in Hahndorf result in eater's remorse?

2013-04-14T09:32:00.000+09:30

Huge German meat platters containing pork hock, kranskis, pretzels and sauerkraut are usually the norm when dining in Hahndorf. And personally I have no problems with this fare whatsoever. However, my boyfriend's cousin and his wife positively rave about a place on Hahndorf's main street called 'Bistro 25'. With them living in the Adelaide Hills, it is a spot they frequent almost on a weekly basis so one Sunday morning they decided to take us there for a sunny brunch date.

Bistro 25 prides itself in using produce that is local to the Adelaide Hills region and this was definitely showcased on the day. Across the four of us three different dishes were chosen, with these being; Thyme roasted Swiss brown mushrooms: Served on Picadilly pide with sauteed spinach and Udder Delights goat curd; The Breakfast Burger: Eggs, Hills smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and tomato chilli sauce on a toasted damper roll; and Savoury French Toast : Smoked local bacon, maple syrup and butter. My mouth is watering just reading the descriptions!

First up - the Swiss brown mushrooms. The generous taste I received of this dish was divine, with the mushroom roasted with a strong flavour of thyme. Meanwhile, the goat curd was creamy and subtle in taste. Texturally, the combination of soft mushroom, creamy curd, wilted spinach and crunchy pide worked very well. It is very impressive that a dish of such simple ingredients could be so pleasing. After brunch, we headed down to Udder Delights at the other end of the main street to check out the cheese they have on offer. They also serve a delicious and good value Ploughman's basket, but I'll need to save that for another day.

Thyme roasted Swiss brown mushrooms: Served on Picadilly pide with sauteed spinach and Udder Delights goat curd

The Breakfast Burger was delicious with the two sunny side up eggs still retaining their yolks to be runny and golden. The bacon was top quality, while the tomato chilli sauces gave an added zing. A conventional bacon and eggs breakfast in burger formed worked!

The Breakfast Burger: Eggs, Hills smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and tomato chilli sauce on a toasted damper roll

I ordered the savoury french toast and this didn't disappoint - talk about gluttony! Three thick slices of french toast were served with locally smoked bacon, a quarter of a cup of real maple syrup and three servings of butter (waaay too much - used only one). I have always been a fan of sweet savoury combinations and this hit the spot. Fluffy french toast that did a great job of soaking up the maple syrup, then three slices of smoky, char grilled bacon. Can not get over how tasty this was.

Savoury French Toast : Smoked local bacon, maple syrup and butter

A second image to get your tastebuds raging!

There are a number of gems nestled away in the Adelaide Hills, and with Hahndorf only a mere 20 minutes out of the CBD its worth checking them out. Considering how much food nostalgia I'm currently undergoing writing this post, I'll definitely try Bistro 25 again. However, there is the risk that I would go straight back to the french toast and not get the chance to try anything else!

Ping Pong gives Bistro 25 17/20 chops in the Chopping Board.

Food: 9/10
Ambience: 4/5
Service: 4/5

Quick Chop! - Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill

2013-04-11T10:02:00.000+09:30

There are a few Salsa's adding to the current trend of Mexican food, including stores at Marion, Glenelg and the newly opened Rundle Place. Although, you probably couldn't consider the food at Salsa's as true Mexican fare it's pretty darn tasty.

Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill

Industrial style alfresco dining

Two soft tacos - chicken and beef

Tacos were fresh and flavourful, with the soft casing a nice change from the usual hard corn chip variety.

Mexicrinkle chips

Mexicrinkle chips were seasoned to taste like old school Samboy chips. Each chip was nice and consistently fried with a soft interior - what you'd expect from fast food.

Chicken and veg burrito

A bit out of left wing was the chicken and veg burrito, which contained a whole heap of different vegetables including broccoli. Nice flavours and didn't taste like it was going to clog your arteries.

All in all Salsa's was a nice feed and not too expensive, even though there wasn't much of a 'wow' factor. A healthier option than some other fast food establishments.

Ping Pong gives Salsa's 14/20 chops on the Chopping Board.

Food: 8/10
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 3/5 (fast food - can't expect too much service)

A Hereford Beefstouw - satisfying the steak craving!

2013-04-09T11:28:00.000+09:30

A few weeks ago I caught up with some friends for dinner to satisfy our steak cravings. Having been to Sosta and Gaucho's on numerous occasions we decided to visit A Hereford Beefstouw to see how their steaks compared.

Table setting at AHB

We arrive and are promptly seated at a table. Great rustic vibe with lots of casual banter from the patrons. Once we are seated we are presented with our menus and the waitress explains to us how to order our meals. The ordering concept is simple - add your initials, choose your cut of steak (via a number assigned to it), select how your steak is to be cooked, choose your potato and butter type.

Ordering sheet

I must admit that the ordering process was quite seamless and I thought that it was a great idea. Our meals arrive and we start the eating! One thing which I did like which differentiated AHB from other steak houses is that it doesn't provide sauce for the steak, rather, your liquid is provided through a number of different butters.

There is not much to say about the steak (250g fillet) - it was cooked as requested, flavoursome meat with a subtle butter and a decent serving of chips (having said that, the chips were a little too salty for my liking). My friends also commented that their steaks were cooked well and overall, they were happy with their dishes.

A Hereford Beefstouw is not bringing anything significantly new to the table but if you are wanting to try something different than the standard Gaucho's or Sosta's I recommend giving AHB a go.

Ambiance - 4/5: Lots of casual chatter, great vibe
Service - 4/5: Very attentive, prompt service
Food - 7/10: Well cooked steak and good wine list

Overall, PacMan gives AHB 15/20 chops on the chopping board.

Gilbert Street Hotel - Get your chicken wings on

2013-04-04T21:29:00.002+10:30

A few weeks ago, one of our twitter followers asked the question of where to get good chicken wings? After some research, Gilbert Street Hotel was identified as somewhere to consider. So after providing this feedback to our follower Gilbert Street Hotel invited the Chopping Board crew to try out their 'suicide' wings. On Thursdays, the Gilbert St Hotel have a wings night. It just so happened that we were visiting on a Thursday at lunch time, and the kitchen was kind enough to knock some up for us.

They knew we were coming!

Nice menu frontage

The wings came out with the touted 'suicide' sauce on the side. The four of us have a decent tolerance to heat so definitely wanted to give these a go! Without the hot sauce the chicken wings were soft, had a great taste some tangy tones - looks like tabasco has been used, definitely worth giving a go - and hey, for $10 you can't go wrong.

Now, the sauce! There was heat to the sauce, but everyone commented that the heat didn't stay with you and it could have been hotter. Note: And I will stress this, the majority of our group has a good tolerance for heat, for others, the heat would definitely be 'suicidal'. All-in-all, great flavours!

Suicide wings - $10 per kilo (Thursday nights)

In addition to the wings, we decided that whilst we were here we would also order some lunch dishes to provide a more detailed review. Note that this review is written from each individual reviewers perspective.

Trio of sliders - $20

Both the Japanese Schoolgirl and PacMan ordered the slider trio. Sliders are available for $7.50 each or 3 for $20. Both reviewers expected something a little more substantial that was worth their money. What came out was a bit of a disappointment. The size of each slider was quite small compared to other places that sell sliders. Buns were dry and appeared to look like dinner rolls as opposed to the typical smaller, softer, sweeter bun which would have been more preferable. Here are there thoughts on the sliders eaten.

Slider One: Pork belly apple and aioli: (Japanese Schoolgirl and PacMan): The pork belly was nicely roasted with a bit of crispy skin, however, the majority of the skin had soaked up the aioli making the majority soggy. Taste wise it was well balanced - you can't go wrong with the traditional combination of pork and apple. Our personal preference would have been a fattier pork. The aioli wasn't very strong, in fact it couldn't be tasted unless it was scooped out of the bun itself.

Slider Two: Wagyu beef, cheese and pickles: (Japanese Schoolgirl and PacMan): The standard ingredients to a standard burger and this little slider was just that. Nothing great, but nothing bad with a good fatty patty.

Slider Three: Grilled barramundi, olive tapenade and lettuce: (Japanese Schoolgirl): The disappointment of the three. I love fish, and I usually love barramundi, but the combination of the olive tapenade and the unwritten ingredient ‘sweet chilli sauce’ made it a poor combination of flavours. Cheap Sweet chilli sauce combined with a salty olive tapenade on a lovely grilled piece of barramundi is a disaster waiting to happen. It would have been perfect without the sweet chilli sauce as was expected from reading the menu, but it was spoilt by the cheap and nasty taste of sweet chilli sauce.

(PacMan): I am not a massive fish fan so as a result, this was also my least favourite of the three sliders. Not made any better by the fact that a foreign object was present in the meal making it all that more unpleasant. Having said this, the waiting staff was made aware of this and they promptly responded without any fuss. The waiting staff was great and showed a great level of service.

Chorizo hotdog - $18

Guest blogger Hazemo ordered the Chorizo hotdog. Here are his thoughts.

After some deliberation over the menu, I went ahead and ordered the Chorizo hotdog, advertised as chorizo, roasted peppers, salsa, mustard and pecorino, all for the not-so-insignificant price of $18. Normally I would not grab a hotdog for lunch, but hey, for $18, that hot dog is gonna be sweet as right? It's going to leave my feet cold with my socks figuratively 'blown off'...it might even make me question my current life choices?

But it was clearly not meant to be, my socks were very firmly on, and life choices were clearly correct, except of course for those that lead to me purchasing this hot dog.

As a basis for comparison - a couple of months ago I gave snagstand (http://snagstand.com.au/) a go in both Sydney and Melbourne. For $9.90, the Spicy Spanish Chorizo snag was purchased. It was good, quite good in fact. Tasty is a word that I used to describe the dish and I was looking for a similar experience here.

By contrast, the Gilbert Street option is best described as unfortunate. They tried, it certainly looked like they tried. Points for effort, but if it can be made at home guys, you can't charge 18 bucks for it.

The Chorizo was a bit more like a Kransky or a regular sausage with a bit of flavour in it, no fat or significant spiciness. The pecorino strangely tasted quite a lot like Coles bought Parmesan, although this could be my pecorino-ginity shining through. On a minor positive note - the roasted peppers tasted like they roasted them themselves, so I guess if you like roasted peppers...

The one saving grace of this meal were the chips, oh sweet damn the chips were good. If the chef had somehow constructed a hot dog and chorizo combo comprised solely of their chips, I would probably be at target buying some more socks now, but yeah, they came with the aforementioned hot dog, so it's almost as though they're underwhelming by association. But seriously buy the chips.

Sirloin burger....

or steak sandwich?

The Emperor loves a burger, LOVES them. And of course, like any good pub, the Gilbert St Hotel has a 'Sirloin Burger' on the menu. So, when he also saw that the burger had won the 'I love food' burger category for three years running, he couldn't say no. Upon reflection, maybe he should have.

Maybe he should have interpreted the labeling of the meal, maybe he should have realised when he was asked how he would like it cooked, as it wasn't what he expected. When thinking about burgers, one expects (expectations are based upon ones previous encounters) a minced patty, a soft burger roll, a variety of cheese, salad and a sauce. His thoughts are below.

The burger here isn't quite a burger though. It's a steak sandwich. It a solid, 300gm piece of sirloin steak, on a focaccia roll. To me, this isn't a burger, the only thing in common is the salad and sauce. I'm keen to give most places the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not sure that I can look past this. I just can't do it, even wikipedia, the one trusted source of information on the Internet defines it like this.

As far as steak sandwiches go, it was nice. The steak was tender and soft, and came out medium rare as ordered. The bread didn't hold up to all the resulting juices, but that is part of the experience. I'm not sure what else to say here, I ordered a burger, got a steak sandwich, but couldn't send it back because it's what I ordered. All that is left is those chips, as mentioned by others, they are brilliant, crunchy and soft in the middle. I'd go back for those.

Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 3.5/5
Food: 5/10 (average across all four dishes - the wings and chips saved it)

In total, The Chopping Board gives the Gilbert Street Hotel 11.5/20 chops on the chopping board.

Indian Temptations - more than likely the best take away Indian in the state

2013-03-30T18:42:00.000+10:30

I enjoy making the sweeping statement 'best in South Australia' or 'best in Adelaide'. It's a statement that can divide so many, as we've all got our opinions of what we like for what ever reason. So, as I make the statement again (for previous statements refer to my other posts), I believe this is the best take away Indian in Adelaide, and South Australia.

Indian Temptations is a small Indian takeaway on Main North Road, across from the Harvey Norman Big Buys, just before the Grand Junction Road intersection. You may drive past it every day, but you may not know what you are missing out on. It's open all the time, early or late, and it's always busy.

I would probably eat from here once a month, maybe three times every two months. I love the place. I've tried all the other Indian takeaways in the area, and many many out of my area. I have spoken to a lot of people, and it always comes back to Indian Temptations, always. So, I've eaten most of the menu, and have my three favourites which I am going to review here. I apologise for my photo's they aren't that well taken, nor is there fancy presentation of the food. I suggest you try the place out based upon my words today, not the pictures :-)

Lamb Seekh Kebab

My favourite entree is the Lamb Seekh Kebab. Minced lamb, skewered and baked in the tandoor with a thick tandoori style sauce, and some mint dipping sauce. It's a huge serve, easily shared with two people, and it enables you to start eating your naan bread early. I love to rip a piece of bread, pick up a little kebab, dip it in the sauce and eat it like that. Nothing fancy, just great finger food.

Naan, the Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Roganjosh and Rice

My two favourite mains are Lamb Roganjosh, and, prepare for another sweeping statement, the best Chicken Tikka Masala I've ever had. And, I've tried them worldwide. And would always come back to Indian Temptations in little old Adelaide.

The Lamb is slow cooked, and is super soft. The gravy has a deep red colour, produced by the dried chilli's, which impart a great smokiness to the dish. It doesn't have the more western tomato driven flavours that I have tasted in other versions. It packs some heat, but not too much heat to spoil the dish.

The Chicken Tikka Masala is a dish that divides many. Many I have spoken to like it to be creamy and sweet, without a lot of chilli. I love it to pack some chilli punch, and to be a more tomato based sauce. Indian Temptations fulfils my requirements, by ensuring that there is sufficient heat, with a rich sauce that isn't overly sweet. The chicken is baked in the tandoor, and you get little crunchy burnt bits throughout that give you that tandoor taste. It's another winner for me.

The naan here are also great. You can see them being cooked freshly when you arrive, and they are always soft and fluffy. If I was to be negative about anything here, it's the amount of salt in the dishes. I usually wake up half way through the night needing a trip to the kitchen for some more water! Other than that, the people are always nice, it's always super busy, and the serves are really generous. You may be lucky enough to get a table if you try, but, for me, I like to pre-order, and drive down twenty minutes later to collect. If you do sit, it's super noisy, but in a good way. Lot's of people just enjoying good food, really casual atmosphere without any pretentious crap.

Next time you're on the hunt for great Indian, head to Indian Temptations, the best take away Indian in Adelaide. Let me know in the comments section if you agree or disagree!

The Emperor gives Indian Temptations 17/20 chops on The Chopping Board.

Food - 9/10
Service - 4/5
Ambiance - 4/5

The General Havelock - sharing some plates

2013-03-27T13:51:00.001+10:30

Pubs are generally my first point of call when hunger strikes. However, on Saturday night when my boyfriend and I were not feeling particularly lavish we decided to stop at the General Havelock on Hutt St, Adelaide to sample their wares. Also not being super hungry, their tasting options seemed like a good fit for our bellies.

There are five options for the tasting plate, with the full five options costing $30.90. On this occasion we decided on the three options; salt and pepper squid, house made arancini balls, and South Australian Hahndorf chorizo sausage and grilled haloumi. Thinking this may not be enough food, we also ordered the Havelock dip plate.

So much goodness on the one plate

The majority of what we ordered for the tasting plate amazed us. The coating on the salt and pepper squid was flavourful, crisp and did not leave notes of oiliness. Meanwhile the encased squid ring was tender but not so much that it tasted processed and mushy. Arancini balls had a fluffy interior; packed a punch in terms of taste and left us fighting for the last one (we eventually decided on going halves). Haloumi were pan fried until golden, held the right amount of seasoning and had enough bite and chew. I don’t know if these are the correct elements to judge a grilled haloumi but I find one of the most important things with simple food is its mouth feel and texture. Also deserving of a honorary mention is the thick garlic aioli that comes with the salt and pepper squid. This was so good that we ended up dipping EVERYTHING in it.

Grilled haloumi

Salt and pepper squid rings

The only criticism that can be applied to the tasting plate would be aimed towards the chorizo. Although kudos should be given for offering local South Australian produce, the chorizo were grilled too long and by the time it came out was dry. Obviously all the fat had drained away during the cooking process, leaving the sausage moisture-less and sad.

Havelock dips plate

The dips and accompanied pita bread were pleasant. No strong accolades or complaints, however the orange looking pumpkin and chickpea type dip had a bit too much mint. My mouth felt minty fresh after eating it, and not in a good way.

Overall the meal at the General Havelock was a good experience and I would definitely go back again for the tasting plate. For 3 tasting options at $21.90 that produces a serve large enough to be mains for two, this offers great value.

Ping Pong gives the General Havelock 13/20 chops on the Chopping Board.

Food: 8/10
Service: 2/5 (we weren't shown to our seat or provided with menus leaving us looking a little lost and stupid)
Ambiance: 3/5

Munooshi Cafe - try something different for lunch!

2013-03-25T11:30:00.000+10:30

Munooshi cafe is located in the East End of the City on East Terrace. This little Middle Eastern cafe's signature dish is their namesake, the Munooshi (aka Manosha). Munooshi are Arabic pizzas - think Arabic version of the Italian calzone filled with Arabic ingredients.

I arrive with three friends and we go straight for the Munooshi. The staff are friendly and welcoming and mention to us that the lamb and falafel options are the best sellers, so we decide to order both.

Lamb munooshi (tahini, tomato and fresh mint) - $8.50

The minced lamb munooshi arrives first. The munooshi is a decent lunch size (10 inch) - not too small, not too large....just right! The dough is well baked on the outside, is a good thickness and soft to the bite. The minced lamb is well seasoned and mixed with fresh vegetables. Overall, this dish was nice, but a little sweet for my liking (especially when my palette was expecting something else).

Falafel munooshi (lettuce, tomato, cucumber and tahini) - $8.50

The falafel munooshi comes out second. Again, the dough is well cooked and size of the dish is consistent with the lamb that was ordered. Overall, I preferred this over the lamb. The falafel was soft and crumbled in my mouth and paired with the tahini and fresh vegetables made for a nice dish.

If you are looking to try something a little different, give Munooshi a go.

Ambiance: 3.5/5 - Small indoor area, but nice outdoor area to sit on a nice summer's day.
Service: 3.5/5 - Food arrived quick, friendly cheerful service.
Food: 7/10

PacMan gives Munooshi cafe 14/20 chops on the chopping board.