Martini Restaurant, The Parade , Norwood.

Following our first experience with the 'Jump On It' deal, we decided to return to Martini and try some other menu choices apart from pizza.


Our experience this second time was impressive, with efficient and timely service and a bill that was delivered promptly, rather than having to chase it up ourselves.  Again the restaurant was cosily warm and well patronised.


We went straight to the mains and I ordered the veal scallopini while my partner ordered the spaghetti marinara.  My veal was splendidly tender and served on top of a very tasty mixture of what I believe was kale, finely diced potato and risoni.  There were also slices of prosciutto on top of the veal and the whole was accompanied with a delicious sauce, see photo below left.  I enjoyed this meal very much and found the combination of flavours very well balanced.


My partner's dish looked sensational when it arrived, with the mussels arranged around the mound of spaghetti and other seafood as shown under right.


It was demolished very quickly and he commented that the spaghetti pasta itself was freshly made and cooked perfectly al dente.  The only downfall of this Martini signature dish was that the squid was overcooked and unfortunately tasted rubbery.


The Hahndorf Hill Rose that I drank to accompany my meal is a favourite of mine and complemented the veal perfectly.  Overall the experience was very satisfactory and we will keep Martini on our list of good quality restaurants to visit for mid-week dining.

The Grace, The Parade, Norwood

I returned to The Grace last Sunday afternoon for high tea with two companions and was not disappointed.  In fact the food we were served was very elegant, beautifully presented and delicious.

It was a terrible day in Adelaide, with the weather turning cold, blustery and rainy but inside The Grace it was warm and cosy so this made all the difference to the afternoon's experience.  We started with glasses of house Rose which is served from a tap on the wall - not a bad drop.

We then had a look at the tea menu and were pleased to see the many different varieties on offer.  I chose a quince sencha that was really tasty and complemented the food to perfection.  The tea is served in individual tea pots of varying colours and there is no limit to the number of pots you may desire or the flavours you wish to try.

Also on offer were pots of cocktails made with tea; we tried the Red Queen and it was so nice we ordered another.  The food arrived on a two tiered stand as shown adjacent, with bite size savouries on the bottom and sweets on the top and it looked so gorgeous we were reluctant to spoil its appearance by eating anything.


The savoury layer contained grilled cheese and tomato brioche, duck rillettes served in tiny glass pots with crunchy toasts, liver pate, vol au vents and circular sandwiches.  This layer was devoured with gusto and enjoyed immensely.


We attempted to show some self discipline by waiting a while before beginning on the sweets and it was certainly worth the wait.  The sweets as you can see from the enlargement below, consisted of cherry ripe macaroons, lemon curd tarts, chocolate bars, miniature cup cakes and chocolate truffles.  The tastes were heavenly and complementary and we were very tempted to order another round, but commonsense prevailed and we resisted the urge to be greedy.


I think I'm besotted with The Grace and can't wait to return for another taste sensation within the next week or two.

Snooty Fox Restaurant, Quality Inn, O'Connell Street, Nth Adelaide

We went here for dinner last week because it was a 'Jump On It Deal' which sounded very appealing at $49 for two people.  The deal included two entrees, two main courses and two glasses of house wine.

Despite its name, the Snooty Fox is not at all snooty or pretentious and the setting was quite welcoming, warm and quiet with an arrangement of discreet dining booths or tables for larger groups.  The best part of the evening was the courteous welcome and very professional service including the fact that our orders were taken promptly and the food was served quickly and at appropriate intervals.

Unfortunately the menu choice was very limited and retro in a 1970's style and the quality and taste of the food didn't live up to the standard set by the service staff.   

We decided to share the two dishes we chose as entrees, a salt and pepper squid and a crunchy fried chicken dish and both were oily and served with wilted salads.  The taste and presentation of both dishes was unimaginative, though the servings were very generous.

For a main I chose the veal tortellini special, because it sounded the most interesting of the menu choices, but when it came it was a monster serve and looked really unappealing topped with thick shaved slices of parmesan cheese as shown right.  

I could only eat a few mouthfuls, as the tortellini was disappointingly heavy and floury and the sauce was tasteless.   I'm sure that if there had been more kalamata olives and capers in the sauce it would have been much more palatable. 


Overall, we thought that the deal was generous and that the ambience was pleasant, but we couldn't recommend the establishment as an eating venue because of the derivative menu and uninspired cooking and presentation.

The Lion, Melbourne Street

I went here for lunch with a friend yesterday, having not been here for years.  I was pleasantly surprised by the very chic decor and furnishings in the dining area and was pleased that we were seated in a cosy and comfortable semi-circular booth.

The service was superb right throughout the luncheon and the food was beautifully presented and tasted terrific.  We began with an appetiser of warm, marinated sardines with pickled green peppers  and pearl onions as shown left and were not disappointed, as the marinade was subtle and didn't overwhelm the sardine taste and the miniature pickled peppers complemented the sardines perfectly.   

This was then followed by an entree each and I chose the kingfish ceviche with Vietnamese flavours which is shown right while my companion chose the scallops dish shown under.  My kingfish was artfully garnished with micro-greens and served with finely sliced radish, sour melon and coconut and yuzu.  The fish was also sliced delicately in symmetrical rounds and marinated for the right amount of time so that it was not cooked, like some ceviches can often be.  Overall a lovely dish that I enjoyed immensely.

My companion commented that her scallops were perfectly pan fried and tender and that she enjoyed the contrast between the smooth, soft texture of the scallop with the crispy chicken wings that were served beneath as a base.  She also liked the presentation of the dish with its accompaniments of almond gazpacho, black garlic and the colour that was added to the plate with the bright red cocktail tomato, tomato basil jelly and  micro greens.

We finished our meal by sharing an almond and vanilla chocolate bar, but agreed that while it tasted delicious and satisfied our need to finish with something small and sweet it was too rich and too sweet for our palates.

Overall this was a really pleasant experience for us both and we  agreed to return on another occasion for dinner, when we had larger appetites.

Ginza Japanese Restaurant - Unley Road, Adelaide

The recent visit to Ginza, was courtesy of a 'Jump On It' deal and at $49 for two people it was a winner.  The deal included two courses: entree and main plus a small flask of sake.

On arriving my partner and I were greeted courteously and seated in a good spot (not stuck away in a corner as can sometimes happen with a special deal).  A complimentary appetiser of soba noodles served with a very pleasant dressing arrived quickly and was demolished even faster, as was the Japanese beer - Asahi and a Suntory malt.

For entrees we chose deep fried tofu and chicken yaka tori: both were a generous serving, delicious and quite authentic, highlighting the Japanese talent for subtlety.   These were accompanied by the warmed sake, which was quite acceptable and traditionally served.

The mains consisted of a generous tempura deluxe dish and udon noodle soup. Unfortunately, the tempura batter disappointed because of its heaviness but this was redeemed by the delicious soup that provided plenty of noodles and a variety of seafood, vegetables and mushrooms.

Despite having to attract attention for the alcohol bill at the conclusion of the meal (a distractor that we encounter frequently in other places as well) we will return to Ginza and plan to take friends with us next time.

Do yourself a favour if you like Japanese food that is not pretentious and quite authentic; give Ginza a go.

Fino Restaurant, 8 Hill St, Willunga

Dining at Fino is well worth the trip south to Willunga, because of the terrific food and eclectic wine list featuring local and European wines.  We dined there on Easter Saturday night and despite the fact that the restaurant was full the service was attentive and the food was served at reasonable intervals.  The staff were also well informed about the food and how it was prepared and showed an excellent and enthusiastic knowledge of the wine list, especially the local regional wines.

A serving of locally made sour dough bread with Diana Novello First Pressed Olive Oil arrived soon after we were seated and this was devoured with great gusto.  Menus and wine list  (see fino.net.au)  were provided quickly and as well as the seasonal set menu choices, there was a pleasing selection of specials that was explained with pride by the staff.

lamb brains entree

There were four of us in our group and we were all impressed with the choices on the menu.  I chose the entree of heritage beets, both red and yellow with heritage zucchini and mustard greens, followed by another entree of braised lamb brains with kipfler potatoes, cured pig cheek and almonds pictured left, for a main.  

Both dishes were exceptional, using the freshest of local ingredients and displaying a creative and colourful sense of presentation.  The brains dish was the best I've ever eaten and the combination of ingredients was innovative and perfectly balanced in texture and taste.

One of my companions chose  the crispy skin duck breast with beetroot, lentils and broccolini for mains while the other two selected the roast pigeon breast with gnocchi, mushrooms and heritage carrots.  Of the three dishes the duck was considered the winner, but mainly because of the smaller sized pigeon dish.  All enjoyed their choices and the two wines that were selected to accompany them, a chardonnay from Geelong and a local 2008 grenache/shiraz blend from J.C.Pannel matched perfectly.

quince with semi-fredo

Dessert options were also different and our choices included a Spanish custard served in a similar manner to a creme caramel and my poached quince dish with semi fredo that was served as pictured.  I loved this dish for its tasty and innovative use of quince and the combination of textures and flavours that accompanied it .

Overall  Fino deserves its reputation and the number of awards it has received for its food and wine list.  The chef is a star and he has a brilliant supporting cast.  We will return soon without a doubt.

The Tivoli Hotel, Pirie Street

This was our fourth visit to The Tivoli since its refurbishment and as usual it was well patronised and lively.  In its previous life 'The Tiv' was a live band/concert venue serving ordinary pub beers and pub food.  Now the front bar is popular for its inventive cocktail menu, good range of 'on tap' beers, trendy decor and enthusiastic and welcoming staff.

It also has great food though the menu and wine list are a bit hard to read in the dining area because the lighting is so subdued.  This night we dined with another couple and decided to skip entrees and go straight to the mains.  I chose the ocean trout special which was served pan fried on top of a lightly mashed vegetable medley, with fresh asparagus spear and mussels in a light broth.  It also had the trout skin served as a garnish crackling style, which was quite different and delicious.  In fact the whole dish tasted fantastic, except for the mussels which I considered a tad over cooked and for the fact that the food arrived lukewarm as were the other mains served to my dining companions.


One other main that deserves a mention because of its hearty taste and flavour was the Angus Beef Pie which was devoured with alacrity, the only downfall according to the eater being that it could have been complemented with some colourful vegetables.


Following the mains and a very smooth bottle of Radford and Roenfeldt Grenache we agreed to share a couple of desserts and chose a Chocolate Marquise and a Goats Cheese Cheesecake.  Of the two  the cheesecake was declared the favourite because of its attractive presentation and combination of smooth and piquant taste.  The chocolate marquise on the other hand lacked the wow factor in its presentation, but nevertheless tasted good.


Unfortunately, the evening was spoiled somewhat by the terrible end service with a long and inexcusable delay in getting our bill, despite asking for it twice.  Eventually, when it arrived it had been muddled with another table and we were charged for food that hadn't been ordered.  This was sorted satisfactorily and with sincere apologies, but overall we think that more attention needs to be given to this part of the service as it has the potential to tip the balance of your overall impression of the evening from a positive to a negative.

Grace The Establishment, The Parade, Norwood

I went here for lunch recently and my companion and I both chose the Tasting Menu for our meal as it's a new addition to the menu and the smaller servings of food are perfect for a luncheon. 

We've both been here before and really like its ambience and fresh, modern take on food and presentation.   We also enjoy the stylish bar area with its high black surfaced tables and stools and the fact that the food choices are the same as for the fine dining area.  So you can just come casual or after work and have some great 'on tap' beers and some  elegant snacks.


The tasting plate is $38 per person and on this particular day consisted of seven tasting courses the last of which was a sensational dessert.  We began the experience with king fish sashimi with a ginger & shallot dressing, sesame mayonnaise & seaweed salad.  It was a light and fresh starter with the dressing served in a novel manner in a small plastic pipette so you could squeeze the exact amount required.  We really enjoyed it and thought it set the scene for what was to come.

The next dish was an ocean trout tartare served in a faux sardine can on a small wooden board.  The taste was terrific and we really admired the innovative and eye catching way in which it was served.

This was followed by miniature fish tacos with coriander salsa and chopped chilli bean.  The wow factor was still there and it got us talking about who would or how you would make such tiny crispy taco shells.

Next came Harvey Bay scallops served en shell and with a sopressa dressing & almond cream.  The scallop was large, fresh and tasty and the accompaniments complemented them perfectly.

Following the fish tastings we were served boneless chicken wings with butter milk dipping sauce.  They were hot and crunchy and not oily despite being deep fried - just delicious.

Then the piece de resistance was the mini Korean pork buns with kim chi, chilli and mayonnaise.  We loved these and I've never had kim chi that tasted so good - a real masterpiece to complete the savoury courses.

The final tasting was two small desserts and they looked sensational see photo adjacent, and tasted delicious.  One was a pecan tart with Earl Grey tea ice cream and the other was a sliver of chocolate bar salted caramel and peanut nougat.  Neither lasted long and the pastry chef must be complimented for her inventive and delicious sweet treats.  


We had a lovely afternoon and believe the concept of The Grace with its casual but elegant bar, fine dining and alfresco eating options is a winner.  Our next visit to The Grace will be for high tea on a Sunday afternoon and we are really looking forward  to tasting more of the sweet offerings.

Jerusalem Lebanese Restaurant - Hindley Street, Adelaide

We've been going to this iconic and somewhat eccentric Adelaide establishment since the early 1970's and apart from the slight rise in cost  and a refreshed decor the owners and cook are the originals.

If you are after a quick, quirky, inexpensive and tasty meal then this is the place for you.  

The usual range of Lebanese foods is available including hummous, tabbouleh, babaganoush, felafel, kibbeh, lamb/chicken kebabs and the ubiquitous pita bread. Specials are chalked on a board and include stuffed potatoes, beans with rice and  cauliflower and cabbage concoctions.

The owners have also recently introduced a banquet special, that is pretty good value: so if you enjoy many of the dishes mentioned above, followed by some traditional Lebanese sweets, like bakalava and Turkish delight with Turkish coffee or sweet mint tea, go for it.

Once ordered however, don't expect a leisurely meal with the dishes arriving at intervals - everything will be served at once as shown right, and the table will be fairly crowded with dishes overlapping. This is the quirky bit, but don't despair as the food is delicious and the restaurant has maintained its high quality for over thirty years and the owners are friendly and helpful.

Its also BYO, so if you bring a nice bottle of wine I suggest you also BYO your glasses, otherwise you'll be drinking from clear plastic beakers.

No waiting for the bill here either and you could eat satisfactorily for two people for about $50.

Ying Chow Restaurant, Gouger Street

We visit the Ying Chow often as it is a great favourite with my partner, who has been a regular since it opened.  It is an extremely popular venue despite its squeezy interior and it is best to make a reservation and to arrive on time, otherwise your table will likely be pirated by other hungry diners.

Specials are posted on butcher's paper banners on the side walls and there are also standard  options on the menu.  We usually order shallot pancakes, smoked tea duck, broad beans with bean curd (BBC),  stir fried greens and steamed rice to share and once ordered it arrives quickly and tastes delicious.  Its BYO with a small corkage charge, but it does also have a limited range of beers and wines.

Recently we dined there with a group including my Chinese sister-in-law, who introduced us to the jelly fish dish and wow what a find, I will certainly order this when we next return.

Like the Jerusalem, this is an iconic Adelaide dining establishment with happy and friendly staff, who never appear rushed or stressed and who manage the movement of customers in and out and the resulting changing  computations of tables and chairs with aplomb.  It's absolutely worth a visit, both for the food and the ambience.  See you there!

Botanic Gardens Restaurant, Plane Tree Drive

Blanco Catering does a lovely lunch at this iconic Adelaide establishment and the setting inside the Adelaide Botanic Gardens is stunning; particularly at this time of the year (Autumn) when the leaves are changing their colour to red/golden tones and shedding their leaves.

I dined with three companions none of whom had been to this restaurant before and who were all happily satisfied with the service, food, wine and value for money.  

We all opted for the $49 a head option giving us each a choice of two courses from the entree,  mains or dessert menus.  For my entree I chose the quail carpaccio  pictured left, with a finely shredded salad of radicchio and cabbage garnished with tiny mandarin segments.  The quail was moist and tender and absolutely delicious but I found the salad over salted for my taste.

For a main I chose the lamb tortellini/fillet combination as shown right,  accompanied by a jus and garnished with cherries; it didn't disappoint in taste, but was somewhat bland in colour.  Hence I regret not ordering a side order of vegetables as a colour and texture balancing accompaniment. 

I also thought that the presentation (plating-up) was formulaic  when I compared this dish with the slow baked chocolate mousse dessert also pictured, that arrived later for one of my companions.  I tried this dessert and thought it tasted dry and more like a chocolate brownie than a mousse.

Additionally, two of my companions chose a taleggio tart and a cheese souffle for entrees followed by pork with apple and a venison pithivier for mains and both were contented with their choices.  The third companion decided to forgo an entree and chose a sirloin steak medium rare for a main.  The steak arrived unfortunately over-charred on the outside and hence delivered a disappointment, with a dry layer under the charred outside enclosing a small pinkish core.  

Overall however, it was a pleasant experience and it was refreshing to have a meal in a restaurant where the conversation was audible; there was no distracting background noise or music blasting through loud speakers and it wasn't difficult to get the bill and pay for it.

Tin Cat Cafe - Little Rundle Street, Adelaide

A trendy and popular little place, in a heritage building it sports a retro decor and  friendly and professional service.

Unfortunately on this night, the food didn't match the high expectations we'd developed from previous visits.  My partner's wagyu steak that was requested cooked medium, arrived overdone and tough and the rhubarb and plum trifle we shared was short on rhubarb and plum and over generous on cream.

Both these dishes were disappointing and not what you'd expect considering the prices charged.   Fortunately and to the cafes credit, the feedback about the steak was taken seriously, apologies received and the cost deducted from the bill.

I ordered an entree for my main course as I liked the sound of the carpaccio of house cured trout, with king fish and crostini.  Alas, I found the dish over salty for my palate and thought it was over garnished

Lastly and which is increasingly making me 'fed up' because it seems to be infectious in some of the places I've visited recently,  is the inattention shown by staff to customers who have clearly finished their meal and are wanting to get the bill, pay and leave.  It certainly spoils the occasion when you have to leave the table and hunt out a staff member to ask for the bill and then repeat the action to pay.  Not good end service in my view.

Victory Hotel, Main South Road, Sellicks Beach

Wow, I remember from my time living on Fleurieu Peninsula in the mid to late 80's when the Victory Hotel was a local pub with a colourful front bar, serving ordinary pub tucker.  

Our visit there recently however, quickly erased these old images because the Victory has been gentrified and now has brilliant food, an improved wine cellar, enthusiastic and courteous staff and of course as always a majestic view of the mid-coast and north to the city. Fortunately, we'd made a reservation weeks before and were rewarded with a table in a quiet corner near a window with an unobstructed view.

The menu options really impressed and there was also a long list of specials, so it was hard to make a choice, but when we finally did none of us was disappointed and the service, despite the restaurant being packed was responsive and affable.

For entree two of us chose a serving each of vegetarian/tofu spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce as shown under, which was generous, deliciously fresh and non-fatty despite  being deep fried.  Moreover the dipping sauce tasted like it may have been made 'in-house' as it certainly didn't taste like the bottled version you can buy in supermarkets.  Very nice indeed and enough really for the five of us to have a good taste.

Another two shared an entree of rabbit with gnocchi as pictured right, that they greatly enjoyed and insisted I try, as I've always avoided gnocchi because my first and only encounter with it was so awful.  I reluctantly obliged and was surprised at how delicious and light it tasted and how perfectly it complemented the rabbit.  Needless to say I'm now converted and will happily order this dish if it's still on the menu when we revisit The Victory.


Three of us in the group myself included, then chose the crispy skinned snapper served with curried chick peas, beans and aubergine pickles as shown under left for mains.  The snapper was amazingly fresh, a generous serve, cooked as described and the accompaniments complemented it perfectly - we all loved it.  The table group also ordered some seasonal vegetables to share and as you can see in the picture under right, this was corn and broccolini with crushed hazelnuts. This dish also featured the freshest of vegetables that were cooked al dente and served hot - fantastic!

Our wine accompaniment for the meal was a 2004 Greenoch Creek Shiraz, which was advertised at the bar as a special.  There were of course plenty of other wine choices downstairs in the large and well stocked wine cellar but we were pleased to opt for the wine special and enjoyed it thoroughly.


Overall, The Victory deserves its glowing reputation and we are looking forward to the day the Star of Greece reopens under this same management.

Grange Jetty Kiosk, Grange

The setting of this establishment right on the sand dunes adjacent to the Grange Jetty, has got to be one of the most scenic in Adelaide.

My partner had lunch there recently with a friend and expected the same stylish dining and wining experience that he remembered from previous visits.  Sadly, he and his companion were disappointed with everything but the view as the kiosk now appears to cater for a different clientele.

Martini Ristorante, 59a The Parade, Norwood

My partner adores pizzas so when I saw a recent 'Jump On It' deal for Martini Ristorante featuring gourmet pizzas I grabbed the deal with alacrity.  I've been to this restaurant before and really enjoyed the ambience especially with the wood fired pizza oven as a central feature.  

This deal was $49 for two gourmet pizzas, two beverages and a dessert tasting plate.  There was no restriction on the type of pizza we could choose, so we opted for the Marghuerita as pictured below, and another with porcini mushroom and duck.  My partner believes that a good Marghuerita Pizza is the pizza credibility and authenticity test for any restaurant or cafe serving pizza.

Well Martini passed the test according to our standards; with the pizza dough being thin and crispy and the topping of tomatoes generous and not salty.  I would have liked more fresh basil on the finished product, but it tasted excellent regardless and nothing was left. The pizza featuring porcini and duck on the other hand tasted delicious but was not of the same texture standard, as it was soggy in the middle and couldn't be eaten without the use of cutlery.

Meanwhile, the beverage deal was also good value as there was no choice restriction and hence we opted for a Castella beer and a glass of Barossa Shiraz.

By dessert time the restaurant had almost filled up which was good to see but which slowed down the service, so we had a long wait for the tasting plate.  When it eventually arrived it included three chocolate derived desserts that included a macaroon, mousse and something over sweet and sticky that we couldn't identify.  After two pizzas we felt it would have been better to have received some desserts that were lighter and not so rich and calorie dense.

Overall however, we considered the deal a good one; that delivered what it described and with pleasant and friendly service.  We will go there again, especially on another cold night as the warmth from the pizza oven was very welcome.