Urrbrae Agricultural College, Fri Mar 24 – Sun Mar 26
It may seem unusual to be reviewing something outside the traditional realms of the arts, but as an avid motoring enthusiast and classic car buff, I figured why not? It’s an easy extension of the definition of art to include motor cars, especially when you’re talking about vehicles from a bygone era where chrome was king, and some cars were big enough to have their own postcode! The detail that goes into a motor vehicle is certainly an art-form, and the act of restoration a craft.
Design is artistic by its very nature, and the mechanical and engineering prowess required to make some of these vehicles panders to my mathematical and scientific side. If music is your art of choice, I would argue that the sound of a V8 is pure symphony! Plus, there’s an interesting set of sub-cultures that swirl around motoring circles, like rock’n’roll and pinups, especially at an event like the Adelaide Chrysler Festival.
The Fringe and Festival may be over for another year, but it looks like March wasn’t quite ready to shake the ‘Mad’ prefix just yet, with the Adelaide Chrysler Festival squeezing in right at the end and capitalising on the season. It’s obviously a very different kind of festival to the theatrical/musical/comedic ones, but a festival no less and one that pays homage to what I consider the finest form of art, craft and engineering: the motor car.
The Chrysler Festival has been around for many years now, though under a different guise being a single car-show-day with some additional events tagged on. This year, it has expanded to a full festival format that celebrates everything from the lesser of the American and Australian big-three. Lesser in volume perhaps, but not lesser in art and innovation… but I digress. So, what comprises such a festival? For the uninitiated, it generally revolves around a bunch of passionate car people spending countless hours making shiny cars even shinier, driving around Adelaide in their pride and joy, putting on a display of their vehicles, and a plethora of other events and activities surrounding the car mainstays. Like any festival, there are various displays, activities, and usually a musical component too.
Rock’n’roll is a strong ally of motoring culture, and for this year’s Adelaide Chrysler Festival, community radio Coast FM (who has a bit of a penchant for rock’n’roll and tunes of an older vintage) came on board as a supporter and broadcast live from the events.
Having a family focus meant that kids had motoring-themed activities, including one for all the budding mechanics out there who had to correctly install a set of spark-plug leads to a Valiant engine head as quickly as possible! But of course, the key focus of the Festival was motor cars, and there were plenty of them to see! Adelaide was once home to Chrysler Australia, who had the largest manufacturing plant in the southern hemisphere at one point, and were certainly leaders in motoring innovation and engineering.
For me, the Festival kicked off on Friday, when a bunch of ex-Chrysler engineers gave a talk about some of the innovations developed right here in Adelaide, including one of the world’s first production digital emission control systems. Very impressive stuff! The following day centred around a car cruise that took in the southern hills, and had around 250 gleaming Chryslers on display. A vast majority of those were made right here in Adelaide, which makes this event something special for the marque, and the cruise took in one of the old plants used by the car maker back in the ’60s and ’70s. There were plenty of American cars out and about too, which is always great to see, and a contrast to what was happening here in Australia.
The cruise event culminated in the western ’burbs, and given the fine weather we have this year, fans of other car makers also out cruising joined in for some friendly banter, turning up in Holdens, Camaros, and even the odd Mustang.
If you’ve never experienced such an event, think of it like The Fast and The Furious, but without the racing and the tension (or criminal activity!). It’s pretty good fun!
The headline act of the festival was the ‘All Chrysler Day show and shine’, where some 200-odd cars were out on display, again showcasing a lot of what was produced right here in Adelaide. There were all kinds of Valiants, American Dodges, Plymouths, and even a Hilman and a Galant or two (including mine!). The theme of the event was ‘Then and Now’, so the old Valiant and American muscle was contrasted against what Chrysler is making now, with people bringing out some of their more recent Chrysler cars, including some that have been imported from the States, like a very impressive Dodge Challenger, currently the most powerful production car in the world!
The weather may have been hot and stinking humid, but it wasn’t enough to dampen any spirits (only underpants!), and a great day was had by all! I loved having my two Valiants out on show. If you’ve never been to a car show before, give it a go as you may discover you’ll have a really great time!
Luke Balzan
When: 24 to 26 Mar
Where: Urrbrae Agricultural College
Bookings: Open event
Indian
The joy of a creative new restaurant is that it offers wild and glorious adventures right here at home.
Cinnamon Club took off from the outset - which was a hole-in-the-wall affair in the little Norwood backstreet beside the thriving Argo.
Word soon spread that it was offering something really special, that it had links to one of the city's most renowned Indian restaurants, that its prices were fair...
The next thing one knows, it has more than quadrupled in size by moving into the large Norwood Parade premises which used to be the Malaysian fusion restaurant, Hazara.
With a massive mural on one wall, a sparking bar and a snazzy lounge waiting area at the front, it bustles with new life and an array of mainly Indian female wait staff who zip, zap and are as informed and helpful as they are efficient.
Word does not take long to travel in Adelaide. My first attempt to book a table there was thwarted by the “sorry, we're booked out" response. Silly me. It was Saturday. Next attempt was spontaneous. We walked in off the street early on a week night evening and were welcomed to a lovely table for two.
Straight away, the impression is warm and relaxing.
Wine and water were ordered and swiftly delivered as we perused the massive menu wherein we discovered that, had we been inclined, we could have prefaced the meal with astonishing cocktails. Oh, what an array - Cinnamon Club Fireball, Punjabi Fling, Indian Mystery, Cinnamon Club Painkiller, Indian Raj...
Fortunately, the wine list also is pleasing with interesting French wines in amongst a quality South Australian selection.
Slightly overwhelmed by the generous options of the menu, we sought advice from our waiter, who, without hesitation, recommended the starter speciality of the house, Roasted Papadum Rolls with stuffings of chicken or paneer. We chose one of each. They came with shot glasses of lovely hot soup - slow cooked lamb trotter or South Indian Tomato Pepper Broth.
The papadums came as delicate, crispy cones, stuffed to the brim with light, flavoursome filling; the paneer was fresh and delicate; the trotter shot had a classic lamb flavor in a lightness of fluid.
A triumphant start.
The restaurant was filling up steadily but the hubub was tolerable and the staff seemed to be nurturing the needs of every table. One could hear careful explanations of exotic foods and a thoughtful pairing of dishes to the tastes of "not-too-hot-please" and "let-me-sweat" customers.
Many variations on a theme of street food feature on the menu - Keema Pao on toast, Tangy Chickpea curry, Chaat choices, fish in three styles...
Avid chili-lovers, we zeroed in on Four Faces of Vindaloo. Our waitress approved and suggested we contrast this with the gentler flavours of the Duck with Fig Sauce curry. Another wise and wonderful recommendation.
The vindaloos were presented in a raised platter popped in the centre of the table. The chicken curry was peppery and moreish. The beef was dense and delicious. The beetroot lamb in its thick red sauce was unbearably delicious and we found ourselves jealously guarding our shares, albeit the lamb was a bit chewy. The fourth face of vindaloo was a stuffed green chili. It was rather a surprise - tangy and not too hot.
As for the duck with its blessing of fig flavour, it had a subtle sweetness that did not cloy, a creamy sauce that did not feel too rich and plenty of duck for two. All this with a small amount of rice and some light raita left us feeling cosy, contented but not too replete to miss sampling the dessert menu.
Hence, we chose the Chef's Choice Mixed Platter for two which featured two sensational kulfis, a classic Indian sweet carrot dish and, oh my, who would have imagined it? Chocolate samosas.
I could never have thought of anything more appallingly rich, unlikely and unapproachable and I would never have ordered it of my own accord. Now I can't wait to go back and have it again, and again. This hot, fried pastry, quite light and delicately crisped on the outside, was filled with absolutely the best quality of gorgeous dark, hot, melty chocolate. One tried to make it last and last, to savour it and wish it would never end. What a surprise it was - yet another guarantee that one would return.
Then menu is extensive. The prices are reasonable - mains from about $14 - $20
Samela Harris
Where: 211 The Parade, Norwood, SA 5067
Trading: Tuesday to Saturday 12pm til late
Sundays 5pm til late
Website: http://www.cinnamonclub.net.au/
Contact: (08) 8431 3311
Min free delivery $35
Online orders accepted
Lunch Review
Asian
After a brief absent stint from the restaurant scene to focus on my own culinary creations, I felt that it was time to jump back on the horse and bring you another semi-regional review. With my friend Jarrod flying in from Melbourne, I saw the perfect opportunity to head out to the picturesque and world renowned Barossa Valley to show him the sights and tease his tastebuds with amazing food and wine.
After picking Jarrod up from the airport, we took a leisurely one hour drive out to Tanunda to meet Greg and Alex, both who work in the wine industry and highly recommended the venue of choice, FermentAsian. The restaurant, which is situated in the main street, is housed in a stately home displaying German heritage charm.
Walking through the heavy solid door to the restaurant, I was struck by a heavenly waft of intense aromas which took me back to food safari’s I have done through South East Asia. This first impression created a rush of desire to get stuck into the menu on offer.
Taking our seats we were greeted and given our food menus along with what can only be described as a wine bible, rather than list, made up of a comprehensive 56 pages. Thankfully Alex brought a 2010 La Follette Pinot Noir with him, saving us all a lengthy delay and a simple starting choice of a refreshing Prancing Pony Ale or Lord Nelson Pale Ale. The restaurant has a reasonable $15 corkage fee, which is ideal for those who have come straight from purchasing wine at their favourite cellar door.
After hardly scouring the menu due to too much conversation, we were asked if we would like to have the house favourites. In what I can only describe as a first, I refreshingly discovered a restaurant that offers to serve their signature dishes in a suggested menu; this is normally something I would request in an attempt to test the waiting and kitchen staff. We received the following dishes (in order of service):
Thit lon cuon la lot: Fresh betel leaves with sticky caramelised pork and incendiary components.
Bo Wagyu cuon la lot: Grilled Wagyu beef in betel leaves.
Nen Ha Noi: Hanoi spring rolls with salad of fresh herbs and classic Vietnamese dipping sauce.
Tom sao ot: Stir fried SA squid with chilli jam and Thai basil.
Goi bo den: Grilled Barossa Black Angus beef with salad of fresh herbs.
Lon voi gung va cam: Barossa Berkshire pork belly with ginger and orange sauce.
Ca ri vit: Red duck curry with lychees and pineapple.
From the moment the first dish was placed in-front of us the delicious looking presentation kicked my salivary glands into overdrive. With sight and smell taken care of it was time for my tastebuds to make the final test; I am pleased to say they were not disappointed. The flavours were outstanding, and took me on a culinary journey back to my street food tours of Asia.
The betel leaves with caramelised pork was a wonderful small, sweet start awakening the palate and leaving it wanting more. With the grilled Wagyu in betel leaf and Hanoi spring rolls following quickly thereafter I became more flabbergasted by the pungent, succulent ingredients that were used.
The freshness of each dish is a key characteristic of any Vietnamese food, but after reading that the majority of fresh vegetables and herbs used in the menu are from their very own garden I felt an even stronger sense of awe and appreciation. The restaurant also ensures that they utilise as much local produce as possible from producers who have the same ethical beliefs that they do.
As we moved through the menu, some sweeter and more concentrated flavours started to shine, especially in the stir-fried squid with chilli jam, Barossa Berkshire pork belly and red duck curry with lychees and pineapple. The rich flavours were once again complimented and at the same time softened by the fresh aromatic herbaceousness of the garden greenery.
The servings may not have appeared generous, but as lunch came to a close it was evident that the precise required amount had been served. The balanced complexity of each dish gave great insight into the Vietnamese culture, accurately depicting that which you might find on the streets and in local restaurants of Asia; the supplementary Australian infusion worked wonderfully and demonstrated a successful mix of cultures has been mastered by the owners.
With more traditional German and modern Australian fare generally the only offerings throughout the region this lively, modern establishment is highly regarded and recommended by locals, industry folk and now also by me! Book yourself a local tour of Vietnam right here in our legendary and celebrated ‘backyard’ at the exclusive FermentAsian in the Barossa Valley.
Darren Richards.
Average Menu Pricing
Vegetarian $8.00 - $22.00
Seafood $16.00 - $31.00
Meat $14.00 - $26.00
Dessert $10.00 - $12.00
Where: 90 Murray Street, Tanunda, SA, 5352
Trading: Lunch Thursday to Sunday 12pm – 2:30pm
Dinner Wednesday to Saturday 6.00pm - 9.30 pm
Other times by prior arrangement
Website: fermentasian.com.au
Contact: (08) 8563 0765
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dinner Review
Authentic Italian
After a relaxed lunch at Mr Mick’s Kitchen and an afternoon probing the township of Clare for local produce to take back home, it was time for Alexandra and I to move on to our dining destination in the state heritage listed, copper mining town of Burra. Usually better known for its ‘pub grub’, Burra is now home to approximately 1,400 people and a restaurant which could initially be referred to as ‘out of place’.
La Pecora Nera or The Black Sheep when translated to English, is a traditional Italian osteria restaurant which is owned and run by Paolo and Clare Vitozzi. The couple met in Tuscany before moving back to South Australia and setting up shop in Burra roughly 18 months ago. As South Australia is home to many Italian people and restaurants, I was looking forward to discovering how accurate the use of the word ‘authentic’ would be.
Housed in the old Burra Bazaar, La Pecora Nera looks, from the outside, like an oversized tin shed. Stepping inside, it soon becomes very clear that the depiction encountered outside fits perfectly with the traditional styling of the interior. You immediately feel the warmth, not only from the eye-catching clay brick pizza oven, but also the friendly and homely nature of the staff.
Browsing over the menu it was clear that pizza was a big deal in this establishment, but I was curious as to what other delicacies I would be tempted by. Unlike the more formal ristorante and semi-casual trattoria, an osteria is a very casual and relaxing eatery offering a more local and non-formal menu with spontaneous daily specials. Here the definition could not be truer - you even serve yourself drinks from the old pull handle fridge; wasting no time, I wandered over and helped myself to Menabrea Birra to familiarise myself with the process and sample an ale from abroad.
Agreeing on a shared option, Alexandra and I decided on the following dishes:
Starter: Antipasti – Caprese e Salumi (mozzarella & tomato salad and cured meat).
Main: Pasta – Broccoli e parmegiano (broccoli and parmesan).
Pizza – Prosciutto e funghi (prosciutto ham and mushroom).
Watching Paolo work in the open kitchen whilst munching on crusty, garlic infused bread was entertainment enough, but choosing to sit at the table closest to the piano and record player, provided the added responsibility of being in-house DJ’s. With a large selection of old vinyl, it was an interesting, interactive addition to the evening, providing some randomly appropriate music to what had now started to feel like a journey to another country rather than rural town.
Having two large oval plates of anti-pasti placed in front of us left us wondering how we would fit it in, let alone the 2 mains we had ordered. I immediately steered for the salumi antipasti, which was made up of mortadella, coppa collo, salami, prosciutto and marinated mushrooms. It tasted sensational and had my mouth working with its salty, smokey cured intensity.
Utilising my crisp beer to reacquaint my tastebuds, I moved onto the caprese plate. The tomato was ripe, firm and wonderfully sweet whilst the mozzarella was subtle and almost marshmallow like. Drizzled with olive oil and garnished with torn basil, the freshness of this dish was a direct contrast to the salumi, making them the perfect accompaniment to each other.
Glancing over at the neighbouring table, we noticed the gigantic proportion of the pizza. We may have overestimated our post lunch hunger and miscalculated the enormity of the pizza oven. Before we had a chance to allow the starter to digest, we were presented with our almost table-sized pizza and serving of broccoli pasta.
I sprinkled some olive oil over my pasta which, as any traditional Italian pasta should be, was quite minimal with topping. The silky soft ribbons of egg pasta were undoubtedly homemade; the slight sensation of chilli came through on the back palate without overpowering the true essence of the broccoli and freshly grated parmesan. This dish didn’t clog, clutter or congest my stomach anywhere near as much as first anticipated, which was fortunate due to the whopping great pizza that still sat before us.
With a well timed break to change the record to an aptly chosen Dusty Springfield I returned, gasped with anticipation, and took my first bite from the gigantic wedge of prosciutto and mushroom pizza. The thin hand-thrown base with appropriately measured coverings of napolitana and mozzarella, allowed the flavours of the toppings to pervade. This is the type of pizza you would expect from an establishment who labels themself as authentic - you truly get a sense of what you would be eating in Italy.
Pushing our plates away to stop ourselves from gorging any further, we were offered coffee to conclude the evening. We graciously agreed and ordered a macchiato and cappuccino. To further tempt me, I was asked if I would like a shot of grappa in my short caffeinated concoction. Unfortunately, due to driving, this wasn’t an option and neither was the generous offer of Limoncello, which left me wondering why I decided not to stay in the region overnight.
In such a relaxed and hospitable environment, it was hard to leave, however after ordering another 2 coffees and holding the staff back from knocking off, we felt it was time to release them from their duty. There is no doubt I was in another place, maybe not Italy but I had certainly been taken on a journey of epic proportion without having to leave this incredible state of South Australia.
Although the mining boom has long departed from this once bustling town, it surely won’t be declining any further with a wonderfully quaint Italian osteria such as this in it. With so many fascinating places to visit in SA, I recommend you add this to your list and discover more of our state’s history. Simply yet sufficiently put, Salute!
Darren Richards
Average Menu Pricing
Pizza $12.00 - $17.00
*Daily Specials and prices
Where: 3 Upper Thames Street, Burra, SA 5417
Trading: Wed to Sun for Pranzo (Lunch) 12pm – 2pm and Cena (Dinner) 5.30pm - 8.30pm
Website: blacksheepburra.com
Contact: (08) 8892 2886 (for bookings - 0400 516 896)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lunch Review
Tapas
After a failed first attempt dining at Mr Mick’s Kitchen in Clare back in February, I was convinced by a Clare Valley local, Alexandra Milner-Smyth, that it was undoubtedly worth the return journey to taste some of the Tapas creations on offer at Tim Adam’s restaurant. Having previously sipped my way through the majority of the wine list at the Cellar door during my Riesling Trail expedition in February, I knew that their wines were a decent standard, which made me optimistic.
Arriving at Mr Mick’s Kitchen after the leisurely drive from Adelaide, I was greeted by the picturesque and historic Leasingham production complex which has now been converted to accommodate the restaurant and cellar door, housing the stately spirit still which sits so sparkling in the corner. Not to remove its grandeur of yesteryear, the outer retains its former glory with creepers which gently cover the facade.
Being first to arrive at 12:30pm, the staff gave me a choice of table and promptly provided the menus and offered drinks including table water. Our waitress went through the tapas concept and advised us that generally four shared plates would be a good starting point. I asked for a wine recommendation that would be a refreshing palate cleanser, and was directed towards the Pinot Gris, which was exactly what I was hoping for.
Alex and I scouted the menu and agreed to choose 2 items each. Keen to evaluate the staff’s knowledge of the menu, I decided to choose one dish and allow them to select the other. We ordered the following (in order of service):
Fritto: Tender crisp fried salt & pepper calamari with lemon aioli (staff choice).
Spring Roll: House made roasted duck & Asian vegetable spring rolls with chilli plum sauce.
Haloumi: Cyprus-style cheese, pan fried with caramelised onion, pear and rocket.
Pork: Twice cooked pork belly with an apple puree & Adelaide Hills cider glaze.
I was interested that the fritto was the choice of the waitress, as I would generally expect a more adventurous dish - assuming the salt & pepper squid would be the standard lightly floured mollusc meat you can get on almost any menu. How wrong I was! Although the seasoned dust may have been universally consistent, the tender texture was like none I’d had before. It was almost as if it was literally melting as it touched my tongue.
With almost simultaneous transition, the duck spring rolls arrived just as we finished devouring the fritto. The spring rolls were hot and crisp with a light tanning on the outer wrapper. Using my fork to compress the contents of the casing, I was pleasantly surprised with the lack of oil you would usually associate with deep fried food. This was a sign of the oil being correctly heated to optimum temperature to ensure the filling is cooked, whilst not burning the exterior or leaving a saturation of greasy residue. The duck was flavoursome and well complimented by a slightly spicy and sweet plum sauce.
Out next came the haloumi, which would typically be quite salty and served with lemon wedges, yet when the order was placed in front of us, it was obvious that this wasn’t a traditional style serve. With a light brown pan-fried outer crust, shaved pear and golden slivers of caramelised onion the Cyprus-style cheese was a welcoming sight and smell. The slightly leathery consistency of the cheese, crispness of the pear, sweet stickiness of the onion combined with the peppery rocket created a mouthful marriage of varying flavours.
Unexpectedly our final dish was delivered by the head chef, Gus Barlow. Unbeknownst to Gus, the pork belly was my personal choice - it is dish that, when seen on a menu, is hard to divert from. As he set the plate on the table, he made comment that this dish was “him on a plate”. A big call, but with the alluring aroma and portrait ready presentation, I was hardly going to argue. The proof would be in the pudding, or more so the pork in this case.
Laid at the end of a bed of apple puree and a puddle of Adelaide Hills apple cider glaze, the pork belly was ready to be devoured. The first incision left me disappointed. Where was the shattering crackle of the rind? Once I moved beyond this, the disappointment soon turned to elation as the gelatinous texture of the pork was perfect and almost let me forgive missing out on my treasured crackling. For $16.00 a plate, I was also left expecting more, especially given it was a shared serve.
As we were once again greeted by Gus asking how the pork belly rated, I provided the above mentioned feedback which was received constructively. He asked if we would like another dish in an almost forgiving manner. We agreed and I asked for his recommendation. He quickly motioned the crab (Crisp fried soft shell baby mudcrab drizzled with a star anise & orange glaze). I was excited that he had chosen this as it can be a more risky dish if overcooked.
To keep in tradition with dining at a winery, I chose another wine from the list. The Rose looked to be the perfect accompaniment to what was to come. Almost immediately the wine and soft shell crab arrived. An instant sensation of excitement came over me as the fragrance from the orange and anise lingered providing an insight of the flavours to come. Gus had certainly resurrected himself through this dish; with an almost contradictory crisp softness and without any sludgy spongy crab it was delicious.
Faith was now restored and my smile preserved after an almost faultless lunch. The staff were extremely friendly and at our service as required without being overbearing. I am an advocate of the shared lunch scenario; it allows you to try more over a longer period providing better digestion and more insight to the restaurant’s capabilities. This is definitely a great place for a swift snack or extended eat. From what I’m told, it is also a fantastic Friday night destination for a few drinks and a nibble after the working week or the start to a weekend escape.
More commonly known for their radiant Riesling and sublime Shiraz, the Clare Valley has certainly captured my attention for creating some fantastic food and local produce. I’m hoping that this trend continues and that more city-dwellers, interstate and international visitors make the effort to journey another 45 minutes past the Barossa to be enticed by a region steeped in history and architecture mixed with exquisite wine and restaurants showcasing contemporary cuisine.
Darren Richards
Average Tapas Menu Pricing
Starters $8.00
Seafood $8.00 - $12.00
Meat $9.00 - $16.00
Vegetarian $7.00 - $10.00
Accompaniments $1.00 - $8.00
Dessert $8.00 - $10.00
Where: 7 Dominic Street, Clare, SA, 5453
Trading: Lunch Monday to Sunday 11am - 4pm and Friday 11am - 7pm
Website: mrmick.com.au/kitchen.html
Contact: (08) 8842 2555
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.