Italian
Lunch Review
Have you ever walked down the alley alongside Telstra in Pirie St at lunchtime and wondered what the buzzing little restaurant was with seating out front? Well if you have but haven’t stopped you have yet to dine at one of my favourite coffee, breakfast and lunch destinations in Adelaide. The only hours Pranzo is not fluttering with suited smiles is when they are closed, as this is genuinely a treasure chest of food, wine and most importantly, service.
Finishing up last Tuesday (after 5½ years with Telstra) from my day job in Marketing and Event Management, it was only fitting that my ‘Last Supper’ be at the one foundation I had frequented most often during that time. My fellow foodie and long term friend Macca joined me for what was to be a memorable afternoon of savoury salivation.
As always, we were attended to very swiftly to ensure we had sparkling mineral water and artisan olive sourdough with local oil. With a long day ahead, we stared blankly at the amply listed, single paged lunch menu, whilst sipping on James Squire Porter Stout, which was a mild thirst-quenching break from our norm of a heavy black ale.
Without having to look, we ordered the Antipasto plate to share with an accompanying Trumer Pilsner from Austria. I then curiously interrupted and asked if a rumour I had heard of a horse tasting plate was true. Unfortunately the tasting plate wasn’t, but to my delight, a special they could offer was a Cavallo burger with peppered fries. For those of you who know my eating habits and willingness to devour anything with edible flesh, this equestrian entree was something I couldn’t pass up. Basing my anticipation on other game related meats I usually eat such as kangaroo, goat and buffalo I was pleasantly surprised to find the horse meat to be finely textured, very lean and delicate, yet still succulent and astonishingly alluring.
Due to our early indulgence, we requested that the kitchen delay our main course consisting of:
Macca: 300g Beef Fillet, heirloom carrots and sherry jus.
Myself: Semi deboned, cumin yoghurt baked chicken, beetroot and quinoa salad.
Wine: 2009 Torbreck ‘The Steading’ GSM
Our food arrived at the perfect time, just as our stomachs had settled and we were ready to ravage the gourmet delights that greeted our eyes. Without a second thought, we both instantly (and with synchronised precision) bestowed the other with a portion of our own. I tucked straight into the steak to ensure it retained its tenderness and as per my confidence in the chef, my regular butter knife slid through with the greatest of ease.
Some readers may wonder why the mix of chicken and red wine? The addition of beetroot to the quinoa salad was a pleasant complimentary flavour to the soft velvety fruit of the GSM which break through the cumin crusted chicken, earthy pesto, radicchio and acidity of the sour lemon juice. As a dish it melded into a harmonious marriage of flavours only intensified by intermittent drizzles of the wine.
With both Macca and I sporting contented grins from ear to ear and requiring minor belt loop adjustment, we settled in for a digestive afternoon and slumped relaxingly into our chairs as we ordered the last bottle of Magpie Estate 2006 ‘The Election’ Shiraz. As always, the staff were welcoming to all our needs and requests and joined us for a small celebratory drink to capture the essence of the day.
The hand on my watch ticked closer to 3 o’clock which meant we either had to abandon our comfort zone to meet another mate, Hobbsy, or lure him along to join us for a beverage. Once again we were accommodated with our request for another bottle of wine to ensure our continued position at the pinnacle of our day. We left it to the colossal wine wisdom of Abdulla to bring us something that was bold enough to leave us breathless - a Yangarra 2008 ‘Ironheart’ Shiraz from McLaren Vale, which was the perfect closure to and afternoon’s dining that could only be described as perfection.
Once again, I left Pranzo Restaurant amazed and somewhat dazed by the overall dining experience, due to the mastery of the chefs, the meticulousness and sociability of the floor staff and of course the high standard of the boutique wine list. If you are looking for somewhere special for lunch with a very respectable price, you seriously won’t get better than Pranzo’s for a complete all-rounder.
Average Menu Pricing
Entree $17 - $20
Pasta $26 - $28
Risotto $25 - $28
Pizza $19 - $22
Main $32 - $38 plus specials
Sides $2 - $10
Dessert $16 plus cheeses on request
Where: 46 Exchange Place, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Trading: breakfast Mon – Fri from 7am – 11am, lunch Mon - Fri (bookings essential)
Website: pranzo.com.au
Contact: (08) 8231 0661
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
