Tag / Restaurant

by brandsa2018

Mother’s Day: SA’s top chefs share their favourite family eating spots

Mother’s Day is approaching on Sunday, May 12 – a chance to spoil the greatest women in our lives. What a better way to show your appreciation by treating Mum to a meal out at one of South Australia’s dining establishments – and supporting local jobs and producers along the way! Brand SA News contributor Vanessa Keys hunted down some of our state’s top’s chefs to discover where they’ll be taking their family this Mother’s Day.

Georgie Rogers is head chef at East End Cellars.

“Mum and I love driving out to regional restaurants and making a day of it. The Lane at Hahndorf is a favourite – the view is spectacular and Jimmy’s (head chef James Brinklow) food is always a delight.

We also go to Mum’s local pub The Kentish a lot – their smoky paprika hummus with ground lamb is amazing. For brunch, I recommend the scrambled eggs at Hey Jupiter. They’re light and creamy – definitely the best in Adelaide.”

Georgie Rogers of East End Cellars.

Nikkita Wood is the pastry chef and manager at Comida. She also runs catering business A Place at the Table.

“I prefer to stay home on Mother’s Day and avoid the crowds. I usually do a brunch spread with Mum’s favourite goodies from the Adelaide Central Market – Fleurieu Milk yoghurt, KI honey, fruit from House of Organics, pastries from Dough, Brillat-Savarin triple cream from Smelly Cheese, plus my homemade granola and jams.

As a family, we love Sukhumvit Soi 38 on Pulteney Street – the flavours are incredible and the dishes great for sharing. For Sunday lunch, we head up to Terroir Auburn in the Clare Valley. Dan and Annika have taken over the café next door to the restaurant and the food is top notch.”

Comida pastry chef and manager Nikkita Wood, right, with her mother and sister.

Jeffrey Trotter is head chef at the Hagen Arms, and Five O’Clock Somewhere.

“One of our favourites for brunch is Pane e Latte. Order the breakfast carbonara – the baked spaghetti gives it the perfect crunch – and the paccheri al ragu di polpo, which is hands down the best octopus ragu in Adelaide, if not Australia.

For dinner, we love Parwana – they have three menus that they rotate throughout the week. Bring your own wine – their BYO charge goes to the homeless. And for Sunday lunch, Casa Carboni in Angaston is a must. (Owners) Matteo and Fiona make you feel like family, and everything is prepared fresh with produce from the Barossa markets. You feel like you’re in a tiny Italian village.”

Jeffrey Trotter of the Hagen Arms pub in Echunga.

Jodie Zerna is head chef at My Grandma Ben.

“This Mother’s Day I’ll be cooking at My Grandma Ben and hopefully giving all the mothers a day off! We don’t dine out a lot as a family – we tend to have barbecues and bring a plate to share – but when I visit my sister in Christies Beach, we always get fish, chips and tabouli at Champion Takeaway. Ask for the fresh flake – they catch it themselves.

For a cheap lunch, we head to Pho Minh in Mansfield Park – order the pho with oxtail, tripe and tendon. And for brunch, the spicy ramen at Black Dog Gallery in Tusmore is a must (and great for a hangover).

If we’re feeling fancier, we head down to Salopian Inn in McLaren Vale for local SA seafood and something green from their kitchen garden.”

Jodie, right, with her mum and sister.

Luke and Anthony Savas run Pan & Vine.

“We usually spend Mother’s Day at Yiayia and Papou’s (grandparents) house. Mum will serve her signature dish – Moroccan chicken – with Yiayia’s homemade apricot jam marinade.

When we go out, we head to Shobosho and order the roast leek and the kingfish sashimi with yuzu dressing. For brunch, we love the Exchange Specialty Coffee – the Wallace sandwich with avocado, pancetta and chipotle mayo is an institution.”

The Savas brothers of Pan & Vine in Kent Town.

Caitlin Duff runs Sibling café.

“Sibling’s open on Mother’s Day, so we’ll spend the morning there and then head to Mum’s for afternoon tea – this is a special one as it’s my first as a new mum.

For Sunday lunch, our go-to is Fino at Seppeltsfield. There’s eight of us siblings and partners all with varying preferences and they never skip a beat in accommodating us all.

As a family, we go to Goodness Coffee Co in Aldinga every single day (sometimes twice) because their coffee is so good. And we love to drop into My Grandma Ben at Plant 4 Bowden when we visit The Lost Loaf to pick up our bread order. Order the roo stack – it’s delicious and ethical.”

Nathaniel Morse and Caitlin Duff at Sibling café.

Kane Pollard is head chef at Topiary.

“For a relaxed family meal, we head to the Stanley Bridge Tavern. They have a great wine list and tasty small plates – the hummus and wedges with house chilli jam are both great.

For brunch, we love Acacia at Henley Beach. Do the tasting menu – (chef) Duane does an incredible job of piecing flavours together that push you a little out of your comfort zone. We also recently had breakfast at C.R.E.A.M, which was pretty impressive. The donut breakfast sandwich felt a little wrong but so incredibly right at the same time. I had it with a side of buttermilk fried chicken – delicious.”

Kane Pollard, left, of Topiary in Tea Tree Gully.

Feature image: The Lane, Adelaide Hills, SATC.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Brilliant new batch of SA chefs rising

A new league of star chefs is making a big impression on South Australia’s dining scene. They are driving restaurant kitchens with aplomb and flair, even though many have taken the top job in kitchens for the first time, and their inventive menus are enticing a steady stream of curious diners.

Annual festival Tasting Australia has helped shine a light on this activity. In celebrating the nation’s best culinary experiences, the festival’s series of special banquets and dining events have put rising SA chefs in the spotlight, celebrating the flair and talent at work in our top restaurants.

Daniel Murphy is making a significant fine dining statement since taking over the stoves at Appellation restaurant, at The Louise resort in the Barossa, although his rise comes as no surprise to Barossa locals.

Daniel has cooked in the region at Fino Seppeltsfield, Saltram’s and was recently head chef at St Hugo Restaurant (ironically working beside executive chef Mark McNamara, who established the Appellation kitchen 12 years ago). Daniel’s first opportunity to construct his own menu has resulted in bold presentations of the finest regional fare.

Daniel Murphy of Appellation restaurant at The Louise resort in the Barossa Valley.

Max Sharrad recently moved from his head chef role at innovative pan-Asian hotspot Shobosho to now drive the stoves at Nido in Hyde Park. This new attraction, one of restaurateur Simon Kardachi’s popular suite of hip eateries, was beloved by locals through 20 years when it was called The Pot, before a recent refurbishment and change in style to an informal Italian-accented menu.

Max, who cut his teeth in the kitchen brigade at Orana, won the national Young Chef of the Year at the 2018 Appetite for Excellence Awards.

Oliver Edwards came to The Summertown Aristologist in the Adelaide Hills after leaving chic Melbourne dining den Cumulus Inc. He was inspired to dig for his own fresh vegetables on a nearby farm, then find inventive ways to present them as the primary attractions in his ever-changing Aristologist menu.

His hands-on commitment to producing all dishes from scratch extends to milling his own wheat (for house-baked sourdough bread) and corn, making cheeses, vinegars, preserves and smallgoods.

Oliver Edwards of Adelaide Hills establishment The Summertown Aristologist.

Such incisive thinking about food informs striking authenticity and integrity on the plate, capturing supreme freshness and vitality in a range of dishes that change almost weekly, in accordance with what Oliver harvests from the farm.

Tom Tilbury has made sustainability his signature, taking a serious view of the paddock-to-plate philosophy that ensures his menus at Gather @ Coriole in McLaren Vale embrace flavour from the ground up.

Foraging formed an integral part of the kitchen output at his previous restaurant – the tiny Gather Food and Wine in Robe – and has remained important to him since moving to the bountiful Coriole Vineyards estate last year. Tom’s close relationship with local farmers brings maximum freshness to his seasonal dishes.

Quentin Whittle at Herringbone is no stranger to Adelaide diners, although this is the first time that he has an ownership stake in a restaurant. He has a wealth of impressive cooking experience, from The Melting Pot, through The Stranded Store at Colonel Light Gardens, to Stone’s Throw at Norwood.

Quentin Whittle of Adelaide restaurant Herringbone.

All through this progress, Quentin delivers great generosity as he embraces many different cultures on every plate, finding delicious harmony between Middle Eastern, South-East Asian and southern European influences.

Flying under the radar of many diners is Janghoon Choi, the Korean-born chef and proprietor from +82 Pocha, a new Korean restaurant in Grenfell Street, Adelaide. Modest and highly skilled, Janghoon came to Australia in 2005 to study cookery and hotel management at Le Cordon Bleu campuses in Sydney and Adelaide.

“I want to be a cultural ambassador with my food,” he says. “Not many people know very much about Korean food apart from kimchi, but I aim to show that there is so much more to enjoy.”

The deliciousness of Janghoon’s food has caught the attention of Orana chef and Tasting Australia programming director Jock Zonfrillo, who included Janghoon in the festival’s elite Glasshouse dinners program.

“He’s a rising star,” says Jock. “He’s very talented, and as he gets more experienced, we’ll see some awesome things from him.”

Janghoon Choi of new CBD Korean restaurant +82 Pocha.

A rising generation of female chefs is also making an impression in leading Adelaide kitchen brigades and will be worth keeping an eye on as they progress.

This includes quiet achiever Hayley Goodrick, who is now head chef at SC Pannell winery restaurant at McLaren Vale, and Amelia Hussey, who has joined ambitious new North Adelaide restaurant L’Italy (which has superseded Walter Ventura’s Spaghetti Crab and Spaghetti Meatballs pop-up eateries).

Tasting Australia ambassador and Salopian Inn proprietor Karena Armstrong, respected among Adelaide’s most assured chefs and kitchen leaders, is fostering a great talent in Alisha Shurville – first employed casually as a 14-year-old student and now a permanent part of the Salopian team after having recently qualified as a chef, while scooping the award pool at trade school.

“If she stays focused,” says Karena, “I bet she will run her own restaurant one day.”

Feature image is Max Sharrad who is now driving the stoves at Nido in Hyde Park.

Visit I Choose SA to meet the people building business and industry in SA, and to find out how your choices make a difference to our state.

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by brandsa2018

Naracoorte is my home now

Hafeezullah Haidari had fled persecution in Pakistan when he came to Australia in 2013 with only $34 to his name.

Forced to leave behind his wife and four children, Hafeezullah, a member of Pakistan’s ethnic Hazara minority, sought asylum in Australia, 10,000km from home.

He settled in the small Limestone Coast town of Naracoorte and built a life “from nothing”, opening an Indian restaurant and harnessing a desire give back to the community that took him in.

“In my country it’s not safe for Hazara men,” Hafeezullah says.

“That’s why I came to Australia. It’s the best country in the world, and it’s a safe place.

“I arrived in Australia, and my friend lived in Naracoorte, he told me to come here. I had no work, I was thinking I’d search for how I’m going to build up my life, so I arrived in Naracoorte.

“I am from nothing. No money, no nothing. I decided that I wanted to open a restaurant in the town.”

Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte restauranteur Hafeezullah Haidari, left, with his brother Asmat Ullah Haidari. Photo courtesy of the Naracoorte Herald.

After settling in Australia for two years, Hafeezullah opened Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte, and set out to give back to the community that had embraced him.

Hafeezullah supplies Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers with free meals and water during emergencies, and also trains and mentors local students and fellow migrants in the town.

He supports Naracoorte High School and Independent Learning Centre students, who mostly speak English as a second language, to increase their employability and build their confidence.

“Many students come through and go on to get a part time job,” Hafeezullah says.

“They learn good confidence and built up their hospitality skills.”

Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte volunteers, Fatima, left, Zahra, Sayed Kazimi, with owner Hafeezullah, and Kara Renshaw, Alannah Johnson and Lianni De Been were congratulated on their efforts. Photo courtesy of Naracoorte Herald.

Aside from hosting fundraising dinners, Hafeezullah provides breakfast for Naracoorte’s annual Australia Day celebrations, and is a member of the local Rotary Club.

In 2017, his story made it to TV screens across Australia when SBS World News aired a piece on his background and the restaurant.

Hafeezullah’s brother Asmat Ullah Haidari has also settled in South Australia and for the first time since 2013, Hafeezullah will travel to Iran in July to see his wife and children.

He says bringing them to Australia is too difficult due to immigration processes but he manages to stay in regular contact.

Hafeezullah is a trained chef, having worked in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Naracoorte Migrant Resource Centre co-ordinator Jenny Stirling says about 350–400 Afghans and Pakistanis currently call Naracoorte home.

She says people often detour to Naracoorte to enjoy fine dining at the Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte.

Hafeezullah, left, with team members from Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte, and 2018 Citizen of the Year Peter Flavel at this year’s Australia Day breakfast. Photo courtesy of Naracoorte Herald.

“His restaurant is noted for its excellence in service standards, quality of ingredients and standard of fare,” Jenny says.

“Hafeezullah Haidari is a self-made man who came to Australia with nothing but his skills and a determination to make the most of his opportunity to build a business and a life in Australia.”

It’s hard to find a bad review of his Indian-style cuisine, which he cooks from authentic recipes and fresh spices and ingredients.

“Indian (food) in Pakistan, the taste is the same – it’s a part of India and a part of Pakistan,” he says.

“Butter chicken is a top dish for Indian cuisine and it’s my favourite.

“Korma is also top of the menu. There are many choices in the restaurant, and a local wine list.”

Pearl Indian Cuisine Naracoorte supports many local wineries including Brand’s Laira, Penley Estate, Patrick of Coonawarra, Browns of Padthaway, and DiGiorgio.

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by brandsa2018

Simple and sophisticated a winner at Port Elliot

Campbell Haig’s philosophy is simple – look after the community, and the community will look after you.

It’s an attitude that has served him well and meant the success of his businesses in the charming and character laden Fleurieu Peninsula town of Port Elliot.

Just a few days before Christmas 2017, Campbell opened a new restaurant in the main street – Thunderbird Restaurant and Bar.

Although only four months old, the restaurant has already made a name for itself.

Across social media platforms, people are raving about the food and highlighting the beauty of the simple yet sophisticated building which houses the wine and tapas bar.

Despite only opening months ago Campbell Haig’s Thunderbird restaurant is a hotspot in Port Elliot.

“It is a different meal option for people in the area,” Campbell says.

“One that wasn’t being offered, and it is great to see that both locals and visitors alike have embraced what we are doing.”

The restaurant has a focus on seafood and tapas. The menu is fresh and regional, with a wine list to match, focussing on local and international wines.

“We never set out to be in direct competition with anyone else,” Campbell says.

“I like to say there is always enough for everyone.”

If visitor numbers to the town over the holiday period were anything to go by, then there certainly is enough. Campbell has lived in Port Elliot for 10 years and says that the days between Christmas and New Year 2017 were the busiest he has ever seen.

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“The main street was like Rundle Mall,” he says.

“The popularity of Port Elliot has definitely grown, and you can see that it has been in part to the infrastructure that has gone up around the place.

“The Southern Expressway makes it easier for people to get here, and the range of experiences and things for people to do once they arrive is helping to bring in the crowds.”

As well as the new restaurant, Campbell is also the owner of Waverley Estate, Thunderbird Wines and Vineyards and No. 58 Cellar Door and Gallery.

The businesses have each spurred the next, with the acre of vines located on the Waverley Estate property sparking an interest in the purchase of a farm with 15 acres of vineyard.

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The next logical step was wine production and the opening of the cellar door and gallery. And then, of course, the restaurant.

On the boards for the Fleurieu Food Group and the Fleurieu Peninsula Tourism Board, Campbell is a strong advocate for the region, and for locals supporting locals.

“There is absolutely an economic benefit to employing local people directly and indirectly,” he says. “It keeps the money in the area and it helps to keep us all profitable.”

“The character and ambience of Port Elliot is unique.

“The town has a charm which is very different to other towns in South Australia. We have the beautiful historical buildings, as well as the beach and the train running through the middle of it. I love it.”

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by brandsa2018

Adelaide’s Orana is Australia’s best restaurant

By Melissa Keogh

Adelaide food hero Jock Zonfrillo’s Orana has been crowned Australia’s best restaurant, marking the first time in two decades the Gourmet Traveller award has gone to a restaurant outside Sydney and Melbourne.

The Rundle Street establishment was named Restaurant of the Year at last night’s Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards.

The gala dinner, held in Sydney, is considered the night of nights in the hospitality world and celebrates the release of the 2018 Australian Restaurant Guide.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Jock commended the Orana team for taking the award for South Australia.

“For the last 16 years I’ve been on a journey and to tell you the truth it’s one I never knew I’d have to make,” he says.

“I’m saying that it’s called a journey because you cannot know what you will discover, what you will do with what you find, or what you find, will do with you.

“One of the things I have found is the most amazing team who don’t just work at a restaurant, they are part of something so much bigger making it our journey and I can’t thank them enough.

“I love each and every one of you, thank you so much for all the hard work, dedication and sheer tenacity involved in bringing this award home for #southaustralia.”

Restaurant Orana in Rundle Street is renowned for its intimate setting and 18-sdf

Restaurant Orana in Rundle Street is renowned for its intimate setting and 18-20 course degustations featuring native produce.

Scottish-born Jock is renowned for ‘foraging’ and using native ingredients in his dishes, but also for his work with indigenous communities.

Earlier this year, his Orana Foundation announced it was working with the University of Adelaide to form a native wild foods database.

With the help of a $1.25m SA Government grant, the database will drive research and determine how native foods can best be produced commercially.

Orana – which means ‘welcome’ in some Aboriginal languages – offers 18-20 course degustations featuring native produce such as lemon myrtle, green ants and ruby saltbush berries.

Four other SA eateries made the top 100 of the Gourmet Traveller list including Magill Estate (14), Hently Farm (50), Botanic Gardens Restaurant (54) and Africola (56).