Monday, November 23, 2015

The Organic Market and Cafe - Stirling

Atmosphere: ****/5
Food: ****/5
Drink: **/5
Service: ****/5

Oh goodness. I really love this place.  I love driving up the highway out of Adelaide and landing amongst the trees at The Organic Market and Cafe.

This place has the most wonderful lunch time atmosphere and as I am still a student I steer clear of the market due to the prices I love walking though and looking at the fresh food and veggies.  I would suggest this is a place for an un-romantic date with the partner or a good friend you can share your meals with as there is so much to try and specials change daily.







As a side note I don't come here for the coffee (although I am known to order one here) or alcoholic beverages but a sparkling mineral water matches the healthy nature of the place!

Some of my friends (mainly boys) have said there are too many 'private school mothers' around but I think that is a good measure of the quality of the food and kindness that is shown to you by, often the young girls at the counter.



If you can get a seat on the balcony on a sunny day I would make a run for it and see if you can squeeze yourself in.



Laksa House on Hutt Street

Atmosphere: *
Food: -
Drinks: -
Service: -

I love my lunchtime soups.  Pho or Laksa are my two favourites at the moment, summer is coming up and as I am trying to be (vaguely) good with what I eat these are good alternatives when going out!

I love Hutt Street with new restaurants and different places to explore and as I was in the area and with a craving for laksa I tried the aptly named Laksa House!  I had visited Laksa House earlier this year but as it was a rushed meal with a friend and I was not taking notice of what was around me I have waited until today to post.

Well.   I must say this was an unfortunate day for me to go and then write a review.  The waiters were really rude, there was only three tables seated when I was in the restaurant and none of the wait staff were interested in interacting with the customers.  To be honest I was actually served before a table that had arrived before me. As someone who works in hospitality that was poor form.


The behaviour of the wait staff made me feel uncomfortable to the point of thinking about leaving as the décor is not that comforting either.  One of those restaurants when the chairs scrape along the ground no matter how you try and pick them up!

I think the laksa contains MSG although the owners can correct me if I am wrong.  The laksa also has no vegetables apart from a little bit of cucumber and bok choy.   The prices are reasonable which is why I came here for lunch however, I was charged extra when I asked to have less which is ridiculous and was only notified of the increased cost when I was at the till to pay the bill.

If dining here make it a quick lunch, I will not be coming back, but if your hungry and in the area; know what you want and be strong when ordering, and I would recommend that they ask to state the price before you order.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Stumps Bistro & Wine Bar - Hyde Park

Stumps Bar & Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Atmosphere: ****/5
Food: **/5
Drinks: **/5
Service: **/5

Adventuring out of the CBD and into Hyde Park we stumbled upon Stumps Bistro and Wine Bar, where the outdoor area was full and the décor and set up really pulled us in.



As I have mentioned in previous posts I am always hesitant to visit tapas places as you often leave feeling hungry with your wallet in tack or you can walk out full having bust open your wallet a little further than you wished!   To try and avoid issues of ordering too much we decided to go for an entrée and main ordering style and I must say it worked quite well in regards to not blowing the budget!



I am sorry to say that the starter meals were not much to rave about.  The mushroom doughnuts were confusing to the plate as there was a clash between the cold cauliflower sauce smeared elegantly on the bottom of the plate and the doughnuts were served warm which resulted in me thinking that my half of the dish was not cooked through.  The croquette was also enjoyable but would not be going back to try again.   The third of the first course was the halloumi and it was very simple and a favourite dish of the table with fresh mint and lime.



We were seen to as soon as we sat down.  Although after the first waitress that looked after us had her lunch break with three wait staff looking after around 8 tables and it took us a while to get the attention of the staff, in fact the rest of the service was based around delivering the meals to our table. 

The chicken salad was an interesting one, to be honest, not what I entirely envisioned.  The dressing tasted very much like Keens Curry which was something that I have not had before.  The pizza was defiantly the highlight a lovely light base with a garlic base and lamb.  




 The drinks list is quite basic.  You will be able to find a well known label in the wine list and the beers are your standard beer.   The premium list for the beers and spirits could be improved upon as spirits listed as premium are now first pours for quite a few bars.  

I would recommend Stumps for the atmosphere and outdoor dining, its surrounded by lovely shops on Hyde Park as well so if you eat small I would suggest a Hyde Park meander and browse afterwards! 

Seans Kitchen - Adelaide CBD

Sean's Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Atmosphere: ****/5
Food: ****/5
Drinks: ***/5
Service: ***/5

There has been so much going on in foodie and drink world whilst I was on hiatus from the blogging sphere.  After a week of pure indulgence thanks to close friends birthday's I had to get back on the keyboard to (hopefully) help you out with your restaurant/dining decisions.

As a request for her birthday my friend wanted to have her birthday meal at Seans Kitchen.  First thing to note about the restaurant that it is attached to the Adelaide Sky City Casino.  The namesake of the restaurant; Sean Connolly has been working within Casino restaurants since 1995 (Star City Casino).   For those who, for whatever reason do not feel comfortable within a Casino setting will be quite surprised as the restaurant is located on the edge of the building and faces towards government house, on the particular night we were there the noodle market was giving the place an added buzz as well.  

The menu caters to a wide range of groups, and the proximity to the Casino probably has an affect of the diversity of patrons who dine at the restaurant. The contrast and melting pot of different people is pretty obvious as you enter the restaurant. 

I have heard mixed things about the restaurant, the first suggestion I would make when coming here is a, if you don't want noise or you are after a more intimate affair book before going.   The contrast between the outside/downstairs dining area and the upstairs is fairly noticeable.  We started with a drink outside in which we were struggling to find a waiter to tend to our six person table before heading upstairs for our dinner with our own waiter who looked after us throughout the night.   The intimacy and attentiveness of our waiter upstairs made us feel comfortable with ordering what he suggested which I always find is the best way to eat at these places.   The downside is that your wallet has to be reasonably full as they do not do split bill's here. 

The entrees were light and very diverse which, was an interesting way to lead our palettes through the first course.  All the entrees were a delight however, sashimi although beautifully cut and presented in contrast with prosciutto and pickles and the soft shell crab sandwich and oysters was a bit of an interesting way to go! I probably wouldn't have chosen the diverse group of entrees to come out the way they did but it was all wonderful.  It was certainly a challenge to eat quinoa salad with chopsticks!  

The mains were wonderful, each diner had a preference to which was their favourite which I always think is the best way to go! (you get to eat more of the dishes that you like) and the last meal of the lamb shoulder was a wonderful filling way to remember the restaurant.





The wine list was really easy to manoeuvre around, with some Australian staples for those who wanted familiarity as well as some wonderful international choices.

I would not come here without pre booking to avoid the issues of being able to be waited on by staff, who are, often too busy throughout the night in the downstairs area.  The menu prices although reasonable should be saved for a special occasion.  I would have much preferred if it was not attached to the Casino but will be looking forward to someone inviting me to come back for someone else's birthday... and if you need an extra guest let me know!