What to eat at your local?

Pub grub, they reckon that it is better than ever. Unlike the times that I spent in London, where pubs are essentially the centre of all social events or just somewhere you go straight after work. So there isn't a need for great food and nice decor in London although it doesn't hurt of course.

In Adelaide where the population is much smaller, pubs are fighting for their share of the market. There is always somewhere new with the latest big screen tvs, nice outdoor furniture in the beer gardens and gourmet menus. All manner of new renovations paid for by gambling machines within the facilities or more accurately, lonely and addicted pensioners.

I don't have as much time for pubs as I would like these days but when I do visit one, my choice of pubs is purely based on the beers they stock. Food definitely plays second fiddle. The pubs that I have had repeatedly meals at include The Edinburgh Hotel, Crown and Sceptre, Queen's Head, The Lion, The Oriental and of course the Handolf Inn. These are some of the pubs that I believe have decent foods, however that judgement is based purely on the fact that I only order traditional pub fares. That is either a steak or fish and chips. Nothing wrong with that at all. After all one cannot survive on jamon and foie gras alone.

I recently visited the Hyde Inn on King Willam Road for the second time. I enjoyed both meals that I had there. There isn't too much you can get wrong with a sirloin steak or a whiting with chips. Unfortunately my companion for the evening chose to have a duck dish with orange sauce of some sort.

It is fair to say that the Hyde has bitten off far more than it can chew. I sampled some of that dish. The duck was overcooked by about 3 minutes and the sauce had been diluted by the liquids from the overcooked duck. It was also served with huge chunks of potatoes which was undercooked. At that stage of the evening, I was still in a positive mood because my meal wasn't a complete disaster. So we made the mistake of ordering deserts.

Creme brulee is a dish that most people would have had and enjoyed some stage in their dining experience. It was the only time in my living memory that I did not finish my desert. The less said the better about that episode the better. So shame on you The Hyde Inn.

The service was great, we also learnt not to go anywhere near that hole again. So the moral of the story is, stick to something simple when eating at a pub. There aren't many chefs willing to work at a pub and the word head chef is thrown around way too loosely. Obviously some people still don't taste their own food first before sending it out.

Duck is something difficult to get right in my experience so Chloe, great job. Ming's Palace can also do it well on a good night. As for great deserts and sweets, hats off to Auge, Assaggio Restaurante, Stamps and Au Matin Calme. Always look forward to what they have to offer there and I guess that is the best compliment I can offer.

Discussion on disgustation of degustation.

I am a big fan of degustation menus and restaurants that want to show off the range of foods that they excel at. It may also be a lazy way out of deciding what to have on any particular night out in a restaurant.

Now the way I have previously enjoyed this concept were either to enjoy the entire menu in small portions or given a couple of choices of what to have at each course. So well done to the Manse in North Adelaide for the eight courses with matching wine and the Chantecler in Nice, which is still in most ways the measuring stick that I go by.

I had another meal at Auge on Grote Street in Adelaide recently which is one of my favourite restaurants in town. However, I was far from impressed with the changes they have made. You used to be able to choose either a three or four course selection with a fixed price from their extensive menu. Not any more! Now you have either a four or six course chef selection which is fixed.

What really gets under my nose is the fact that if one person had the chef selection then the whole table had to do the same. There were five of us dining that night and we all had the same meals, we had to plead the staff to let us choose our own deserts!

What I am complaining about is that the waiter's argument for this stupidity was how the kitchen staff didn't want to have people eating different courses or have some people watching others eat when they didn't order adjoining courses. A more expensive option was to each order 4 totally different courses with twenty different things they had to cook and what would they say then.

I am guessing that it is a big fat excuse to make life easier to the kitchen. Why else would they make the changes from what they had before. The other sad fact was the six course option which had the same desert and added the cheese platter as another course so it was essentially the same menu with cheese which they don't have to prepare, plus another entree for $30 more.

Despite all of this, the same three courses we had were of excellent standards as expected. The gnocchi with squid ink and cuttle fish was lovingly made, the risotto was alright, the beef fillets were cooked the way I expected.

What stood out however were the little things that I always look out for, and I go away from a restaurant feeling empty if they are not there. Like if they took out an entire scene if I was watching a play. Well I am the fussy one and at Auge they had one of the things that I like which was only available for those who ordered the chef selection menu, a pre-desert desert. I am not aware of the correct them so we will leave it at that for now but it is something that I judge a good restaurant or fine dining by. There are many more but we will get to that another time.

So overall a positive experience, I mean I will return but not necessarily have the chef selection again. Bon appetite!

Disgustation?

Lost in translation??

It seems that the latest craze to hit Adelaide restaurants is to have Wagyu on the menu. Now this is a cut of steak that sells for around $80 per kg at the market depending on the grading and which part of the cattle you are purchasing.

However I am not sure that it is a case of better produce equals better product. There is definitely a case for concern when even Subway has wagyu on the menu. Now it is unfair for me to judge the quality of the sandwich at Subway when I have not yet sampled the item in question. What I have sampled from the Belgium Beer Cafe and the Lion Hotel have not been overly exciting.

When I did sample wagyu or kobe beef in Kobe, it was magic! Like I didn't know that steak could taste that good. It was full of flavour, cooked to perfection, very sweet and juicy. All the things that make a great steak, great and then some. Now I wasn't paying 100% attention to the preparation methods but it did involve as I remembered, very high heat on a hot plate much like tempanyaki. The accompanying onions and potatoes worked a treat and the steak was so delicious that I didn't want the meal to end.

What I think is happening in Adelaide at the above establishments is that these steaks are prepared and cooked in a manner not unlike the way they prepare an Angus steak. The results are disappointing because they are serving steaks well below the standards of what I remember. Maybe the steaks we can get here is never going to be of the same quality as what they get in Japan and that's why the end product on the plate is different. I think it pays to do some research if you are going to have it on your menu and not just cook it like any other steaks.

Steaks are important. Most people would pay a little more for quality. I have had great steaks at the Botanic restaurant on East Tce, Red Ochre Restaurant along Memorial Dr and of course Kobe. The two places just mentioned didn't serve waygu when I visited last but the steaks were of far higher quality because they knew how to cook them.

One last note on steaks in Adelaide. I went to The Stag Hotel on East Tce recently because it it a place that serves quite a lot of different steaks. It is also a self proclaimed "worst vegetarian restaurant" because of the large range of steaks on offer. Unfortunately I had one the worst steaks I have ever had at The Stag Hotel. The sirloin steak was meant to be such a good quality cut of meat that you couldn't stuff it up. I guess I was wrong! It was dry and tough which is when I realised why they serve their steaks with so much sauce. It was truly memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day for Gorilla?

It has been a while since my initial entries into the world of blogging. I guess the gorilla has just had other things to occupy his tiempo libre. I thought that I would begin again about the subject of breakfast since I had an enjoyable one recently at Cafe Paparazzi.

I read not long ago that there was a change in ownership of this cafe and that breakfast was quite good so I went along to check it out for myself. Breakfast is not a huge priority to the gorilla since there isn't much time for it when the gorilla is at work. However on weekends when there is time for more than just oats or toast, the gorilla loves a big breakfast much like the English do.

On my recent trip to CP I had a smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and toasts with asparagus. It was simple, added some cracked pepper and the gorilla enjoyed himself. Sure it is not difficult to cook something like this and it is really just combining good quality produce but there have been some poorly made breakfasts that I had not enjoyed so much at other establishments.

The gorilla is also a fan of baked beans on fried eggs, hash browns or pancakes for breakfast. Other meals enjoyed by my peers that same morning may tempt me back there in the not too distant future.

Now other places of interests that have been pre-approved by the gorilla include the Brown Dog cafe on Goodwood Rd, German sausage breakfast at the pancake kitchen in the city and there is a cafe on Duthy St that I have yet had the opportunity to try which looks promising.

On other occasions, the gorilla doesn't have enough time on Sunday mornings and therefore have to go for brunch. Establishments that the gorilla favours include The Pot on King William Rd, Yum Cha at Ding Hao but don't expect any manners, Vietnamese noodles at Wong Kah near Arndale Shopping Centre and if you feel like having some blueberry waffles afterwards, then it is off to Luna Rosso also found on King William Rd.

Now there may be some haters out there who thinks that the blueberries are not fresh, there is too much breast meat on the roast chicken at the Pot which is true and therefore you don't go for the sunday roast when it is not beef or pork, gorilla's favourites. However fresh berries is hard to come by and you can always have the tasting menu at the pot which is excellent value or even go next door for some relaxed dining.

The hills are alive!

Around 25kms away from Adelaide lays the historic town of Handorf. It definitely gets quite busy down Main Street during the weekends as tourists and locals alike attend the semi-religious gathering spot known as the Handorf Inn. What they all come to worship is pork! Pork schnitzel, pork wursts, pork hocks, pork chops, bacon, pork ribs and steaks of all cuts also.

Basically it isn't a fun place for vegetarians. They have other daily specials like soups, pasta and burgers as well but they are just the sideshows for the main event. Pork and steaks aside, there are 5 different Hofbrau beers on tap with accompanying glasses ranging from 300ml to the 1L steins you can expect from Munich.

I love taking interstate visitors to this restaurant as it includes a pleasant drive up the Adelaide Hills. You feel like you have reached the country-side and there are plenty of shops to browse thru as well.

On my latest visit in just last Sunday , I enjoyed the fillet Mignon served with your choice of potatoes, a salad and a beautiful bearnaise sauce. The steak was done just right, medium rare with plenty of moisture. The sauce was separated so that it allows for individual preference in terms of how much sauce you like.

The trio of wurst you can see on top of the picture comes with 3 different mustards. All of which are locally produced. The pork hock is on the left of the picture, served with potatoes, it is the specialty of Handorf Inn. A must try for all food lovers. On the right is the pork ribs, that's the half serve at 500 grams. On that day it was a little dry but still delicious.

Quality control is strong at the Handorf Inn, the staff are friendly and you begin to recognise a few of them because it is a very family oriented place. There are plenty to keep the little ones entertained and the outdoor seats out the front of the bar are ideal on a nice warm afternoon.

I guess these are some of the reasons that separate the Handorf Inn from others like it in bigger cities around Australia that may be staffed by uni kids and with not as much focus on the food side of the menu. I mean these premises can't all be like the Hofbrauhaus in Munich but the Handorf Inn provides a good resemblance in the amount of enjoyment it brings to the gorilla.

I did mention the litre pints right?! So try to get someone else to drive when you bring a big appetite and if you get the German Platter, it provides a sample of all the highlights.

Gorilla eats fast food?!

There are very few places in the world that bring out the kid in the gorilla. I mean there is the Hofbrauhaus, Madisson Square Garden, the All-England Championships in Birmingham and the following temple of fast food. MOS is a Japanese burger franchise that has spread its culture of gourmet burgers to several South-east Asian cities. The last time that I had some was in Jakarta over the Xmas and New Year period in 2009-2010. There are four outlets in Jakarta alone and I couldn't resist.

The key difference between MOS and other fast food outlet is that MOS only make their products when you order it and therefore food is always delivered to your table. Also the burger that you get at your table actually resembles what you see on the brightly lit menu board because I believe the food is always made with love.

My favourite burger is the one with deep fry shrimp, although the MOS cheese burger, Yakiniku burger and marinated fry chicken are also excellent. You can actually see the little prawns inside the patty. On my last visit, there was a clam chowder on the menu. Unfortunately that was its only weakness as it was far too sweet and the texture was too watery.

The drinks selection is also quite exciting for me since I grew up drinking grape flavoured sodas, soya milk and authentic iced green tea. I have yet to try the iced coffee, but in my mind MOS can almost do no wrong. Such is the stranglehold It has over my emotions. I can’t see myself going pass one and not going inside to get my fix. It can me embarrassing for those around me but just wait till you try one for the first time. I am bringing a franchise over to Adelaide as soon as they start accepting monopoly money……… Ahhhhhhhhh, to live the dream!

The ultimate compliment? Iron chef in Nice!

You may have heard that I got told to fix up my shabby appearance at Le Chantecler as mentioned in "Dark side of the force not welcomed". We were left hungry and had to find an alternative restaurant where policies are not so strict. So we head down to another restaurant which we had read much about in at least 2 publications that we had confidence in.

We settle on another fine dining restaurant named Keisuke Matsushima found on 22 Rue de France in Nice. Yes, that is indeed a Japanese name because it is also the name of the head chef at the establishment. As a matter of fact, the majority of the staff at this restaurant were Japanese. However we were there for a French dining experience and that's what we got. I usually wouldn't trust a westerner cooking eastern food and vice versa but if the Iron Chefs are anything to go by, I know we were in good hands. Besides there isn't too many countries in the world as obsessed with food as France and Japan.

As with all fine dining places, the waiters were dressed better than we were. Everything was very proper which in turn causes one to leave one's elbow off the table and to sit with correct posture.

We chose the 3 courses lunch time specials. Our confidence in the chefs was raised when we noticed that we were the only tourists in this place. Also the presence of some 'ladies who lunch' that just bought up half the clothes in the same store we were at. They looked like they knew what they were doing, one of them waved and I waved back. The natives weren't as unfriendly as I had imagined.

It was mushroom season, our entrees were full of different mushrooms. Mine in a risotto and M's were in a ravioli. Both were completed with the ingredient of the moment.............. foam! We also encounter this concentrated taste sensation in Bilbao and San Sebastian.

Coming back to our ravioli and risotto. We had a sample of each others' entrees and the fact that we didn't swap half way was a sign of how delicious our food were. I think that we both made funny noises during each mouthfuls.

I then chose a fish encased in pastry for mains while M had a lamb dish. M thought that her mains were the best lamb that she had ever tasted, I thought that everything on her plate were complimentary to each other. I ordered fish with pastry. The taste of the fish was very evident despite the presence of deep frying, very skillfully prepared!

My dessert was a bit disappointing though, it said canolli but it was like fruit rollups without all the artificial flavours. Well, what I imagined to taste like anyway. M didn’t want to share her pumpkin pie which made me wish that I had ordered something else….

Overall, quite a special place. Although I wished they had been more liberal with the wine though. We ordered the wine package which included wine with each course but they weren’t as generous as the other joint with the dress code.

The bill came to just over 100 Euros with tip included; I thought it was about right. Then I found out that Keisuke is a Michelin starred chef and wondered how wonderful the dinner menu must be…………. Maybe the next time we find ourselves

Something new in Adelaide

Since we were in Marrakech around 2 months ago, my authority on the food served in a Moroccan restaurant must be quite high. Since the fussy gorilla resides in the city of churches, most of my restaurant reviews will be of restaurants in South Australia.

The restaurant Marrakech is located on 66 King William Rd, just a few minute south of Adelaide. The restaurant was simply furnished, functional and not too cramped. There is a lounge area to enjoy your Moroccan mint teas as well as outdoor dining options but only if two of you are dining.

We had pastilla twice on our holidays, we loved it so much that we tested the one they have at this establishment. Pastilla is a pigeon pie, we had the chicken version this time but the owner explained that we could have pigeon if ordered ahead of time.

The pastilla was more than reasonable, it was lacking some cinnamon and honey but very close to what you get thousands of miles away. The other shared entree was a prawn salad which was equally enjoyable, with mild spices that tasted like a little piece of Morocco.

The mains we enjoyed were a lamb tagine and the royal couscous. The lamb tagine came in boneless pieces which I thought took away a bit of flavour from the sauce. I do enjoy marrow goodness.........however the prunes and nuts also found in the dish added balance and texture to the meaty dish. The royal couscous came with a soup like sauce which I am guessing is to compensate for the dryness of the couscous due to the dry conditions in Adelaide. The kebabs and sausages that accompany it were well marinated with the exception of the chicken kebab. Chicken breasts have never been one of my preferred cuts of meat.

The mint tea at the end of the meal was a nice way to finish the evening. The servings were quite large and we went without dessert. However the menu was extensive and the meal was satisfying enough for us to come back to try other dishes. For $60 per head which included a bottle of wine, it was above average in terms of value and the fussy gorilla approves.

Dark side of the force not welcomed!

When in Nice during Nov 09, I was left with the responsibility of deciding where to eat. When I found out that the best restaurant in town had an affordable lunch time menu, I jumped at the chance to eat somewhere posh. M wasn't as enthused since there was somewhere else she had in mind to try first.

Due to my overwhelming ability to convince others through Jedi mind tricks we made the short walk towards the beach towards Hotel Negresco (37 Promenade des Anglais 06000 Nice, France 04 93 16 64 00, http://www.hotel-negresco-nice.com/htgb/0004.htm), and were given directions to The Chantecler.

We checked the menu outside again just to make sure that the prices haven't changed dramatically and went for it. I said "por deux, s'il vous plait?" and thought it shouldn't be too much trouble as it was early in the afternoon and it was a weekday.

However, the nice gentleman in the restaurant, (the head waiter) came over and said in his broken English "No sorry monsieur, shirts and jackets only" as he points out what the rest of the clienteles were adorned with.

A bit embarrassed in my Darth Vader t-shirt and torn jeans, I said determinedly"In that case I would like a table for two tomorrow at the same time please." Since we were staying in Nice for 3 nights.

So we spent the entire day looking for shoes for M to wear to this posh place and a pair of trousers for me as I knew something like this may happen and had pack a shirt and blazer in the luggage already.

Anyhow, when we did get to The Chantecler the next day, the same head waiter was there and we reintroduced ourselves. He said something to the order of "Oh yes, I remember you two. You look very smart today." We felt like naughty children that have turned over a new leaf, very chuffed indeed.

It was all worth it as even fussy me had no complaints as everything was top notch. The appetisers, entrees, palate cleansers, mains, deserts, glasses of red and white, desserts, service, presentations and attention to detail were hypnotic!!! There were a lot of love that went into making that extravagant meal. It is easily one of the top 3 restaurants I have been to of all time.

Some of the highlights were definitely my pheasant for mains and M's monkfish. We made sure that we tried all of each others' courses of course.

The Chantecler is my first entry into this blog of mine, it is definitely one that others will be measured against. They knew what we wanted before we did! A special mention has to go out to the petite fours which comes with the coffee, YUMMY!

Dinner is around double what we had paid for lunch. At 60 euros per person, not only was it pure luxury but also well worth it. So if you ever find yourself in Nice, treat your taste buds to an investment in your long term memory bank.

We were quite hesitant to take the camera there because at that time of indulgence I had not decided to do this blog yet and unfortunately I could only find photos of the restaurant itself on the net. I guess the menu just changes too frequently with the season.

Photo courtesy of the official L'hotel Negresco website.