Tony Tomatos and Milkaholic

Okay, so this post has been sitting in my drafts for far, far too long. Time to get back on the 'updating the blog once a week' train. Starting with this review of Tony Tomatoes and Milkaholic.

I love Ruby Red Flamingo, and Tony Tomatos is run by the same amazing people. This restaurant on O'Connell Street has a pretty big reputation for serving up some of Adelaide's best pizzas and I was very excited to finally have an opportunity to try them out. We arrived really early, the restaurant was empty apart from two other small groups, however it did get very, very busy just as we were leaving so I'd recommend allowing plenty of time if you don't have a booking. The restaurant itself was fantastic, modern and clean with tables spaced well and a very light, welcoming feel. Service was friendly and knowledgeable and we were quickly seated and provided with some totally addictive complementary green olives.

For entree we ordered the lamb skewers (which aren't on the current menu). The meat was juicy, tender and had a really great char-grill flavour. The dressing on the small side salad was also amazing! We decided to share a pizza for main, and went with the 'Tony in Beijing' on a classic base (Tony's has several base options, including a wholemeal version). This pizza was a combination of basil pesto, mozzarella, roasted duck, capsicum, goats cheese and cos lettuce. The pizza arrived around ten minutes after our entree, and was hot and jam packed with plenty of toppings. The crust was perfection, no sogginess in sight, it was crispy but not burnt and had a soft, fluffy and slight chewy denseness that has given me a new found love of a thicker crust (I am usually a thin crust girl). The toppings were generous but well balanced and there was no excessive oiliness. The duck was divine, tender and full of flavour from an Asian inspired sticky glaze. The cos was an interesting addition, but it really made this pizza unique and complemented the rest of the toppings well, adding a fresh, crispy texture. 

Overall verdict? Tony's currently has my heart for favourite pizza in Adelaide! The range is interesting and fun and the flavours unique and delicious but it was the base that captured my taste buds, it was exactly how I think a pizza base should be! It is on the high end price wise for pizza, but honestly you are getting what you pay for, authentic, high quality food made with passion.  

Post dinner we headed to Milkaholic in Norwood, this little dessert place has been on my list for so long it was finally time to tick them off! The decor is cutesy and kitsch with tables running down a narrow room with some very romantic mood lighting. The outside area was also really cool, spacious and perfect for group gatherings.

This place has been on the croissant x donut craze for as long as they have been a 'thing' so it seemed only right to try out their rendition, the 'Kronut'. However, there was a slight dilemma... they have a nutella and a peanut butter version and given I may have a slight, tiny, minor addiction to both of these delicious food products I could not decide what I wanted. The lovely people at Milkaholic were happy to help me out and let me order the peanut butter Kronut with homemade salted caramel and peanut butter ice cream with the addition of nutella! And so my dear readers I was presented with this stunning sugar coma inducing master piece....

This dessert was my nirvana on a plate. The Kronut was cinnamony, flaky and doughy... I'd say leaning towards more donut than croissant. Served warm and topped with a creamy, smooth ice cream that had a really distinct peanut butter kick it was finished off with generous servings of peanut butter, super thick sweet-salty caramel and plenty of my most loved kryptonite...nutella. I loved this dessert, so simple but very well excused and certainly good value for money. I would definitely return for this dish alone. We also shared the special of the night which was a waffle fondue. This was again a very simple dish, a crisp fluffy waffle  with fresh strawberries and bananas, HUGE squishy marshmallows and a pot of melted chocolate. The waffle was great (although it would have been easier if it was already cut up) and the fruit was all fresh and sweet. The marshmallows were actually the best I've had served with a fondue (I'm not sure if they are house-made but these were not the usual Pascall's that you often get at other dessert places) The chocolate itself wasn't bad, it wasn't high end chocolate like at St Louise, or a thick rich chocolate like San Churros but it wasn't too watery or syrupy either. Overall a good dish, not mind blowing and maybe a little overpriced for a special and it's serving size.

I'm glad I finally tried out Milkaholic, the menu is made up of simple desserts but they are done well and the staff are super friendly and accommodating. I would certainly return here for a group outing in the summer to use the outside area  (or with the sister and her friends, this place seems perfect for a group of giggling teenagers!) and plan to return to try out the brunch menu in the future! 

Miss Mai

I'm a little bit of a Vietnamese salad addict, Roll'n on Bower is my favourite but I will pretty much give anywhere a try! The best thing is depending on my day's macros I can have one of these with or with out noodles, and usually pork or chicken and easily account for it in my day!

A quick lunch between appointments in town gave me a chance to try out Miss Mai on James Place last week. This place always has a crazy line but I managed to sneak in and get served pretty quickly after lunch rush. I ordered at the counter than took my ticket to the preparation area where the server asked which protein I wanted, plus offered chilli, coriander, peanuts and shallots (I always have all of these plus extra chilli). I went with the lemon grass chicken with no noodles on this occasion, it was ready within minutes and I happily sat outside to devour the below plastic bowl of deliciousness.

So thoughts... Great salad balance... often when you opt no noodles places fill out the bowl with lettuce. Miss Mai's version had a pretty even amount of cucumber, lettuce and carrot. Chill packed a really good amount of heat whilst the dressing was on the sweeter side, and honestly maybe just outdid my go to favourite on Bower Road. The chicken was juicy, tender and packed full of flavour, although a little oily. If you after are quick lunch in Rundle Mall I'd give Miss Mai a shot for good value, delicious Vietnamese food.

Caffe Paparazzi 'Clean Eating' Menu Launch

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the new "clean eating" menu at Caffe Paparazzi earlier this month. The menu developed in partnership with Andrea Robertson is described as 'An extension to our existing menus, all options are 100% clean: No preservatives, No gluten, No processed sugar and no cow’s dairy. Some options will have natural sugars (honey, maple syrup,dried fruit) and goats dairy, however these will be itemised on our menu. Many options can be 100% free of fructose and goats dairy upon request'

So dear readers, most of you will be smirking somewhat... especially those that follow my Instagram, as I have become somewhat of an advocate for abolishing concepts of 'clean/dirty' foods, and have moved completely away from the paleo diet concept. I will admit that because of this I was hesitant about attending the event, and did email them in advance to make sure they wanted me there. At the end of the day this blog is about showcasing the best of Adelaide and I didn't want my own personal choices impacting negatively on a local family run business. I was warmly still welcomed, and the following is my honest review based on the food, but as always I will add in a disclaimer here.... I was generously fed and watered by the Caffe for this launch :)

When I arrived I was blown away by the beautiful the table set up (done by The Stylist Loves), not to mention the whole restaurant felt warm and welcoming but still modern and sleek. I could really see this venue being perfect for a whole array of occasions, the quick brunch with friends, the intimate date night and the rowdy family birthday! All would work in the space and the attentive, friendly service throughout the evening highlighted that customers eating here are seen kind of like an extended family :)

We were given a preview of all the dishes before we ordered, and although I didn't try them all I think the photos show just how generous the serving sizes are, and how well presented each dish is.

Zucchini Slice and Fabulous Salad: zucchini slice (zucchini, carrot, onion, goats cheese, buckwheat flour, olive oil, eggs, spices) and salad (carrot, zucchini, almonds, coriander) 

Grilled Barramundi with Mediterranean Quinoa Salad and Broccolini: barramundi, quinoa, coriander, parsley, red onion, seeds and nuts, capers, currants, lemon juice, olive oil 

Spaghetti Bolognese with Zucchini Pasta: whole zucchinis handmade into spaghetti spirals with bolognese sauce served with goats cheese 

Paparazzi Clean Eating Salad: grilled chicken, bacon, oven-dried tomatoes, sweet potato, continental cucumber, lettuce 

Roast Pumpkin Salad: roasted pumpkin, baby spinach, asparagus, toasted walnuts, goats feta 

'

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Chicken: chicken, tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic, almonds, goats yoghurt, spices, coriander and served with steamed greens and brown rice 

There was also a 'naughty corner' with dishes from the traditional Italian menu for us to sample.

For my main I chose the 'No Bun Burger and Fabulous Salads with Sunflower Seed Dressing'

(grass fed beef burger, onion, parsley, lettuce, tomato, goats cheese, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, tamari, herbs, carrot, zucchini, almonds, coriander) straight up, wow. The meat was so juicy, flavoursome, tender and had that perfect, slightly charred marking and smokey undertone. I could have easily demolished a second one of these! The cheese was creamy and gooey (I do have a soft spot for goats cheese) and the sunflower seed sauce really complemented the meat and cheese combo. The salads were fresh, light and crisp a really great balance to the heavier burger patty.

On to my favourite part of any meal... dessert. I have always liked 'clean'/raw/vegan' desserts as they offer a slightly different take/taste to some of my traditional favourites (because let's be honest... a dessert is a dessert because whether it's 'clean' raw or made with butter and white sugar... at the end of the day they are all delicious, decadent calorie dense food items), and Cafe Paparazzi certainly provided me with a mouth watering selection to finish off my meal

To start we were given the Banoffee Parfait, made with cashews, dates, arrowroot, vanilla, bananas and walnuts. This was my favourite dessert of the night, it was so creamy, smooth and light with a great textural contrast in the crunchy walnuts and perfectly ripe bananas. I would most certainly order this item again without hesitation.

This was followed up by a stunning tasting platter of some of the desserts available on a rotational basis. It included:

Triple Choc Swirl Cashew Cheesecake (macadamias, dates, raw cacao, cashews, raw honey, coconut cream, coconut oil)

Lime and Kiwi Cashew Cheesecake (almonds, macadamias, coconut, sulphate free dried fruit, coconut oil, cashews, kiwi, spinach, lime, coconut cream, arrowroot)

Berry Delicious Cashew Cheesecake (almonds, macadamias, coconut, sulphate free dried fruit, coconut oil, cashews, organic blueberries, lemon, coconut cream, arrowroot)

Andrea’s Best Bliss Balls (nuts, sulphate free dried fruit, raw cacao, rice malt syrup, tahini, cacao nibs)

Paleo Florentine Spiders (nuts, seeds, sulphate free dried fruit, coconut oil, raw cacao, maple syrup)

The cheesecakes were fantastic, with a great mousse like creamy texture and bold fruit/ chocolate flavours. The base was firm but still had that just right crumble when bitten into. The bliss ball was outstanding, I rarely eat these because I think they often lack flavour for how calorie dense they are, but on this occasion it was worth every single bite! Moist, firm and sweet I would easily eat several of these in a sitting! My unquestionable favourite though was the 'spider' rich, smooth crunchy and sweet it was like eating a chocolate fruit and nut crackle! 

And because I have to ensure I maintain my membership to 'teamneverfull' here is my photo evidence that I completely cleared the platter!

So my thoughts? I can in all honesty say I loved the food I ate, forget the 'clean' label, this was delicious, high quality, made with passion food. At the end of the day for me, three things matter... amazing food, amazing service, amazing atmosphere and Caffe Paparazzi delivers on all three.  The menu has a fantastic range of options for people with alternative diet choices at prices that are reasonable and not inflated due to the 'clean eating trend'. What Caffe Paparazzi have done is given people the option to dine as a family, with friends, with a partner and not have to stress about what they can/can't eat. You don't feel like you are eating 'differently' or are the odd one out, the meals taste just as good, look just as good and are completely comparable to their traditional menu counterparts. They have opened up their restaurant to everyone, and this is what makes this place awesome... They don't want to push one way of eating, they don't claim the clean menu is better for you than the traditional menu... the philosophy here is to provide a restaurant where everyone can experience the joy that is sharing amazing food with those you care about, no matter lifestyle choice. That is why I fell in love with this place. If you need somewhere that can cater to variety of diets, or if you 'eat clean', or paleo, or if you just love authentic, quality Italian (and come on... who doesn't love a stunning pasta!) then head out to Caffe Paparazzi and support this local, family owned and operated business as they try out this fantastic new, holistic approach to eating concept.

Sushi Planet Launch

So this review is very, very overdue. Between health stuff (needs a whole post to itself) and working at the Garden of Unearthly Delights (best time of my life) my blog has been on hiatus. My goal for March is to be up to date and to start bringing you some awesome new reviews in April. But I digress, here are my insights into the Sushi Planet Launch, which almost everyone has posted about already, but I might as well throw in my very late two cents because I was there.

So first up...what's so great about Sushi Planet that makes it different to the rest? Delivery, yes that's right ladies and gentleman this place does Sushi delivery. Perfect for CBD business lunches, date nights at home and those I cannot be stuffed cooking moments (and if the food is as delicious as it was on launch night... my advice is to try it and try it now).

On the night we were given a wide assortment of sushi and nigiri to taste, and to be honest I didn't really pay much attention to what each one was particularly. However, in everything I tried the sushi rice was soft and sticky, the fish fresh, tender and flavoursome and the combinations very delicious. I did make an effort to try out the brown rice quinoa sushi as it was something I hadn't seen elsewhere and it was really tasty! A more nutty, earthy flavour and definitely worth trying. The standout for me was the yakitori though! I could have easily eaten ten of these!  A really moreish char grilled flavour and juicy tender meat (I tried the fish and chicken) makes these an awesome addition to the menu!

The staff were all super friendly, happy and efficient (the kitchen is open and seriously were they working hard and fast!) despite how busy the launch was. In all honesty the food was really good, and if under that kind of pressure they can produce such a quality  product I'm predicting that eating here on a  normal trading day is going to be even better. The restaurant itself was stunning, a huge airy set up that still retained a traditional Japanese charm, I would actually recommend this space for private function or events, it has a great ambiance and space to hold a large group of people and still feel comfortable and welcoming.

I couldn't not try the desserts and Sushi Planet have taken an interesting path with their menu and included a raw cake! I tried the strawberry cheesecake as well as the raw cake and I have to say the raw cake was certainly my favourite with it rich chocolatey flavour and smooth creamy texture. I would love to see a matcha/green tea flavoured dessert on the menu though.

So, after being so generously fed and watered for free what were my thoughts on the new Sushi place in Adelaide? I loved it, and I think that this place can and will only get better. They offer all the favourites, a few unique menu items and some banging Yakitori. The prices are on par with similar restaurants and having a delivery option is a very smart business move. I would highly recommend giving this place a try if you love your sushi.

Jamie's Italian

As a food blogger I like to give new restaurants a few weeks to get on their feet before I head in to check them out, I guess I would rather give them an opportunity to iron out any kinks in their operation, and avoid the 'just opened extra special service'. So a few weeks ago I finally headed in to Jamie's Italian to try out one of the most media hyped places in town. I went for lunch with a friend on a Saturday and we were able to grab a seated table with no booking after a ten minute wait. The restaurant is large, airy and has stunning ambiance and decor but it's set up to hold a mass number of patrons, the acoustics aren't amazing (given it's an old bank, understandable) and it's does feel kind of like an upmarket 'chain restaurant'. Notably though that is what this place is, and in all honesty they do it very, very well.

We were seated, given menus and a run down of the specials by a very enthusiastic waitress. We started by ordering two drinks along with a meat plank for two to share. Our drinks were brought out fairly quickly and the meat plank shortly after.  My friend ordered the Perfect Manhattan (a blend of whisky, Martini Rosso and dry vermouth, finished with a dash of bitters and a sour cherry) whilst I went with a non alcoholic Refresher, (a combo of fresh lemon, elderflower cordial and cranberry juice, topped with lemonade). Both drinks were well made, mine was not too sweet, very refreshing and had a real old fashioned lemonade flavour whilst my friend's drink was delicious, having a classic Manhattan flavour with just a slight sweet twist.

The plank was a combination of Italian prosciutto, Wagyu bresaola, finocchio, artisanal mortadella, mini buffalo mozzarella, pecorino and chilli jam, pickles, olives and a crunchy salad. Presented on a long wooden 'plank' standing on two upturned tomato cans it's a visually gorgeous dish. Every element was in just the right proportion to not overpower others and to make this a light, satisfying entree. The meats are freshly sliced to order and every single one was a quality cut, with plenty of flavour. The salad dish was delicious, and had a dressing that complimented the meat and cheeses well. The mini mozzarella was soft, rich creamy whilst the pecorino packed a strong flavour punch that was offset with a crispy light cracker bread and a sweet-hot chilli jam. This is certainly a dish I would order again and recommend people try out, it's a generous serve for price, delicious and a great way to start our meal.

For main's we decided to order two entree sized pastas and a serve of the fancy chips. Our picks for this visit were the lamb and ricotta tortellini (parcels stuffed with braised Aussie lamb, creamy ricotta, lemon, mint and crunchy, herby breadcrumbs) and the sausage pappardelle (slow-braised fennel sausage ragù with red wine, Parmesan and crunchy, herby breadcrumbs). The pasta on bot dishes was cooked well, soft but still with that slight bite/firmness al dente pasta should have. The lamb was juicy and the lemon mint combo cut through the tomato based sauce for a really moreish flavour combination. Plus it was nice to have a lamb pasta dish instead of the usual beef. The sausage ragu was a flavour bomb, a very meaty, robust home style sauce with the perfect undertone of fennel to stop it being heavy. The breadcrumbs were crunchy and added a great textural element.

The Posh chips brought back memories for me, they were what I'd describe as a British style chip. Crunchy but still kind of soft (most people would say soggy but there's a fine balance) these were well seasoned, and the combination of truffle oil and Parmesan was really unique and added depth to something that could be a boring side. Again worth trying for something different, but it was a smaller bucket then expected for the price point.

After seeing all the photos on instagram there was no way we were leaving without dessert, my friend ordered the brownie and I went with the lemon meringue. My friend's dessert consisted of a 'warm fudgy brownie with amaretto ice cream and caramelised amaretti popcorn'.  The brownie was dense, fudgey, chocolate and had that slightly chewy texture that a good brownie should have. The amaretto ice-cream was the perfect pairing to cut through just how rich the brownie was and the the popcorn added a nice crunchy-salty element to this indulgent dish. Certainly a must try at Jamie's if your a dessert fiend like myself.

The lemon meringue pie with limoncello and crunchy pistachio brittle isn;t something I would usually order, but my oh my am I glad I did. A huge slice of pie that had a delicious soft, crumbly crust, a goooey light meringue and a thick, perfectly sweet-sour balanced layer of lemon ensured my meal at Jamie's ended in a bang, This was a more traditional Italian style meringue, so forget your typical Aussie pavlova and instead think marshmallowy and sticky with a very slight crisp on the top. 

So overall verdict? Jamie's was great, we ate a nice meal at an average price point in a stunning building. The service was attentive (maybe a little over the top but friendly and helpful nonetheless) and we didn't experience any hiccups during our visit. I wouldn't call this high end dining, it's mid range Italian with a slightly fancy twist, perfect for family meals or group gatherings. I would certainly re visit, but I would say if your looking for more blow your mind Italian food to check out some of Adelaide's long standing favourites.

Ding Hao

One of my most favourite people in the whole world was visiting from Japan for New Years and when she asked to go for dinner somewhere she could get a good stir fry Ding Hao was the first place that came to mind. I have never eaten at this Adelaide Yum Cha institution and was unsure of their night dining menu so I did some enquiring... and everyone I spoke to only had glowing things to report... so I booked table.

When we arrived the restaurant was really empty (it was 5.30pm) but by the time we left around 7pm the place was totally packed, so if you want to eat here I would highly recommend a booking. The restaurant is quite large and spacious but the decor is basic and a little dated. We were quickly served and offered water and menus, and our drinks orders were taken.  It didn't take us long to decide, obviously my friend wanted a stir fry, Ding Hao have a decent range of options and she went with the beef and vegetables. I ordered my staple Chinese restaurant items, the Shallot Pancakes and the Xiao Long Bao (Shanghai dumplings/soup dumplings).  Drinks were brought to us not long after and I think we waited around fifteen minutes for our food. I had ordered both dishes as mains (they are usually entree type items) and everything was brought out at the same time as requested. 

First up, the beef and vegetables, this was served steaming hot with a thick, flavourful sauce that wasn't overly salty. The vegetables were still crisp and fresh and the beef was juicy and very tender. My friend was really happy with this dish, she hadn't had a good stir fry in months and this ticked all the boxes! My two dishes are my go to choice of food when I want to test out a new Chinese, and Ding Hao did not disappoint. The shallot pancakes were golden, crisp, airy and had plenty of spring onion flavour. The serving size was generous and they weren't oily or soggy. These were my favourite of the two dishes. The Xiao Long Bao... *sigh these are one of my all time favourite foods from when I lived in Hong Kong and Adelaide has yet to blow me away with any attempts, Ding Hao was no different. Yes they were good, they were juicy, the skin didn't fall apart, they were uniform and were steaming hot but they just didn't pack the flavour punch I get in Melbourne's versions. Not a bad dish, and if I had to recommend somewhere in Adelaide to eat these Ding Hao would have to be my choice for best attempt hence far.

Overall experience? Great, I would most certainly come here for Chinese food again and plan to head back to try out the infamous Yum Cha in the future. The quality is high, nothing left me choking for water hours later or feeling gross from MSG, service was friendly and quick, servings generous and the pricing is fair and reasonable.