I love pizza, it has to be one of my all time favourite foods. I don't eat it often and am always hesitant because 1) I ate a lot of pizza when I was at my highest weight 2) If I'm using my 20% non paleo food on pizza I want it to be awesome and pizza is one of those food items that are ether done amazingly (like at Melt) or really badly. I had seen San Antonio's Pizzeria at Norwood pop up on my Instagram feed and when I looked at the menu online and the unique range of pizza toppings on offer I knew that I had to give them a try so early on Sunday evening a few weeks ago I headed in with a friend for dinner. When we arrived the place was empty and I was really surprised by the setup. The menu itself read like the place was an Italian type 'restruant' but it is a much more casual eatery, it has a small dining area, and definitely seemed geared towards takeaway. At this point I was a little nervous...I was expecting restaurant quality and the place was empty. We grabbed a menu, and after some discussion decided to order the medium sized pizza (8 slices) with half chicken mango (avocado, marinated chicken fillet, sliced mangoes, spanish onion, yoghurt sauce) and half surf and turf (bacon, prawns, marinated beef, shallots). The young man serving was really friendly and said we'd made a great choice, he also said they had been really busy since they had opened (approximately two-three weeks earlier). I was starting to feel a little less worried at this point. We waited probably 10-15mins for the pizza, it wasn't long at all really but when they brought out the pizza the guy apologised on the wait.
The pizza looked amazing it had so much topping and a puffy golden crust. The chicken mango was divine, the combination of plump juicy mango, tender seasoned chicken and ripe avocado was pizza perfection. I have never seen this combination before and it's a winner for sure. The yoghurt sauce rounded it off nicely without being overpowering. The surf and turf was topped with real sliced beef (not mince) that was tender and juicy. There were plenty of huge prawns (not the pathetic pink shrimp type things you often get on pizza) and the base sauce was rich and robust. The crust itself was light and crispy but not hard or burn and there was no sogginess despite the generous amount of toppings. There was just the right amount of perfectly melted cheese on both pizzas as well. I was really, really impressed with San Antonio's, the pizza was absolutely fantastic, it leans more towards take away pizza but with more class and quality then other pizza places. The menu has so many unique combinations, the prices are reasonable, toppings more the generous and the service was efficient and friendly. I will definitely be returning and if I need a takeaway pizza I now have a new place at the top of my list. I'd recommend heading in and giving this new business a try especially if you want something a little different from the usual hawaiian/meat lovers/etc combos (although they do these as well as burgers, salads and desserts!).
Aviary Dessert Kitchen
After our pizza dinner we headed to the Aviary Dessert Kitchen for some late night sugary goodness. I have been here a few times (visit one and visit two) and have really have enjoyed each dish I've tried, the service has always been good and the venue has an intimate, cute vibe about it. Tonight was no different, we were seated straight away, our waiter was friendly and we were given a special menu that detailed the Christmas themed dessert. On this occasion we decided to share the Christmas dessert which was made up of a white chocolate and nougat macaron 'snowman', white and dark chocolate mousse, Adelaide hills cherries and coconut as well as the ' malteaser yes pleaser' which was a combination of vanilla malt sponge, dark chocolate ganache, caramelised milk parfait, malted white chocolate crunch, malt meringues and chocolate crumble . It didn't take long for our drinks to be brought up (a soft drink and sparkling water) and our desserts were not long after. As expected of food from Aviary both were very beautifully presented and looked really appetising.
The Christmas dessert was certainly worth ordering. The shaved coconut ice was refreshing and sweet, the macaron chewy but soft with no hollowness, plenty of filling and a strong chocolate-nougat flavour whilst the mousse was smooth creamy and rich. The base on the mousse was my favourite part, it was a chocolate type sponge that had crunchy pieces throughout, a really nice textural element but also really delicious.
Although this plate looks like a pile of everything smashed together the 'malteaser yes pleaser' was really delicious. Every element perfectly complemented the other and none were overpowering or heavy. The cake was soft and moist, the chocolate mousse again creamy and rich and the biscuits pieces crunchy. It was exactly like giant a malteaser had exploded on the plate. They really do an amazing mousse here, every time I eat it I'm impressed with both it's smoothness and taste. Overall another great evening at the Aviary, they are certainly one of my personal top picks in Adelaide for a late night sweet craving.
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