Sliders on Rundle

I headed into the CBD for a lunch catch up with a fellow PhD student a few weeks ago and  was keen to try out Downtown HDCB on Hindley but upon walking down there found them closed! (serves me right for not checking first). So instead we wandered back up to Rundle Street to browse the options there and ended up settling on Sliders. This place has been open a few months and has a really extensive menu, I would describe it as a combination of Italian and modern Australian food. We grabbed some seats outside and were given menus to pursue. After making our choices we ordered inside, first tick for this place was they let us order as a split account, this is always handy and makes it a good option for group gatherings!

The lady at the counter was friendly even though it was pretty busy and all the staff were running around serving/prepping The restaurant itself is very large, open plan and has a modern clean feel, I'd describe it as a cross between a Cafe Primo and some of the nicer Italian cafes in North Adelaide. For my lunch I went with a roast lamb panini (roast lamb, spanish onion, rosemary potato, mint yogurt and rocket) and a serving of curly fries. My panini came out first with the fries maybe a few minutes maximum later. The panini was really good, it had a decent amount of lamb which was tender, well seasoned and had no gristly or overly fatty bits and a good balance of other filling ingredients (potato, lettuce etc). The yoghurt mint dressing was really fresh and light with a good mint hit and the bread itself was toasted to 'just right' warm and slightly crunchy. The only let down was the cheese which was a bit rubbery, it seemed like it may have been a pre-sliced kind of cheese. The fries... well... let me just note I had been craving fries ALL WEEK and as I rarely eat them it was of vital importance these were at the very least average. Luckily enough they were more than average, they were delicious! It was a huge serve, way more then I expected, they were golden and crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside with no sogginess or excess oil in sight. I literally inhaled these!

My friend ordered a pasta, but the exact name of the dish escapes me. They did report that it was a good meal, a generous serve and good value for money. It looked pretty tasty with a good balance of ingredients to pasta.  Overall I think this was a decent place for a lunch, and ideal for a large group meal as not only is there plenty of space there is something on the menu for everyone. I watched other diners eat some amazing looking pizza and salads and they have dessert pizzas which sound epic! Service was efficient and friendly even if slightly brisk, but given how busy they were this is understandable. Cost wise Slider's is great value for money with largish serves at mid range prices and is certainly a good option for a meal on Rundle Street. 

Hilton Brassiere Valentines Day Dinner

This Valentine's Day hubby was unfortunately working, however I was lucky enough to head out with friend's to still take advantage of the Valentine's day menu at the Hilton Adelaide Brassiere restaurant. This set dinner package included a total of five courses, plus a sparkling wine each, Haighs chocolates on the table and a rose for the ladies.  We arrived a little early so we could have a drink in the Collins Bar attached to the hotel. This bar has a focus on unique cocktails and carries a huge range of spirits to suit any taste as well as a small 'bar food' type menu. The decor is modern yet classy and feels comfortable yet 'cool'. At 6.30 it was pretty busy with people having after work drinks but we were still able to get a table with ease. The staff were dressed elegantly and were attentive and friendly.

I ordered the Collins Colada (10 cane rum, coconut rum, fresh pressed pineapple juice  with coconut foam and roasted coconut flakes over crushed ice), whilst my friend went with the tombstone (rye whiskey, house made demerara syrup, bitters). My drink was absolutely spot on, I don't drink often so when I do I want it to be exceptional and this version of a pina colada certainly was. A fantastic balance of creamy and sweet, with a slight tartness from the pineapple. The foam was light and the toasted coconut very, very moreish. The alcohol was well balanced and nothing was overpowering, it went down extremely well and you could easily drink several of these without realising how much you were drinking. My friend reported that their drink was also made really well, with great balance and a smooth, strong yet not overpowering whiskey tone.  I really liked this bar, it had a great atmosphere and service was great, I definitely will revisit and would recommend for causal, classy drinks with friends or co workers.

After finishing our drinks we headed into the Brassiere, I've eaten here more times then I can remember and had never had a bad experience so was expecting a great meal. The staff here again were friendly and efficient and we were quickly shown to our table and given a brief overview of how the menu worked. Every course was set except the main of which there was two choices, we decided on one of each to try. Our sparkling water and wine was brought to the table and followed shortly by the first course, which was coopers bread rolls, piquilla pepper dip, dukkah and coriole olives. The bread was warm, with a crunchy yet chewy crust and a soft fluffy centre. The dip and dukkah were both delicious, a really nutty flavour in the dukkah and a well balanced capsicum/spicy creamy dip. The oil was smooth, light and really complemented the bread well and the olives were not too salty. A great start to our meal :)

There was a fantastic violinist playing throughout the meal, it really enhanced the romantic atmosphere without being to much or distracting. 

The second course was crispy pork belly buns banh mi style mini buns and coffin bay oysters with mojo dressing. The buns were amazing! Crispy, fatty pork belly so tender it just melted in your mouth. The asian flavours were well balanced and the bun was sweet and soft, an absolute winner! The oysters were super fresh and juicy, having that real ocean taste, the dressing was nice but they could have done with a little bit more as the taste was overpowered by the oyster.

Third course was Mori yellowfin tuna with san jose parma ham, avocado puree, apple and ponzu as well as  a crisp bollywood spiced beef short rib with soy beans and siracha aioli. The tuna, like the oysters were super fresh, it was tender and complemented well by the salty, crispy ham shards. The avocado and apple combination was really unusual but worked well, the apple jelly cubes added a nice sweetness to cut through the saltiness of the other components of the dish. The beef ribs were cooked perfectly, a great cut of meat with a spot on fat-meat ratio, perfectly tender with no gristle. The spice coating was a nice textural contrast and the aioli had a spicy kick.

There was a little wait until our mains, but nothing ridiculous, the first main was a Clare Valley beef fillet, horseradish gratin, charred shallots, broccolini and a bordelaise sauce. I've had steak/fillet at the Brassiere before and absolutely every time its has been divine, this was no exception. Perfectly cooked to medium-rare, so tender it didn't need the steak knife provided. The gratin was creamy and rich and the sauce was provided in the perfect amount not to overpower the star of the dish, the fillet. The second main was a golden souffle snapper with Kinkawooka mussel chowder and paella arancini. The fish on this plate was superb, thick, fleshy and cooked spot on so that it flaked with ease with a fork. The fish was topped with a 'souffle' that was creamy, full of flavour and well matched to the snapper. The chowder was delicious, and the mussels were cooked perfectly, not chewy at all. The arancini, although great with soft, gooey rice and plenty of flavour was an unusual side, I think something green would have added just a little but more to this dish.

The dessert platter consisted of tart au citron with black berry sorbet and gingered crumble, a salted caramel tart with a hazelnut and chocolate macaron and ginger vanilla ice cream, chamomile poached apricots with candied almonds, meringue, cardamon custard ice cream amaretti and roasted apricot puree, and finally a Haighs 70% chocolate marquise gateau with raspberry gel, cacao crumble popcorn and double cream. Every one of the desserts was amazing in it's own way, the tart had a great citrus punch and the gingered crumble balanced it so well. The sorbet on this dish was slightly tart but still sweet enough to work with the citrus flavours. The caramel tart was smooth, with a clear salty undertone, the macaron perfectly chewy-crunchy with no airy biscuit and a distinct hazelnut flavour whilst the ginger in the ice-cream was so moreish (I love anything ginger flavoured!). The apricots were poached just right, they weren't soggy or to hard although a little more meringue on this would have been nice. The last dessert, the gateau was the standout, a stunningly rich dark chocolate mousse type cake that went perfectly with the tart raspberry gel. The popcorn on its on was great, but I'm not sure of it paired well with the gateau as the textural contrast didn't quiet work for me (was still very tasty though).

Finally we were given a plate of chocolates and mandolins to have with our coffees. Overall, this dinner was certainly fantastic, one of my favourites. The food was exceptional in quality, flavour, technique and presentation.  The service was friendly, classy and attentive and the atmosphere was spot on for a romantic evening. This is one of my go to places for special occasions, and has been for many years. If your looking for a high end meal using plenty of locally sourced ingredients then the Hilton Brassiere is worth considering.