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.