It was a lovely Sunday so we decided to go for a little drive down to the Barossa Valley. To be more precise we were headed to a restaurant in Angaston which is touted to have the best pizza in Australia. I always love driving in the Barossa Valley because it’s such a scenic drive. It wasn’t too long before we parked at the front of our destination, the 40′s Cafe.

Although we’ve been to Angaston before we’ve never eaten here and so didn’t really know what to expect. Upon waling inside we were greeted by the friendly staff and showed to our table. They had a pretty extensive menu but we already had our heart set on pizza and so pizza it had to be.

Considering how they had won all these prizes we decided to try a couple of their winning pizzas.

Publican Special: Tomato sauce, cheese, black pepper, Schulz Butcher’s Mallee Gum smoked pork belly, salami, onion, capsicum, pepperoni, kalamata olives, mushrooms, jalapeños and anchovies. The Publican special that you see below won the best traditional small goods pizza in SA in 2009.

Lamb & Kipfler Potato: Smoked marinated lamb, kipfler potatoes, rosemary, fetta, spinach topped with a garlic yogurt sauce. This pizza won the best specialty gourmet pizza in SA in 2007. As you can see from the picture below it sure does look great.

Of the two I much preferred the Publican Special but Nadia’s, my daughter, favourite was the Lamb & Kipfler Potato one. I have to admit though that eating that one reminded me of having a yiros and that’s pretty cool.

Although the pizza was little dearer than I was used to it was well worth it. If you’re one for Family Holidays and you’re in the Barossa you can’t go wrong by having a meal here. The staff a really friendly, the beer is cold and the pizza we had was great. You’ll find them at 30 Murray Street, Angaston 5353, Australia.

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Last Friday I decided to go for a little drive to Hahndorf and who better to take with me than the wife. Although a fairly cold day the sun was out so I thought a country drive would be nice so we headed off to Hahndorf. We’ll leave that for another post though as this one is about our experience at the German Arms Hotel, a hotel that has been in existence since 1839. This hotel is steeped in history and what better place to read about it than at their own website.

As you can see from this photo the hotels breathes rustic charm, something that you see a lot of in Hahndorf. What I love about this hotel is that they tried to maintain that when they refurbished the hotel in 1990 by using 500 year old timbers. I’ve seen some classic hotels which in my opinion were butchered because they tried to meld the old architecture with new.

From Scenic Adelaide

As we walked inside we weren’t disappointed to find the charm we felt on the outside was continued on the inside. We were greeted by a warmth that radiated from more than that just the fireplace we walked past as we were led to our table. Although they had a pretty extensive menu which included both Aussie and German tucker we settled for their Famous Giant Hahnburger.

As I am want to do I took a photo of the burger so I can post it in this blog. What you’re seeing here isn’t my burger, it’s my wife’s and yes she did attempt to eat it with a knife and fork and believe me, that alone made the whole trip worthwhile. As to the burger, we both had different experiences when it came to our opinion of it.

As far as appearances go it made you hungry just to look at it. The wife found it a little dry but that could be because the meat patty was a lot bigger than she was used to. I, on the other had thoroughly enjoyed it. Sure the patty was thicker than what you would get in MacDonalds or Hungry Jacks but at least it was actual meat that you were eating. As far as I was concerned, I loved it as it was most flavoursome and not bland like those I just mentioned. I don’t know what herbs and spices that mixed in the patty but it added to the overall taste sensation.

This next photo is of a chair just outside the entrance. It’s been there for as long as I can remember and as you can see it is a little worse for wear. Perhaps they are waiting to find some well aged leather that would do it justice?

Finally, I leave you with this photo of the smiling German Bartender who resides just outside the German Arms Hotel.

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Last night we decided to dine out and as is our want to try out new places to eat we decide on Martini Ristorante which is located on 59A The Parade Norwood SA 5076. Upon waking into the restaurant I thought it had a really nice atmosphere especially with the presence of a lovely wood oven, which I thought would lend to some really traditional cooking, especially the pizza. Nothing better than a tasty wood oven pizza.

Unfortunately we were directed to another room which apart from the bar was really very drab looking. As we sat down we couldn’t but help notice all the noisy chatter, especially from one table of revelers. The noise was such that it really spoiled out dining experience, completely different from Chianti which I reviewed on my Chianti Classico Restaurant Adelaide, A Great Experience post. Perhaps management should consider doing something to that room that would absorb the noise as well as lift the atmosphere of the place.

Martini is obviously and Italian restaurant, and being of Italian background I was looking forward to a lovely meal.

As an entree I decided on the Gnocchi al Ragu, a house made gnocchi with tender veal pieces in tonato ragu. Although this was really a main I asked for it as an entree and I have to admit it was absolutely divine. The gnocchi dumplings were absolutely divine, definitely the best I’ve ever had, so light and fluffy I’m sure the only thing stopping them from floating off the plate was the sauce and tender veal pieces, both of which only added to the a very tasty entree.

For my main I chose the Risotto alla boscaiola with portobello & porcini mushrooms, sage, barolo wine & baby spinach. Those of you who follow my reviews would know that I love my risotto, unfortunately this one, as far as I was concerned,  was below par. Although the rice was cooked to perfection the dish just wasn’t very flavorsome. It definitely could have done with a little more salt but considering the ingredients I was expecting more. I let my wife sample some of it and she thought it was alright but sorry I can have alright at home, when paying for a meal I want something more.

Speaking of the wife, she had the Pappardelle con Anatra, a flat wide ribbon pasta served with slow cooked duck and field mushroom ragu. Now that was something that looked really tasty and so I had to sample me some and it was as tasty as it looked. After speaking to the others that were dining with us it seemed that I was the only one whose dish was left wanting. Oh well, c’est la vie.

By that time the noise had become intolerable and after telling the waitress we would love to stay for dessert but we couldn’t eat with all the noise around us she has us moved to the front of the restaurant. Much better, and not longer after the move we noticed another table from the ‘noise’ room were right behind our heals. Seems we weren’t the only ones that found the noise level intolerable.

For dessert I had the Bombaloni di banana, a banana & chocolate beignet with vanilla custard. This consisted of four tasty balls that were of a cinnamon donut consistency and texture, with a chocolate center, each surrounded by a little vanilla custard. Don’t know where the banana came in. Overall it was passable. The wife had the Crème Brulèe, a vanilla crème brulée served with house made almond biscotti which was quite tasty.

Apart from the risotto and the noise the only other disappointment was the service. Although the staff was very friendly they just were not around often enough. There were times when we needed drinks and no-one was around to ask. I also think that the it took way too long for the main to come out. We sat down at about 7.30pm and we weren’t served the main till after 10.  Other than that it would have been a very enjoyable evening.

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The other night we went to Chianti Classico for my mother-in-law’s birthday and I have to admit I was pretty excited because I heard so much about it. Located on 160 Hutt Street Adelaide they’re open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We all rocked up at roughly the same time and from the moment I walked in with my family we were greeted by staff who were exceptionally friendly. Actually throughout the whole dinner they went out of their way to make sure that everyone had a great time. There was never a moment when we were left lacking service as can happen at some restaurants.

Something that I liked about the restaurant was that unlike a lot of cafes the noise level was such that I could actually hear myself speak to the person next to me.

As to the meals, I had the Risi e Bisi, a
Venetian summertime risotto of vialone nano rice, fresh peas, smoked speck & parmesan. My wife looked at me as if I had made the wrong choice, but once she a taste of my risotto she was amazed at the flavor. Now I have many a risotto and I have to admit that this only just missed out from being the best ever.

Nick, the brother-in-law’s meal really looked a treat. They say that if the meal looks appetizing then you’ve won half the battle. Well his meal looked simply scrumptious and according to Nick it tasted as good as it looked.

Probably the only one who was a little disappointed was Sam, the other brother-in-law, who is somewhat of a regular. That alone speaks volumes as to the quality of the food at Chianti Classico, as you wouldn’t go back if the food was lacking. Anyway, Sam had rabbit and he thought  it was a little dry. Sorry Sam, I reckon you should have had the risotto old son.

Seeing as how it was a birthday celebration we brought our own cake and so I didn’t get to sample any of their desserts. Normally if a restaurant was to present a birthday cake which a customer had supplied it’s just cut into slices and put on individual plates. Not Chianti, no they presented it as if it was part of their own dessert. I have to admit that in itself was pretty impressive.

All in all we had a great experience. The food was great, as was the atmosphere and the wait staff were exceptional. I would recommend Chianti Classico to anyone, so if you’re ever in the area you may want to drop in for a great meal.

They also have a website in case you want to check out the menu and opening times.

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It was my wife’s 50th birthday last week and so we decided, seeing as how it was a momentous occasion, we would celebrate it in style. That being the case we decided on the Riverside Restaurant which just happens to be one of Adelaide’s favorite buffet restaurants. I didn’t realize how sumptuous Riverside’s buffet selection really was until we rocked up on the night.

Even though I’m not a seafood fan, my wife is and it is her night after all, and it just so happened that the Riverside features a great range incorporating the best of local seafood and produce, as well as a range of decadent desserts, and I have to admit the desert was to die for.

Like I said I’m not into seafood but Anna and the guests were and they absolutely loved it. It consisted of fresh prawns, oysters and crabs. As can be seen from the following photo the presentation was superb.

Next is a photo of some of the selection of salads and stuff.

What I really liked was the roasts and desserts, and the fact that the service was impeccable. They were even nice enough to organize a small section of the room just for us. This photo is a view of the restaurant from our little special spot.

As I said they supplied great service which included this margarita just for Anna.

It was a great night and the family had a great time. You’re all wondering about the price. Well the buffet itself was $65 per head which I though was more than reasonable. They had a nice selection of wine, of which the guests chose Lehman Shiraz at $45 per bottle and Kalleske Clarry’s Grenache Shiraz at $46 a bottle, both which was dearer than what you would pay in a bottle shop but withing reason for a restaurant of this type.

Beers included Coronas, James Boags and Crown Lager which were $10.50 and $9.50 respectively, and Hahn Light at $7 a pop. The only thing that knocked me for a six was that they charged $10 for every bottle of water (Santa V Still) which I thought a bit rich.

Anyway, like I said, it was a great night and well worth the money spent and I didn’t even need a cheap cash advance to get through it. The Riverside Restaurant is located at North Terrace in Adelaide and if your interested in more details about this Restaurant please phone them on (08) 8238 2384.

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In my last post I mentioned the Tap Inn where we had my son’s 21st, so I thought it only fitting that I dedicate this post to another Adelaide business that I happened to come across, and all because of my daughters 18th birthday.

I’m talking about a nice little store that specializes in making cakes for all occasions, especially weddings, engagements and christenings. My wife happened to find it while surfing and once she showed the site, 2 Nice 2 Slice, to my daughter the decision was made.

Honestly, from the moment we picked it up it was obvious that a lot of love

and care was put into making this cake, and we couldn’t thank Melissa Barnet enough when we saw how well it turned out. As you can see from the photo the cake came in four tiers with the cake proper on the top tier.

The other tiers were filled with scrumptious cupcakes each of which had Lindt Chocolate as part of the ingredients. We had a total of 38 cupcakes and they comprised of three different flavors.

I can honestly say that the cake tasted as good as it looked. It was all I could do to keep my hands off it until it was time for Nadia, my daughter, to cut the cake. If you look at the main cake you can just see that it had some crystals embedded in it. According to the wife they were Swarovski crystals, but don’t quote me on that.

We had the cake set up in full view of the guests and I can safely say that every one of them commented on how great it looked. It was all I could do to keep the kids from knocking off one of the cupcakes before Nadia had time to cut the cake.

Needless to say that whilst the barbecue went really well, I’m sure that most of the guest were hanging back some so that they would have some room left for that cake.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post the guys that put this cake together call themselves 2 Nice 2 Slice and honestly when you see their cakes you can see how aptly they’ve named their business.

Needless to say everyone loved the cake, and lucky for me we had some left over, and I am making it last as long as possible.  if you want to see more sample of the cakes they produce, just head on over to their FaceBook page.

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When we had to find somewhere to host my son’s 21st birthday we wanted somewhere that offered not only a great dining experience for our guests, it also had to have a whole heap of atmosphere. After trialling a few restaurants, any excuse for a good feed, we decided on the Tap Inn which is located at 76 Rundle St. Kent Town.

We decided to hold it in their Sand Bunker Beer Garden as it enabled us to be separated from the other patrons without losing any of the atmosphere. There was about 35 of us at the party and it was a perfect size for us. What was really unique about the place was the huge palm tree growing in the middle of the room.

Our wine selection included some Geoff Merrill Savignon Blanc, Woodstock Shiraz and the girls requested some Trilogy. For food we had a great selection which included Tiger Prawns, Oysters Kilpatrick, Salt and Pepper Squid, Crumbed Barramundi, Feking Duckwits, Beef kebabs, Haloumi & Zucchini Fritters, and the list went on.

The food was absolutely superb and we didn’t have one complaint, everyone loved it.

This is a photo of one of the entrances;

If anyone is thinking of a venue to hold a party I highly recommend the Tap Inn.

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I had some time to kill the other day, a four hour wait whilst my Honda Civic was getting serviced, so I figured I would take my camera for a walk. It was a nice enough day so I wandered down the River Torrens towards Cafe Lago. I’ve been to Cafe Lago a couple of times and I was always impressed with it’s menu. In those days the menu had a Tuscan flavor to it which was probably one of the reasons it appealed to me so much. That and the picturesque view of the city while I dined.

To my surprise Cafe Lago was no more as it is now known as the River Cafe. I went inside to ask if I could take some pictures of the city from the outside deck area and the manager graciously gave me his permission. Once on the deck I was presented with a great shot of Adelaide’s business district. From memory it was even more stunning at night, especially if the Torrens was very calm.

I’ve never actually had a meal on the deck, but I reckon if you wanted to have a meal whilst having the City of Adelaide as a backdrop, then the deck area would have to be the perfect spot. I also noticed the soothing sound of running water from a pond somewhere on the left which would only add to the whole eating experience.

This next shot was taken from the dining area which is down a few steps from the bar area, but not to worry as a small lift was installed to help the wheelchair bound diner.

The River Cafe is only part of the dining experience as it is, as was Cafe Lago, associated with the Red Ochre Restaurant, located upstairs, which also has stunning views. I must admit that I have never really tried ‘contemporary Australian Cuisine’ and this restaurant is touted to have innovative Australian food with a native influence. Perhaps it is time that I checked both out, the River Cafe to see how it stacks up against Cafe Lago, and the Red Ochre Restaurant to finally sample some traditional Aussie cuisine.

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This church is probably the first church that I came into contact with as it was in this church that I was baptized. The Sacred Heart Catholic Church can be found at 252 Port Rd, Hindmarsh and it is really quite an impressive building.

Baptisms and wedding bookings are by appointment only and you can get in touch with them by using one of the following.

They also offer the following services.

Mass times for Sacred Heart CHurch, Hindmarsh;
Sundays: 9.30am 2nd-4th Sundays; 11am Italian every week except 3rd Sunday; 5pm Latin; 7pm Charismatic Mass.

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The Orange Spot Bakery, located on 752 Anzac Highway Glenelg, has to have the best pies and cakes in town. Even though I was born and raised in South Australia and I have visited Glenelg on many occasions, last Australia long weekend (January 28th) was the first time I ever stepped foot into this establishment.

Just to give you an idea of the prizes they have won I took a picture of just a small selection of their trophies.

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