Sarah’s Sister’s & Future Café
117 Semaphore Road
Semaphore South Australia 5019
w not available
e not available
t +61 8 8449 5817
f not available
vegetarian
open Monday to Tuesday 10.00 am till 3.30 pm, closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10.00 am till 4.00 pm, Saturday 9.30 am till 4.00 pm, dinner Thursday to Saturday 6.30 pm FOOD At the outset of this review it is important to say three course and wine will most likely not cost much more than $50 AUD a head.
FOOD Enjoying the last warmth of an exquisite Autumn day lounging along Semaphore Road, the closer one gets to the beach the nastier the smell of old fryer oil becomes. So nasty you might be tempted to just go home.
This would be to miss a terrific uncomplicated unique dining experience. Sarah’s Sister’s is right next to the Semaphore Garden Centre and it’s plastic clad rotunda backs on to the centre. Blissfully warm in the sunshine the tranquility is emphasised by the centre’s water gardens with their hypnotic running water and glinting flecks of gold from fish lounging in the water plants. There is something wonderfully reassuring about this unassuming ragtag establishment. Chef owner Marian Prosser has been cooking her uncomplicated fresh vegetarian food for at least 25 years and never in that time sought any limelight. Nor, despite the fact it must be at least 20 years, does she seem a day older than the first time we met at the first Sarah’s in Hutt Street. Marian was making puff pastry and the first person to start unraveling the tricky nature of that especially fabulous pastry. Marian does what she does with patience and dedication and now holds a unique position of trust with her loyal clientele; it is a trust that would be the envy of most chefs. She cooks exactly what she wants; she doesn’t even list it on the night menu and when the food she has prepared runs out it’s finished.
At lunch you will find their Plat du Jour, $15, a selection of two or three items accompanied with a generous side salad, or The Set $15 per person a slightly more extravagant version of the former. The daily lunchtime hot special was Moussaka, rich with tomato and loaded with squishy soft baked eggplant it came to a neighbouring table looking absolutely great. The Tasty Pastry $11, was generous well beyond the price. A vegetable parcel it came with a creamy herb sauce and salad, all, for not much more than the price of a so–called gourmet sandwich. The sauce was rich and ample and the dish would have been just as good without it. Fresh house–made cakes are such a treat and on the weekends there are always several to choose from. The type of good cake your mother might not have made, they come highly recommended and are all about $8.
To eat at Sarah’s Sister’s at dinner is to place yourself utterly in Marian’s hands. Three courses are just $33 and the degustation is just $35 for four courses.
’s is quirky, the ambience is informal and comfortable and sitting in the sunshine in their rotunda is serenely peaceful and pleasant. There is no rush and your empty plate may languish in front of you for a while, but remember the price is reflected in the informal experience and during the day there are just two people making the food and servicing the tables. We especially like the fact that there are no rules and it is straightforward fresh vegetarian food.
WINE Steward Gifford has always had a fascination with wine and always run interesting and well priced wine lists with ample wines available by the glass. Fully licensed and BYO.
OWNERS — Marian Prosser and Stewart Gifford
CHEF AND RESTAURANT MANAGER — Marian Prosser
