Galaxy Guides list of favourite restaurants — South Australia
amended July 24, 2009
To clarify our list, the Jasmin is our top pick for South Australia, however in this list they are all as different from each other as it is possible to be in style and in price. A diversity with the high end and the middle end these are the restaurants that we have most enjoyed in the last 12 months and the restaurants that we return to for their reliable cooking and dining experience. Most, by international, even Eastern states standards have relatively modest surroundings, but what they all share is a consistency, a dedication to what they offer the customer and most importantly to us a passion for the craft of cooking. Further, in almost all instances, they understand what the word hospitality means and regardless of price offer their restaurant guests a genuine welcome and follow through with food service and wine list.
It would be remiss not to admit a personal association with most of the restaurants on our favourites list. No apology for this! Some are young chefs whose careers have been closely followed mentoring and criticising their food to watch them come into full bloom, others are colleagues who have become friends over many years of professional cooking. They are establishments we greatly admire for their dedication to doing what they are supposed to do……well! Our best regional meal in two years remains Pipers of Penola and we can only lament that the tyranny of distance has meant they do not receive the national or local accolades they deserve. With the exception of the Rockford Stonewall table which is only available to Rockford Stonewallers and their invited guests, there is no other regional dining experience in South Australia that delivers such excellent, original and innovative food across the full breadth of their menu and their wine list whilst representing the beast of their region has a fabulous well priced international list. Approximate costs are $AUD per person food and wine with medium wine choices.

1. Jasmin Indian Restaurant — this is the restaurant that expats dream of and interstaters envy, and the one restaurant in Adelaide that has never failed us. Carnivore, vegan, vegetarian, halal this is the jewel of the Adelaide restaurant scene and the only restaurant in South Australia without an equivalent in the eastern states. (approximately $70 per person)
2. The Manse Restaurant and Bar — every time you eat Ayhan Erkoc’s food there is a noticeable refinement, an improvement that in combination with the knowledge of their sommelier Craig Phillips can be marvellous. Fine dining is alive and well at this excellent establishment and they currently offer the most interesting and original modern cooking in Adelaide. (approximately $150 per person, a la carte, $200 degustation with matched wines)
3. Rockford Stonewall Table — the menu is dictated by seasonal produce available from the winery’s biodynamic garden. Their chefs Ali Cribb and Michael Voumard draw from a lifetime of reading and travel to devise menus that few other chefs would have either the knowledge or skill to recreate. Add wines from the Rockford museum this is Australia’s most unique dining experience. Only open to Stonewallers and their guests, but if you love eating and drinking it is unlikely that you are either not a member or don’t know one.
4. Appellation at the Louise Sunday lunch or a hide–away weekend — combines quality cooking using mainly local ingredients with an excellent wine list with an emphasis on the Barossa and brilliant service. Our only reservation is dessert where finishing with cheese and another glass of wine is good advice. (approximately $150 per person, a la carte, $200 degustation with matched wines)
5. Chloe’s Restaurant and especially their Chloe’s Club dinners. An 83 Heugel Gewurtztraminer with the most sublime steamed blue swimmer crab lightly and brilliantly compared with a current vintage 07 Yalumba Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Gewurztraminer. Owner and sommelier Nick Papazahariakis and head chef Johnny Triscari are just getting it right. No other restaurant in Adelaide can offer such wonderful comparisons between a wine in its youth and old age and has the food worthy of that comparison. These dinners are brilliant! (approximately $150 per person, a la carte, Chloes Club special dinners $140 degustation with matched wines)
6. Aquacaf — no pretense, no fuss just fabulous fresh food from breakfast to dinner right on the water. We know it’s nuts making reservations for a little casual eating place but unless you want to play Mary and Jesus reservations are recommended especially for the their weekend dinners. please note auqcaf is closed for annual holidaysJuly 20 and reopen September 4, 2009. They’ll be travelling in France and we’ll be the beneficiaries on their return! (approximately $65 per person, a la carte)
7. Jolley’s Boathouse — you can almost judge the strength of a chef by the depth and breadth of their culinary libraries, so no surprise that Carroll’s is extensive. Carroll’s food exhibits a passion and technical skill and consistency rarely seen in Adelaide and he is one of the few blokes not to let dessert pass him by. (approximately $80 per person, a la carte)
8. Penny’s Hill Kitchen Door — unbelievable value for money, quality intelligent cooking with a European influence, good service and great wine. What’s not to like? (approximately $80 per person, degustation with matched wines best value but a la carte also good value for money)
9. Art Gallery Restaurant – never dull witted, theirs is a menu that always offers interesting food with a great small wine list and one of those rare establishments to offer terrific sandwiches, cakes and coffee with equal dignity. (approximately $75 per person, special offers with exhibitions)
10. Citi Zen — really good Chinese is in short supply in Adelaide. There are many dishes we like at Citi Zen and their Sunday Yum Cha is the best in town. Two sittings and reservations are essential. (approximately $40 per person without wine)
11. Fino — front of house at Fino cops a fair amount of criticism, like for instance vaccuming before the guests leave, but if you are type of diner that can see past the service and focus on the food and wine there is plenty to be enjoyed here. (approximately $80 per person)
12. D’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant — a remarkable patnership of three (four if you include d’Arenberg Wines) with good service a great company wine list that is bravely pitched against good old world options. The added bonus is they have very nice desserts and a fab dessert wine to go with them! (approximately $80 per person)
13. Bridgewater Mill Restaurant — it is only the wonderful cooking of Le Tu Thai and his dedicated team that continues to draw devoted diners to the milll. Service is not what it used to be and front of house lacks attention to detail. We like this restaurant better in winter when the style of cooking seems more appropriate. (approximately $150 per person)
14. The Pot — formerly the Melting Pot, with a new make over and a less formal structure is delivering great value for money tapas style food complimented with an excellent and diverse wine list with many terrific options by the glass. Try their Sunday lunch, inexpensive season appropriate food with just a couple of dishes, often a roast. (approximately $80 per person)
15. Kenji Modern Japanese — best traditional Japanese (with some modern twists) in Adelaide, and whilst theri contemporary Australian/modern Japanese is not our favourite many friends and chefs love their fusion western and Japanese combination. If they have sashimi lobster on their specials what ever the price order it because it is divine! ($80 upwards per person)
16. Addis Ababa Café — this is my local and a reminder that even the most humble establishment can deliver a unique dining experience. Give their chef/owner Yenesh a hug and her perfume is one of spice and ghee and her story one that makes you proud to be Australian because it is one of inclusion and migration and she returns her good fortune helping new arrivals to Australia. We love her food! (approximately $25 per person without wine, BYO only)
17. Lucia’s Pizzeria and Spaghetti Bar — there is a special place in my heart for this establishment where I ate my first spaghetti bolognaise at 18 (43 years ago). Yes you have to wait, but it’s worth it. There is no other family establishment like this in South Australia and their generosity and the generational nature of their operation means their longevity is ensured. (approximately $20 per person main and coffee)
18. Magill Estate Restaurant— Tasmanian chef Luke Stepsys has made significant improvements to the food at Magill. Go the degustation and matched wines to fully explore the good things about his food. The menu does not change regularly, a criticism that can be laid at the feet of most Adelaide chefs at the high end, so you might like to check with the restaurant to ensure the degustation menu is not the same as your last visit.(approximately $200 per person, degustation and matched wines)

We need to point out that there are some five and half thousand restaurants in South Australia and just 84 reviewed on Galaxy Guides South Australian section. When our first (and only) hard copy was published in 2006 it was clear to us the only way it was possible to keep information current was to be on–line. This enables us to keep our guide up–to–date; a chef changes, that restaurant's review goes on hold for three months. An instance of three chefs in three months means that each time a new person takes the helm, their review date is put back to three months again. As a practicing chef and restaurant consultant it is possible to fully understand the complexities of change in a restaurant kitchen or floor. The pressure to review just opened restaurants is intense, but we believe reviewing a restaurant, with very rare exceptions, in the first weeks of its operation is neither doing justice to the restaurant or the diner.
Ann Oliver
food editor and publisher