Paloma bar brings Mediterranean sunshine to Peel St

There’s already a cheeful vibe about the new Paloma Bar & Pantry in Peel St – staff members are well known to each other even before the big launch

There’s already a cheerful vibe about the new Paloma Bar & Pantry in Peel St - staff members are well known to each other even before the big launch. Officially open on Friday May 24, Paloma is backed by Palmer Hospitality, also behind 2KW rooftop restaurant.

Paloma is the 110th small bar to open in Adelaide’s CBD – and there are 13 more applications in the wings.

Designed byClaire Kneebone, the light and welcoming bar features a striking landscape by Neil Thwaite downstairs.

Upstairs, you can look down on the passing parade, or admire the streetscape.

Venue manager Luke Fleming said the theme is Mediterranean, with a little touch of Central America.

The team has collaborated on the beer and wine list, and Vanessa Rech, one of seven South Australians in the running for national bartender of the year, has been working on her creative cocktails.

Chef Louis Halstead presides over an open pantry with pickling and fermenting at its heart – you can even buy a jar of your favourites to take home.

Trent Lymn, executive chef at 2KW, explains “we will do the fermenting and pickling, then we will write the next menu!”

It’s all about celebrating that seasonal produce, Luke says.

Hot smoked ocean trout at Paloma Bar and Pantry pic AAP/MIKE BURTON

“We want to take the idea of just cheese or charcuterie board and really build on that.

“Instead of doing a board of three meats and three cheeses, we are grabbing one of those meats or cheeses and creating a dish around it.

“It’s fun for the chef because he gets to experiment on a small scale and if we like something, do it on a larger scale.”

The goat’s cheese on the menu comes with an apple relish made with Hallett Cove honey, for example.

Just last week, Luke says, he came from Glen Ewin Estate with the last 20kg of figs from the harvest.

Chef Louis Halstead in the pantry. Photo: AAP/Mike Burton

Some were made into jam, and the rest, “I have preserved and pickled in rum – at a later date we will have preserved pickled figs and the rum can go into another cocktail.”

It’s more than good taste, it’s about sustainability too, something Luke is personally passionate about. He points out that there are plenty of bars which celebrate sustainability, as waste is a such a huge issue for the hospitality industry.

“It’s not just about the planet, it’s about the bottom dollar as well – getting everything you can out of product.”

Still, he says, “you shouldn’t come here to think about saving the planet, you should come here to have a good time”.

Paloma Bar and Pantry, 20 Peel St, city. Wed-Sat 4pm-late, lunch from midday Fri. facebook.com/palomabarandpantry