Restuarant review: Monica in Adelaide’s CBD

This new hotspot in the city has been inspired by a 1980s hit straight out of Hong Kong. But it’s not just a gimmick - this new bar eatery is a standout.

Variety of food at Monica, Adelaide . Picture: Jay Zhang / Supplied

Before you start reading this column, do yourself a Molly Meldrum favour and check out the YouTube video for Monica by Leslie Cheung.

Sure, the earworm melody of this Canto-pop classic might get stuck in your head but those cheesy dance moves and ’80s outfits should put a smile on all but the churlish of faces.

The fun factor is a big part of the thinking behind a new Asian cocktail bar/diner in the East End. Owners Ben Liew (Chinese Malaysian) and Karl Tang (originally from Hong Kong) have taken a few fond memories from their own backgrounds and woven them in with the flavours of China, Korea, Japan and other regional neighbours.

This is the second side project for the pair, who met and continue to work at Paper Tiger, while also operating Makan Wine Bar, where the food focus is more on South-East Asian.

This time they have taken over a property best remembered as the old Oyster Bar in East Tce, recently trading as Nostru with a focus on Italian vino. That explains the wall cabinet filled not with bottles but vinyl albums from Elvis, Neil Diamond, The Beatles and more obscure artists. Staff pick their favourites to put on the turntable. While these Asian pop gods might be slightly lost in translation, the Jackie Chan movies playing on a contraption like a converted boom box are wonderful.

Elsewhere faux-marble tables are pulled up to a banquet upholstered in tangerine fabric that stands out against the moss green paintwork. Padded high chairs are lined up along the bar, while at the back of the room a tiny kitchen is tucked away in the corner.

Most of Monica’s cooking is done over a charcoal fire. Somehow the two chefs that fit in there use the grill and a portable gas burner to prepare a menu with more than 20 options. At least they don’t have to worry about the cocktails with names like Roses from Seoul (sweet and floral) and Crazy Rich Asians (lemongrass-infused vodka and pandan foam, like an alcoholic Pine Lime Splice). A terrific waiter says the latter one is her favourite which proves a sound tip and she does an equally good job guiding us through the menu.

Burrata with szechuan strange sauce at Monica, Adelaide . Picture: Jay Zhang / Supplied

Uyghur lamb skewers at Monica, Adelaide . Picture: Jay Zhang / Supplied

Swamping one of Coffin Bay’s finest in a full-throttled Korean combo of soy, sesame and chilli flakes sounds like sacrilege but, after the initial wake-up call of the dressing, the oyster’s brininess takes over, bolstered by the addition of seaweed, before disappearing like a receding wave and leaving a pleasant buzz of heat.

A burrata ball has its own feisty companion, the appealingly named “strange” sauce that includes sesame paste, sweet soy and Szechuan chilli oil and is commonly used with cold “Bang Bang” chicken. With the richness of both key components, there is a limit to the amount you want to load on to wonton crackers, not helped by the cheese being solid in the middle rather than releasing the expected creamy ooze.

A chiller cabinet is filled with ducks at various stages of ageing, a serious undertaking in itself. When they hit 14 days, the breasts of the birds are removed, smoked with hay, then char-grilled to order. A generous serving of 16 slices must be from more than one breast and is good value to share at $44. The smokiness, however, needs to be dialled back a little, though dousing with an excellent sweet-sour umeshu plum dressing helps with the balance.

A separate list of seven “signature skewers” covers most proteins, as well as vego options. The Uyghur-style lamb has the bonus of a pair of naan breads that can be wrapped around the still-pink cubes of leg meat with their cumin/chilli sprinkle and yoghurt dressing. It’s like a mini-yiros from a different part of the planet.

Monica doesn’t serve dessert and suggests the churros next door. A better idea might be to order another cocktail (Misosexy anyone?).

14 East Tce, city

0451 437 099

Instagram.com/monicaadll

Main courses $16-$48

Open

Dinner Tue-Sat

Must try

Gulmuchin-style oyster; Uyghur lamb skewers

VERDICT

Food 13/20

Ambience 15/20

Service 14/20

Value 15/20

Overall 13.5/20

As a guide, scores indicate:

1-9 Fail; 10-11 Satisfactory;
12-14 Recommended; 15-16 Very Good; 17-18 Outstanding;
19-20 World Class

delicious.com.au/eatout