Best eats in Adelaide’s suburbs
Whether you can’t be bothered cooking, or want to enjoy a meal out with the family, there’s nothing like grabbing a top bite just around the corner from home. Here are the best suburban restaurants across Adelaide.
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Whether you can’t be bothered cooking, or want to enjoy a meal out with the family, there’s nothing like grabbing a top bite just around the corner from your home.
Here, we’ve compiled a list of the best suburban restaurants from across town, so you can eat at one of South Australia’s best spots no matter where you live.
1. TOPIARY
1361 North East Rd, Tea Tree Gully
(08) 8263 0818
Kane Pollard is a chef who doesn’t like to throw anything away. Whether it’s the tops to his carrots, the leaves from a cauli, pumpkin seeds or the briny liquid left after cooking mussels, he will find a use for it all.
That he does so in compositions showing all the unforced beauty and creative flavour matching you’d expect from one of our elite diners makes this the biggest, most welcome surprise in the SA delicious 100 list.
Topiary, after all, is a garden centre café in the far-flung north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. It serves eggs every way for breakfast. Even at lunch, plant lovers will pop in for a hot chocolate and scones.
They don’t know what they are missing out on. How about a squid ink crumpet topped with plump smoked mussels, shaved fennel, mussel water mayo and a tangy tangelo marmalade? It’s unbelievably good. Or, more conventional but just as delicious, fried gnocchi tossed with a spring bounty of peas and beans in nasturtium oil and house-made ricotta?
Prices are extraordinary. A luscious puck of pan-fried corned beef with roasted carrots and carrot top mayo, for instance, is only $24. It would be at home on any table. Same goes for the delicate folded pear slices, quince and honeycomb cream of the “Fallen Leaves” dessert.
Kane’s partner Amber does a wonderful job managing the floor and the straw roof and lumpy walls of their old cottage are full of rustic charm, even as the trolleys laden with gerberas roll by.
- Hours: B|L Mon-Sun
- Bill: E $8-$29 M $21-$32 D $16
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $25
- Chef: Kane Pollard
2. NIDO BAR | PASTA
Shop 2/160 King William Rd, Hyde Park
(08) 8373 2044
The space that was formerly The Pot, Nido lives up to its new name: Italian for “nest”.
The little restaurant is super-cosy, with a tightly packed line of tables alongside an upholstered banquette, stools around the bar and kitchen, walls painted the colour of grape must, a friendly buzz and, most important, the waft of Italian fare from the kitchen.
Start with rootello bonnato, the name a play on the classic vitello tonnato. Here finely diced raw kangaroo is lightly anointed with bonito mayonnaise. Pair it with a fat dollop of whipped ricotta drizzled with Ligurian honey and also order a puffy, oily gnocco fritto to scoop it up.
Handmade pasta is a house specialty. Radiatori (radiators) have little ridges perfect for sopping up a ragu of braised lamb, peppers and chilli. Black maccheroni comes with cubes of Coorong mullet steamed in the acqua pazza (crazy water) spicy broth poured over it.
From the “fiamma” (flame) try the pork chop — grilled then separated from the bone before being basted and finished in the wood oven — served on a creamy bed of chestnut polenta. Sharing? Go for a 750g Kangarilla T-bone or a Flinders lamb shoulder “scottaditto” — finger-burning rather than finger-licking.
Of the dolci, the baba with limoncello infused filling is as light as a cloud, and a creamy, citrusy sorbet in a green puddle of bay leaf oil a perfect palate cleanser.
- Hours: L|D Tues-Sun
- Bill: E $$6-$25 M $19-$88 D $8-$15
- Wine: Wine list
- Chefs: Max Sharrad, Laura Cassai
3. SEASALT
Beachfront, 269 Seaview Rd, Henley Beach
(08) 8465 5005
Ever dream of kicking back in a seaside taverna on Mykonos, freshly-caught fish sizzling on the grill, a sea breeze ruffling your hair? It turns out there’s no need to fly half way around the globe. SeaSalt on Henley Beach has that holiday vibe down pat.
With a sun-drenched terrace decked with jaunty yellow and white-striped umbrellas overlooking the ocean and jetty, Simon Kardachi’s smart take on a casual seafood restaurant calls to mind the cool glamour of the Med.
Relaxed interiors, a clever wine list (German pinot gris anyone?) and spanking fresh local seafood elevated with bold, bright flavours make this one haute chippy.
Ocean trout tartare, chopped with smoked kewpie mayo and chilli oil; kingfish wings with a spicy sauce, inspired by Singapore chilli crab; wood-grilled baby squid topped with a gently spiced chimmichurri. All spot on.
Fish and chips (beer battered or grilled) or a fish schnitzel are good choices, but there might be a wee wait for the tempura oysters because they’re still being shucked. Who cares? Another pinot gris anyone? You’re on holiday after all … if only for a couple of hours.
Bring the kids; fish nuggets and a big bowl of chips will keep them happy. And those tempura oysters with dashi mayo? They’re brilliant.
- Hours: L|D Mon-Sun
- Bill: E $10-$22 M $22-$39 D $12
- Wine: Wine list
- Chef: Mitch Carter
4. NEW LOCAL EATERY
120 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
(08) 8340 4915
It would be easy to bustle straight past Port Rd’s New Local Eatery as you made your way from the Adelaide Entertainment Centre to the Lady Daly Hotel for a couple of quick pints before Black Sabbath or Hugh Jackman or whoever the kids are listening to these days.
If you did, though, you’d miss out on the salt-baked beetroot with labneh, smoked almonds and witlof providing the crunch and red apple and sherry vinegar giving the sharpness to offset the earthy flavours of the beet and cheese. And you wouldn’t want to do that.
The beetroot is just one example from a menu that never fails to surprise as chef Daniel Blencowe taps into a United Nations line-up of culinary influences — from Indian to Middle Eastern, Chinese and Spanish.
The mulloway in the Thai-influenced dish with coconut and galangal and green papaya is substituted with Coorong mullet on the night we dined, but it’s still great with big, punchy flavours that complement, rather than overpower, the fish.
A beef cheek baked in filo and served with winter vegies like celeriac and radicchio is a satisfying twist on the good ol’ meat pie, while a dark chocolate and hazelnut pudding, served with roasted hazelnut ice cream and a fig and pedro ximenez sauce will make you wish you had room to eat another one.
New Local Eatery’s prices are always more than reasonable, given the quality of food, but its $15 lunch offer is an absolute steal.
- Hours: L Mon-Fri D Tues-Sat
- Bill: E $16-$19 M $26-$32 D$15
- Wine: Full list plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chef: Daniel Blencowe and Amy Zammit
5. ORSO
36 Kensington Rd, Rose Park
(08) 8364 1008
The handle to the glass front door is a polished timber block that demands to be stroked. Step inside and the greeting will make you feel the most important person in the room. Look around and take in the brickwork, the marble, the sunset-glow of the feature wall and the kitchen that has the floor-span of your average two-bedroom flat.
Orso, the game-changing restaurant from Andre Ursini, has so many of the small details right. An uncompromising vision and what must be a scary level of investment has turned a grand but neglected old bluestone manor on Kensington Rd into the user-friendly dining and wining hub the eastern suburbs didn’t know it needed.
To one side is Willmott’s Gastronomia, a bar, snackery and providore with shelves full of pickles and preserves. On the other is the restaurant-proper that opens to a courtyard when the weather is kind.
The menu is a broadly Mediterranean compilation that includes a trio of pastas but is as much Spanish as Italian.
Vegetable dishes shine. A bowl of savoury custard is crowned with peas, leaves and tendrils, drizzled in a green mint dressing, and finished with a grating of fresh horseradish. It’s like a day spa for your insides.
Grilled zucchini ribbons on a cushion of house-made ricotta play a similar game.
Octopus tentacle is poached, then grilled on the kitchen’s huge fire pit, and laid over a rustic stew of chickpeas in a tomato sauce pepped up with melted nduja (spicy salami).
The “market fish” is flounder, slathered in the house take on XO sauce, which replaces the traditional dried seafood with parmesan, pancetta and mushrooms.
Ricotta parfait, topped with a fast-melting fennel sorbet and lemon cream, is the kind of dessert you want when already feeling full.
- Hours: B Sun L|D Tues-Sat
- Bill: E $9-$26 M $24-$52 D $16-$17
- Wine: Wine list
- Chefs: Will Doak
6. PARWANA
124b Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville
(08) 8443 9001
Parwana is a real family affair. The younger generation are responsible for the outlets loved by students at Flinders University and city workers in the East End.
But to understand where the warm hospitality and exotic flavours first came from you need to visit the mothership restaurant on Henley Beach Rd.
Even with a recently enlarged dining space and two sittings on a weekend evening, Parwana is full of large, happily noisy groups. Tots and teens are hoeing in beside grandparents — indeed, Parwana Afghan Kitchen is imbued with the family vibe.
Founded in 2009 by Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, Parwana showcases the cuisine of Afghanistan, their first home, from which they fled in 1987.
It’s BYO only, so you can scan the short menu while the busy wait staff (daughters? granddaughters?) bring wine glasses. The menu changes every couple of days.
Mantu dumplings (without meat) are a warm bundle of pastry-wrapped vegies with a piquant tomato sauce and yoghurt, a perfect mouthful.
Staff are happy for us to share three curries on the Sunday night menu: the salaam and korma (eggplant), sabri (spinach) and morgh korma (chicken). The chicken is falling-off-the bone tender and extra naan breads are a great idea to mop up the spicy sauces. If your niece does grab the last bread, the jewelled rice is a worthy substitute, especially with added chutney and yoghurt dip.
From the grilled meat menu, the Du Pyaza is seasoned lamb — nicely spiced pieces with naan and chutney, perhaps a little chewy for grandpa.
Service can be a bit hit and miss, but nobody goes hungry.
On the dessert side, the homemade ice cream and cool sherbets will tempt you back, especially on a summer night.
- Hours: D Tues-Sun
- Bill: E $9-12, M $14-$20 D $8-$12
- Wine: Licensed, BYO only | Corkage $10
- Chef: Farida Ayubi
7. CINNAMON CLUB
8. PIZZA MECCANICA
2 Hawker St, Bowden
(08) 8232 0044
It’s the red Chevy pickup in this former auto-repair garage that draws admiring gazes, but the real “engine” at Pizza Meccanica is the wood-fired oven, imported from Naples and driven with passion by owner Stelio Birbas.
He follows time-honoured methods to make his pizza, starting with doppio zero flour and finishing with lightly blistered crusts and generous toppings.
The Salsiccia e Friarielli teams lightly seared house-made pork sausage with friarielli (or rapini, the bitter Italian broccoli). The Funghi is strong on garlic-infused ’shroom taste.
True to Naples, the menu is a hit-list of a small number of can’t-fail classics — you won’t find ham and pineapple here. Pizza stands keep the table free for plates and elbows.
Indulge in a few sides: the cotechino sausage is a standout — pan-fried and served with roasted peppers and salsa verde. Dessert is kept simple: gelato, Nutella and marscapone pizza, and a double-espresso affogato.
A terrazzo floor and industrial fit-out bounces the R&B tunes and chatter of the young crowd — this is more mates night than date night.
Get the clued-up staff to talk you through the Italian-inspired red list where Freddy Nerks abuts Big Easy Radio and Some Young Punks, along with a couple of full-blooded imports.
- Hours: D Thurs-Sun
- Bill: E $9-17 Pizza $17-25 D $6.50-19
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $20
- Chef: Stelio Birbas
9. ENZO’S RISTORANTE
46 Port Rd, Hindmarsh
(08) 8346 2786
Is your tagliatelle just firm? The pannacotta — does it wobble nicely? And do those cherry tomatoes pop in your mouth, fresh like a spring morning? A great Italian restaurant is less about what’s on the menu than what hits the plate, and Enzo’s has been mastering that art for two decades.
These days it’s on the edge of the parklands in a historic converted pub, down from its original rustic digs, but the service is still excellent and the atmosphere warmed by the hum of happy diners filling their bellies, and the occasional swirl of flame visible through the glass-walled kitchen.
Enzo’s taste of Italy comes via SA’s outstanding local produce. For antipasti there’s cherry tomatoes nestled with mozzarella and prosciutto, or Port Lincoln sardines, Calabrese style. Pastas run through linguini with blue swimmer crab to beef-stuffed ravioli, and you may find a rabbit lasagne as well.
There’s an award-winning Angus fillet sizzling with mushrooms, truffle brandy, and cream; SA king prawns flamed in brandy; deep-fried local calamari.
A (wobbly) pannacotta with Baileys heads a list of traditional desserts including gelato and tiramisu, while the wine list is extensive and ranges from reasonably priced Italian drops to Penfolds Grange.
- Hours: L Tues-Fri D Tues-Sat
- Bill: E $8-$24 M $25-$45 D $12.50-$14.50
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | corkage $20
- Chefs: Enzo Fazzari, Albert D’Antonio
10. FARINA 00
128 King William Rd, Goodwood
(08) 8271 1109
An open fireplace. An Italian menu. A mesmerising view of a pizza oven covered in shimmering blue metal … With a glass of wine in hand and a friend to catch up with on a chilly night, it's happy days at Farina 00.
A starter of mushroom arancini arrives and, as we tell our children, it’s not what’s on the outside that matters. Cricket ball-sized and piled with aged parmigiano reggiano, the arancini’s crunchy exterior ain’t pretty but boy she packs a flavour punch of mushrooms, truffle salt and provolone cheese. Another starter of lightly coated fried calamari benefits from a good hit of lemon and some sliced chilli heat.
The pizzas coming out of the metal beast look good but, knowing the pasta is made fresh daily from Italian 00 flour, we double down. It seems the tables of couples and friends chatting — yes, this is a restaurant where you don’t have to shout — have the same idea.
The mains of slow-braised pork neck pappardelle and mushroom gigli (a twisted strand pasta) eventually defeat us, and the waitress knowingly asks if we’d like a takeaway container. Don’t mind if we do and thanks for not being too fancy to offer. Extra points, then, for genuine hospitality and professional service that is on display right through the meal.
- Hours: L Fri-Sun D Mon-Sun
- Bill: E $10-$17 M $19-$34 D$11-$19
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $20
- Chef: Lewis Marro
11. CHICCO PALMS
437 Henley Beach Rd, Brooklyn Park
(08) 8352 5688
This 1950s Palm Springs-styled diner is all about the vibe. Walk through the bright yellow front door and the upbeat service and playlist (Tainted Love on arrival, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to depart) will quickly lift your spirits.
So will the sunny Italo/American food it serves. Fat pork-and-veal meatballs and a block of slow-cooked beef neighbour a mop of thick, ragu-heavy spaghetti. An excellent vitello tonnato is topped with plump capers and achieves impressive balance.
Deliciously chewy pizzas boast lightly blistered-crust bases, all covered with toppings you’d find in the land that calls pizza “pie”. The margherita is boosted by a brightly flavoured tomato passata, while salami, artichoke and pancetta vie for tastebud attention on fior di latte.
The fitout is by SA design star James Brown (Africola, Golden Boy). In his fun nudge and wink to the former occupant — Barnacle Bills — half of the dining chairs are blue. Kitsch rules: the bathroom is pastel pink, the floor is beige. There’s a mini table and chairs for the kids, but almost every seat for adults is booked every night.
And therein lies the only problem. Often tables need to be vacated by a certain time — so chow down fast if you want dessert. The sweets list pretends to be expansive, but six of the eight items are gelato or ice cream. The winner here is the tiramisu.
Most of the pizzas cost $22, a bottle of McLaren Vale red or Italian white can be had for $37, and every course comes with bread. So a memorable night can be had at a price that’s very easy to swallow.
- Hours: L Tues-Sun D Tues-Sat
- Bill: E $10-$25 M $16-$32 D $7-$15
- Wine: Wine list, plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chefs: Domenic De Marco
12. JOYBIRD
164 King William Rd, Hyde Park
(08) 8349 0891
Not even the roadworks that up-ended King William Rd when Joybird opened could deter the hungry hordes from this retro diner, which puts a spin on the classic chicken shop.
Sitting out front are the hip young things, people-watching from their footpath perch, and family groups — the kids content with their chicken-and-gravy rolls. Inside, local office workers roll up their sleeves to feast across a range of dishes — and there lies the best way to enjoy the menu.
Sure, Joybird does a fine version of chargrilled chook, but the real magic is in the ever-changing starters and wood-fired sides.
A stuffing butty is the stuff of hangover dreams — a herby, lightly-fried mix sandwiched in soft, white bread and served with chicken bone gravy for dipping. Scotch egg is as good as it gets, its gooey-yolk centre encased in perfectly seasoned chicken mince and a crunchy golden crumb.
You’ll want to make friends with both salads and veg here, from the wedges of crisp iceberg that are dressed with anchovy mayo, capers, soft boiled egg and crisp chicken skin, to an unctuous, scorched cabbage that’s loaded with nutty pesto.
Larger items might include middle eastern lamb shoulder or yiros, the latter boasting incredible slow-cooked lamb, lightly pickled cucumber among more typical salady bits, a special not-so-hot sauce and chips, which add texture you never knew you wanted.
Wash it down with a can of craft beer and you might not visit another chicken shop again.
- Hours: L|D Mon-Sun
- Bill: E $8-$14 M $18-$78 (1kg middle eastern lamb shoulder) D $11-$12
- Wine: Wine list
- Chef: Dexter Kim
13. HISPANIC MECHANIC
205 Glen Osmond Rd, Frewville
(08) 8338 6435
A Peruvian pirate adds an extra dose of fun to a place that is all about relaxing and having a good time while delving into the cooking of Central and South America.
Well-travelled chef Greggory Hill, a master of all things chilli, incorporates elements from Mexico, Brazil and even Korea (inspired by an ex-pat community in Mexico City) in vibrant, fresh-flavoured dishes at this wildly popular taqueria.
Take, for example, Master Kim’s 5 Star wings — fried crisp and coated in a chipotle and gochujang sauce that makes finger licking a joy.
A huge plate of beef ribs adds encouragement to the diner’s sharing ethos, a hibiscus glaze adding sweetness to the slow-cooked meat.
Tacos range from seared tuna or pork belly through to more Korean inspiration in the KFC, where the C stands for cauliflower.
Vegan dishes are front and centre — a great range including tostaditos, empanadas and the bump and choke: seared artichoke cakes teamed with a green habanero sauce that could bring tears to your eyes.
For dessert, it’s hard to go past a brownie that promises a chilli kick, but also dig in to a corn cake — flourless and with a wicked dulce de leche caramel.
And that pirate? It’s just one of the many fun cocktails and drinks that range across sangria or gin jugs to share, a selection of South American and local beers and a good focus on South Aussie wines, while also not forgetting Mexico and its near neighbours.
- Hours: L Fri, Sun D Wed-Sun
- Bill: E $5.50-$18.90 M $16.90-$39 D $9.50-$14.90
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chef: Greggory Hill
14. SINGAPORE HOUSE
203-213 Glen Osmond Rd, Frewville
(08) 8379 4405
Before the food even arrives at Singapore House, you can tell it’s going to be a good night. There’s a buzz from extended families enjoying each other’s company. It’s the kind of place you book to tell the parents that you’re engaged.
A young waitress offers advice with confidence that belies her age. She’s happy to be here and she’s not the only one. After ordering, there is time to soak up the eclectic British Colonial décor of Chinese vases, ornamental rugs, stuffed animals and the famous wall of framed butterflies.
First up are two large duck legs swimming in a pond of yellow curry sauce, splashed with coconut cream. The meat falls off the bone at the wave of a spoon.
An egg hopper — a bowl-shaped coconut pancake with an egg cracked in the centre — seems too pretty to cut.
Return visits are planned upon the first bite of salt and vinegar eggplant. The long batons are coated in a light, oh-so crunchy tempura. Salt, vinegar, spring onion, a little chilli … even the crumbs are dabbed from the plate.
Is this the most spacious restaurant in Adelaide? Eavesdropping on the next table is out of the question. Everyone’s lingering around for dessert. Steamed banana pud has an endearing list and is surrounded by a butterscotch sauce moat. Warm black sticky rice is a fruit salad for winter nights, sweetness added by coconut cream.
- Hours: L Tues-Fri, Sun D Tues-Sun
- Bill: E $15-$26 M $20-$36 D $8-$16
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chef: Montie Waraich
15. VIETNAM/VIET NEXT DOOR
73 Addison Rd, Pennington
(08) 8447 3395
Take your pick: the ultra-fresh herbs and cleansing broths of traditional Vietnamese; or a modern twist that delves into other cultures and even fast food.
The two generations of the Phan family have both options in neighbouring properties on Addison Rd.
The legendary Vietnam has been in operation for more than 35 years, as their uniforms proudly proclaim. Yes, the dining room is looking a little tired, with its fish tank, wood-panelled walls and laminated tables, but you won’t notice — or care — as soon as a plate of roll-your-own cold rolls is placed in front of you. The pork meatball version of course, because how can you resist those succulent skewers?
Hanoi-style spring rolls feature minced prawn, vermicelli and mushroom, wrapped in deep-fried rice paper, making them crisper than their Chinese cousins. Wrap them in herbs and a lettuce leaf before dunking them in that zingy dipping sauce.
Lucky diced beef is a must-try, the cubes of scotch fillet given just enough time in the pan, while BBQ lemongrass chicken is also a winner, generous portions of meat served skin-on with a dipping sauce that’s got a bit of kick.
Lightly battered crispy squid is topped with an extra sprinkle of flavour — some onion here, chopped chilli there, and a bit of coriander to keep things fresh.
Viet Next Door, run by brother-and-sister Ben and Linda Phan, offers a very different impression of Asian dining.
The space is small but eye-catching, its design full of meaningful stories and surfaces that demand to be touched (check out the fragments of egg shells inlaid in the tabletops).
Ben’s menu shows a modern disregard for boundaries or borders, mixing and matching what he’s learnt from his mum with what he has seen elsewhere in the world or dreamt up in the middle of the night.
Lightly cured kingfish is tossed with a mix of aromatic leaves, dressed with a ripper ginger nuoc cham, while natural oysters are dressed in vinaigrette and scattered with a finely diced sweet-sour mix of Vietnamese pickles and fresh pineapple that tangos beautifully with the brine.
Finesse gives way to fast food in the cheeseburger spring rolls, fried rice arancini balls and “Wings of Glory”. Even the crab noodles are inspired by Ben’s sojourn in the US.
To finish, a popcorn crème brulee is made up of a lovely delicate custard under a toffee lid sparkling with gold leaf.
- Hours: L|D Tues-Sun
- Bill: E $5.20-$18.90 M $12.90-$37.90 D $8.90-$14.90
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chefs: Suong Thi Ho, Ben Phan
16. NGHI NGAN QUAN
65 Woodville Rd, Woodville
(08) 8244 6003
The empire may be expanding — two “express” outlets opened late last year to go alongside Little NNQ and 1/3rd by NNQ in the CBD — but that doesn’t stop crowds lining up for a table at its mothership set in a regal old bank building on Woodville Rd.
The smells of bubbling clay pots and spicy pho beef broth will start your tummy rumbling before you even reach the door.
Find your table in one of several dining rooms and contemplate a menu that runs from soups and salads, to beef banquets, rice dishes, stir-fried noodles and four pages of mains.
A house special of crispy quail are a sticky, caramelly delight. Leave your manners behind and get stuck in with your fingers — it would be a crime not to nibble every last bit of succulent meat off the bone.
The ‘shaking’ beef is cooked medium-rare, the tender morsels of steak showing pan-seared char with a sharp garlicky kick. Scoop up some of the remaining stir-fry sauce and veggies to eat with your rice.
Sweet and sour pork is also a winner, the sauce balanced with a little saltiness, most likely from the oft-used Vietnamese fish sauce.
Salt and pepper squid has a lightly spiced, crispy batter, though one of the few disappointments of the night is that these rings are a little tough.
A drinks list ranges from fresh juices, smoothies, cocktails and Vietnamese iced coffees, to local and imported beers and a very reasonably priced wine list.
Service is slick and the overall experience a little more refined than other Vietnamese restaurants in this area — though still in the noisy, bustling, family-friendly way we’ve come to know and love.
- Hours: L|D Wed-Mon
- Bill: E $6-10 M $12-26 D$8
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $12
- Chef: Huong Ngo
17. EMPRESS
351 Greenhill Rd, Toorak Gardens
(08) 8333 1789
The waitress at Empress delicately suggests that the amount of food we’ve ordered might be a little ambitious — indeed it won’t all fit on the table. But how else do you do justice to this fine establishment that has been serving up some of Adelaide’s best Chinese food for many years?
Empress bustles with families and couples in the evening, while yum cha aficionados pack in during the day.
The food is exemplary Chinese, but pushed a little further into the creative zone — for example the soft shell crab comes dusted with a mild red curry paste giving a modest chilli kick to balance out the salt.
A heaped plate of five spices tofu, deep fried and embellished with the Empress’s special five spices salt, is delicately crisp to the bite and, along with the crab, shows this kitchen has the ability to keep its umami in check.
The tea duck, delivered to the table trapped under a smoke-filled cloche which is removed with a flourish, adds theatre to the meal. The burnished, glossy duck is rich and moist and pairs well with an Adelaide Hills pinot to ensure all that salt doesn’t carry you away.
The BBC is a touch heavy on the chilli but the shallot pancakes to start are textbook examples.
Service can occasionally wobble, with missing chopsticks and uncleared tables, when busy.
- Hours: L|D Mon-Sun
- Bill: E $7-$14 M $14-$32 D $8-$9
- Wine: Wine list plus BYO | Corkage $15
- Chefs: Eric Wong, Wei Min Zhang
