VibrantenergysustainsAfricola–initsostentatiousdécor,informed
floor sta and in the busy open kitchen, where vegetables are heroes
of an exciting array of dishes best shared. Start with the irresistible tea
sandwich – crisp chicken skin and hot chicken fat squashed between
white bread – then bite into outstanding falafel, bright green and herby,
on feisty romesco sauce. Outstanding golden dhal is teamed with
deep-fried chickpeas that pop then dissolve in the mouth. Salted cabbage
is seasoned with the spicy bite of peanut achar. Seafood is treated with
the same aectionate touch – a bowl of briny steamed pipis with the
flare of chilli and salty bite of sea succulents, or sardines served whole
on a bed of harissa. It’s clean, fresh, simple, delicious. Meat lovers are
also well catered for, with a deeply warming lamb neck curry served with
vegetables pickled in whey and puy grilled lavosh. On-trend wines and
spirits come courtesy of micro-producers, and while it may look like
a clubhouse for the cool crowd, Africola sits squarely among the nation’s
most aordable and accessible dining destinations of the moment.4 East Tce, Adelaide,SA
(08) 8223 3885
africola.com.au+ Dinner Tue-Sat
6pm-9.30pm
+Bookings recommended
+Licensed, BYO, bar
+ E $10-$18 M $24-$40
D $15; tasting menu $75
+Cards AE MC V EFT
+Outdoor dining
+Chef Duncan Welgemoed38 Africola V AFRICAN
There’sanexpansivenessaboutFico(Italianforfig),fromthegenerosity
of service and the large shared tables to the breadth of oerings for all
hungers and tastes. Each dish is a pleasure for the eyes and the palate,
with unexpected – and often delightful – turns a constant. Mention of
fennel pollen can signal faddishness, but scepticism is dashed by the
craft, texture and flavour of warm brioche topped with Ortiz anchovy and
a scatter of the yellow anise-accented dust. And how can a cube of cured
kingfish jellied in soy be so entrancing? Italy may be the guiding light
for owner-chefs Federica Andrisani and Oskar Rossi, but the influence
is wide, and the focus on local ingredients is laser-guided. Grilled
Furneaux Islands mutton bird with capers and marjoram is impeccably
crisp and opulently oily; pigeon is matched with creamy cauliflower,
bitter-rich kale and the piquancy of horseradish. A dessert of honey
gelato, meanwhile, sprinkled with hibiscus powder and set atop soft
meringue ris on a bombe Alaska, just without the bombe. Fico is full of
flair, and, like its namesake, beautiful to behold and bursting with flavour.151 MacquarieSt,
Hobart, Tas
(03) 6245 3391
ficofico.net+ Lunch Fri-Sun noon-2pm,
dinner Wed-Sat
5:30pm-9pm
+Bookings essential
+Licensed, bar
+ E $6-$18 M $25-$48
D $10-14; set menu $85
+Cards AE MC V EFT
+ Chefs Federica Andrisani
& Oskar Rossi39 Fico V EUROPEAN
The dining experienceisexpertlyframedbyanidyllicsettingatBotanic
Gardens Restaurant. The quaint former tearoom in the heart of the garden,
ringed by glass walls and whitewashed timber, has been modernised
with blond wood tables and plush mustard-coloured low-back chairs, and
the menu exercises similar poise. Paul Baker packs a lot into each dish- drawing more than 50 ingredients from the garden – yet his complex
combinations show restraint, with flavours introduced with nuance rather
than ostentation. Slivers of grilled squid and slices of baked pear provide
lively crunch and chew with shaved pickled chestnut adding earthy notes.
The bitter streak of roasted radicchio cuts through rich lamb tartare
folded with lardo and quandong dukkah. Coee-crusted kangaroo fillet is
smartly teamed with smoked potato, pickled red cabbage and the vegetal
bite of centella. Dishes are uniformly pretty, festooned with just-picked
flowers and leaves. Garden ingredients also feature in seasonal house
vermouths and beers that sit alongside an interesting list of mostly
alternative wine producers. Discreet service ensures a serene scene
where all is in balance, within the room and on the plate.
Plane Tree Dr,
Adelaide, SA
(08) 8223 3526
botanicgardensrestaurant.
com.au+ Lunch Tue-Sun
noon-3.30pm; dinner
Fri-Sat 6.30pm-9pm
+Bookings recommended
+Licensed, bar, BYO
+ 3-4 courses $70-$90;
dégustation $115
+Cards MC AE V EFT
+Wheelchair friendly
+Chef Paul Baker40 Botanic Gardens Restaurant V AUSTRALIAN
86 GOURMET TRAVELLER