Tony Tomatoes

Tony Tomatoes is a place I've driven past constantly since it opened but never really thought to visit. 

Sicilian olives 

Guizy woozy $9

Cranberry juice, blood orange, lime, soda

I decided to lay off the alcohol tonight and opted for a mocktail. Great combination of fresh flavours, however it was a touch sweet for my personal preferences.

Radicchio Arancini $8.50 (2)

Red radicchio, red onion & smoked scarmorza cheese risotto balls

Nothing spectacular here. Good flavours and textures, we loved the crunchy outer layer!

Italian fish & chips $14.50

Fried squid & zucchini

Perfect for nibbling on while we waited for our pizza. Zucchini is one of my favourite vegetables so I couldn't complain about this one! The thin, crispy batter surrounding everything gave just the right amount of crunch and it was perfectly seasoned.

Contadino pizza $24.90

Mozzarella, mushroom quartet, truffle paste, fresh prosciutto, fresh basil

The only major thing we struggled with here was how the prosciutto was placed on the pizza! Apart from that, the base was thin and crispy, just how I like it and the combination of flavours was difficult to fault. Although, something fresh to cut through all the salty flavours would have been welcome.

Not bad for a first impression, although there wasn't anything that made me add it to the top of my list of places to revisit. I noticed a steady stream of customers coming in for take away pizzas, so it must be popular for lazy nights in. 

 

Matcha House

My previous experiences with Matcha House haven't been very pleasant, but recently so many of my acquaintances on Facebook were posting photos of matcha lava cakes that I just had to try it again! I convinced a friend to come with me and we settled on the matcha lava cake as well as matcha creme brulee to share.

I'm so glad I came back because it was delicious! It smelled heavenly as it arrived at our table, and the centre was perfectly gooey and molten hot. Perfect with the vanilla ice cream and very appropriate for a cold wintery evening.

I can't remember much about this because it was over shadowed by the lava cake. Given the chance, I'd probably pick the lava cake over this!

This visit was certainly better than previous ones. Better food and service, so if the trend continues then I'd definitely consider coming back!

 

Sah Modern Mediterranean

Sah is a place I've heard mixed reviews about, as well as walked and driven past many times but have never actually eaten in. The perfect opportunity came up last week while I was out catching up with some of my good friends from high school.

On this particular occasion, we had put our name down at Ruby Red Flamingo for a table and told to expect a 45 minute to 1 hour wait. We'd originally gone upstairs to the bar but decided to go for a walk instead. We walked all the way down O'Connell Street past Sah to find it only about three quarters full, and the tapas and paella menus at the front caught our eye. It was then we decided to abandon RRF and take a seat in Sah!

View from the front corner. Nice and cosy with around 3 or 4 more tables outside.

The Hills Pear Cider $6.50

Montevecchio Moscato $9

We wanted to share some paella and tapas, so opted for a paella for 2 and 4 tapas dishes between the 3 of us.

Pan seared haloumi with a lemon, basil & mint salsa verde $13

You can never go wrong with haloumi! Of the 4 tapas dishes that came out, this one was a little cold, making the haloumi a little tougher and spongier in texture. That aside, I really enjoyed the salsa verde that went with it.

Mixed mushroom arancini with spiced tomato and shaved manchego $13

We weren't too sure what manchego was when we saw it on the menu but a quick google search told us that it was a type of cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain from sheep's milk (thanks Wikipedia!) It was a slightly harder cheese with a very subtle flavour, from what I could tell. I could be completely wrong though, because I forgot to try some on its own (oops). 

The arancini were crunchy on the outside and piping hot on the inside - SO good! My favourite element was definitely the spiced tomato sauce, and my only criticism would be that there didn't seem to be any trace of mushrooms in the arancini themselves. I think a few bits of mushroom would have improved it.

Crispy pork belly, scallops & potatoes tossed with a lemon & saffron salt $15

It's such a shame the scallops were soggy because the pork and potatoes were delicious and crispy! I found it very bland and couldn't taste the lemon and saffron salt, so a squeeze of lemon was definitely needed to give it some flavour and freshness.

 Crab & chive croquettes with lime $13

We'd actually ordered chorizo croquettes but instead, crab croquettes came out! It was fine though because they were super tasty. The insides were very soft and creamy without a strong crab flavour which we all really enjoyed.

Paella Vegetariano for 2 $49

I was very excited to try this because it would be my first time trying paella after seeing it on TV with lots of delicious seafood and that signature crust on the bottom of the pan! We actually chose a vegetarian paella because we weren't feeling anything too meaty. The first thing we did was search for the crust on the bottom, only to be disappointed. For a place to claim to have Adelaide's best paella and serve a paella without it's crust.... I prepared myself for disappointment in the taste of the paella itself. Fortunately, it was very flavoursome and there were lots of great textures in the dish to save it from becoming a complete disappointment. There were buttery lima beans, a slight crunch from some green beans and some vibrant green leafy vegetables. It had a rich flavour without being too heavy and we all liked a squeeze of lemon to add some freshness.

Overall I'd say Sah gave a decent first impression. The staff were all very friendly and although the food didn't really amaze me, I'd stay it was still pretty good. The food did take quite while to come out for a restaurant that was only about three quarters full, but luckily we were deep in conversation so we didn't really realise how much time had passed. The tapas are a little on the pricey side for what was served, but I've found that it is probably the standard price for tapas at other establishments. It's not a place I will be rushing back to, but I may be back to try out more of the tapas menu and a meat or seafood paella!

The Kentish

A definite pro to having friends studying interstate is being able to go for slightly more elaborate outings whenever they're back home to catch up with everyone! On this particular occasion a few months back, a couple of the girls and I wanted to go for lunch somewhere 'different' to where we usually go. My friend was having a look on Urbanspoon and found The Kentish, a place we never knew even existed but had a great rating. 

It wasn't too difficult to locate, just off Melbourne St at the end of a quiet street. Taking advantage of the absence of one of our friends who is allergic to seafood, we all ordered seafood dishes!

Spicy cockle linguini 

I didn't get a chance to try this, but the empty bowls and faces of satisfaction after we'd all finished really said it all! It looked absolutely delicious.

Seared scallops

The moment I saw seared scallops on the menu, I knew exactly what I'd be having for lunch. They were cooked to absolute perfection and went perfectly with the salad they were served with. I especially liked the touch of the crunchy sweet potato pieces. 

Vanilla creme brulee

SO good. It was delicious and creamy, with a perfect crisp sugar layer. Would order again in a heartbeat!

Outstanding food presented beautifully. We will definitely be returning! Don't you just love when a random find on Urbanspoon turns out to be the most incredible place? I found the atmosphere was a little strange, with the entire area divided into three, each with very different feels to them. This didn't phase us too much though, as being in each other's company definitely got rid of it! Service was pretty casual, but I think this might have been because we were dining on a weekday at lunch time so there were only 2 or 3 other tables along with our's.
These weren't exactly cheap eats, with mains priced between $20-$25. Worth every cent though, as we were very satisfied with our meal. Can't wait to go back!

[Apologies for the vague meal descriptions and missing prices - this was from a few months ago and the menu seems to have changed! Looks like I'll have to return to try the new offerings :P]

Gin Long Canteen

Note: 

This is an old post I had lined up months ago which I wasn't going to post, but I think everything is definitely still relevant! I've also included my thoughts at the very end, having been back multiple times.

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I caught up with some old friends over dinner a while back at a South-East Asian street food inspired eatery on O'Connell Street, Gin Long Canteen.

 Ramli Slider $6 each

chicken, egg, curry mayo

Great flavours, not overly greasy and the perfect size for a starter!

Honey glazed pork neck skewer $8

sesame, peanuts, galangal

 Gin Long wings $8.50

crispy winglets, pandan leaves, hot thai sauce

We all agreed this was very disappointing. There was very little meat on the wings, as you can see, and what meat there was, was extremely dry and quite tough. Also, the 'Hot Thai sauce' that came with it tasted like normal chilli sauce.

Nem Nuong Grilled Pork $9.50

rice paper, herb salad, hoisin paste

I love eating Nem Nuong, especially if they're made without that packet seasoning that turns the meat bright red! Coming from a Vietnamese person who's had all sorts of Nem Nuong, I'd say these are definitely great. We all really enjoyed this dish.

Grilled chicken satay $9

ketupat rice cake, cucumber, spicy peanut sauce

Pomegranate chicken $18

chargrilled chicken, sweet tamarind

Probably our favourite dish of the night. Sticky and slightly sweet, this would have been absolutely perfect with some white rice! Also, the serving is quite generous and we were left extremely satisfied. 

 Gin Long $10 in a bubble tea cup

pandan or tamarind-orange infused gin

We ordered both the pandan and orange-tamarind infused gin cocktails, and found the latter more enjoyable, possibly because it was a little bit sweeter. I'd recommend this for those who would like to enjoy a light alcoholic drink that doesn't taste 'obviously' alcoholic!

 Ho Chi Mint Mojito $14

rum in a sugarcane syrup

Very refreshing but definitely steer clear if you don't really enjoy the taste of rum.

Overall, a great first impression, although there were a few let downs with the food. I would recommend everything but the wings and pork skewers!
We found the service rather average, only because it was difficult to differentiate between the patrons and waiters as they were also dressed in casual clothing.
Awesome atmosphere, fantastic food and drinks; we'll definitely be back!

Note:
I've been back multiple times and the food has definitely improved, even though most of it was great originally. Even my parents who are Vietnamese really like the food here, and they're usually super picky since mum's cooking is incredible! The service has also improved, but the waiting staff are still dressed very casually! I guess after a few visits, you get a good idea of who works there.
A few other food recommendations I would make are the Very Exciting Beef Salad, Lychee Duck Curry and Nom Nom Barramundi (will insert a picture below).

Nom Nom Barramundi $29

How awesome is that presentation?! Piping hot, crunchy pieces of barramundi paired with a tangy fish sauce based dipping sauce = seriously addictive!

The Curious Squire

Yes, the excuse for today's outing was also the stress of year 12 exams! Three of my good friends an dI decided to have a nice, relaxing lunch at The Curious Squire amidst an intense study session.

A portion of the bar

The interior, as seen from the base of the steps outside

Although it would have been nice and quiet inside, it was such a beautiful, sunny day so we decided to sit outside, which was accessible up the steps.

Luscious Lychee $18

Sophie, being the only legal one of the 4 of us, ordered herself a nice cocktail. She really enjoyed it, and although I couldn't taste any of it because I was driving, it smelt like fresh lychees and looked super pretty! Perfect for summer, I'd say. Worth $18 though? I don't know...

Buffalo wings $14

These were served with a really thin sauce which reminded me of tzatziki. I really wanted to like them but I felt as if the meat itself needed a lot more flavour. Also, if the sauce was just a bit thicker so that it clung to the wings, it would have been a much yummier starter!

Potato skins $9.50

We were super excited about these! The first bite was great, but I found it less appetising as I continued eating. I thought there could be even less potato in it so that the skins could be even crisper, because the starchy potato inside detracts from the overall appeal in my opinion.

I like how the cutlery is presented!

Chicken Tikka wood oven pizza $22

Onion, tomato, iceberg lettuce, mint yoghurt, chat masala

Eileen and Sophie ordered this to share, but we all ended up trying some since it was huge! I was rather intrigued when I saw that there was iceberg lettuce on a pizza, but it actually added another texture which I actually really enjoyed. It was spicy but the mint yoghurt definitely balanced it out nicely. I would still recommend avoiding this if you don't like spicy food. 

Also, I think they forgot to mention red and green peppers in the list of toppings... because there was definitely a lot of it!

Cheeseburger with fries $16.50

Natalie's order, and she definitely enjoyed it! I think for people who enjoy simpler meals, this would be perfect.

Sliders Trio $22

Trio of Angus beef, southern fries chicken, stadium pup and fries

I don't really know what possessed me to think I'd be able to finish this on my own after those starters. Thank goodness for my friends! 

A general comment which would apply to the entire dish was I love how soft and sweet the buns were. They're my favourite kind of burger bun, so that definitely made everything more enjoyable! Also, the fries were very pale which worried me initially, but they were delicious and crunchy. 

Stadium pup

Super cute little hotdog! Pretty standard and what I would expect a {slightly fancier} hotdog to taste like. 

Southern Fried Chicken slider

The chicken was soft on the inside but perfectly crispy due to the batter on the outside. Everything just worked in this slider, and it was definitely my favourite of them all!

Angus beef slider

An absolute classic, and done very well!

We left absolutely stuffed to the brim after an extremely enjoyable lunch. 

The ambience was so lovely, particularly outside. Overall, I'd say the Curious Squire gave off a casual yet still sophisticated vibe, if that makes any sense at all! There was such a huge variety of people sitting outside with us- business men, a young family, a group of uni students and a trio of older women as well as us. Natalie commented that it was nice how they didn't try to squeeze in as many tables as possible outside, like how some other popular eateries do, which definitely added with the relaxed vibe. The man who greeted and served us as well as the waitresses were so friendly, making us feeling right at home. I also really liked how the food was presented; very modern and simplistic. I think if you enjoy places such as Grace the Establishment, you'd definitely like this (I like the vibe here a lot more!). Next time, we'll be more careful with ordering and make room for dessert! I'm particularly intrigued by the deep fried oreos and nutella pizza.

A place definitely worth visiting for the delicious food, great vibe and fantastic service!

Overall, 8.5/10 

(I'm pretty shocked by the ratings on Urbanspoon)