Fresh food news this week includes a loved McLaren Vale restaurant’s Barossa plans, Peel Street’s newest addition, fine food at the Show and more.

Fresh and generous on Peel St

Say what you like about the over-used “vibrant city” tag, but the concept is proof that a little bit of government intervention can sometimes go a very long way.

Peel Street, for years an unloved alley between Hindley and Currie streets, is developing what we might call “critical mass”, thanks to the closure of adjacent Leigh Street and the government’s new small bar licence.

Smart bar Clever Little Tailor now has a new neighbour: restaurant Peel St (named after the lane), with former Aquacaf team Jordan Theodoros and Benjamin McLeod being joined by Martin Corcoran in the new venture.

It’s been a long wait for fans of Theodoros’s food since he and McLeod left Goolwa’s beachfront Aquacaf, but they’ve been open in the city for two weeks now and reports are glowing.

The menu is unfussy, but with interesting Middle Eastern and Asian touches. The serves and flavours are generous, and the room has a great feel to it.

Aquacaf groupies will also be thrilled to learn that the fish pasty – the undisputed “hero” dish at Aquacaf – will be featured on the menu from time to time.

“We want to respect what we have done in the past, but we don’t want to be governed by it,” Theodoros says.

In this vein, he says he’s following the same motto that was written on his business card at Aquacaf – “simple, fresh, delicious”.

“If I ever get confused about what I’m doing – that’s what I follow,” he says. “I think people just want good, honest food. There’s generosity in what we do: there’s always an element of the dish that’s not on the menu, or we give a damn good serve.”

Peel St is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am – 5pm (the kitchen closes at 3pm but thanks to the small bar licence, you can just come for a drink). Dinners are served from 6.30pm, Thursday to Saturday.

Peel St restaurant. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily

Fino’s Barossa venture

David Swain and Sharon Romeo, the team behind Willunga’s loved Fino restaurant, have a start date set in stone for the opening of their new Barossa venture.

Fino Seppeltsfield, as you can judge by its name, will open in the historic Seppeltsfield cellar door in March 2014.

Architect Max Pritchard is working on the fit-out to give Fino its own delineated space in the cavernous Seppeltsfield cellar door, which will continue to operate a separate area for tastings.

Chef Swain and front-of-house Romeo will work between the Willunga and Seppeltsfield restaurants, but the new venture will have a new focus.

David Swain at Fino Willunga

Swain told The Forager that Fino Willunga was likely to refine even further its heavy focus on Fleurieu ingredients, while the Barossa venture would not confine itself to a particular region, seeking out the best ingredients from across Australia. Likewise, the wine list was likely to concentrate on the great wines of Australia, in keeping with the Barossa’s status as an international tourist drawcard.

Fino has been so successful because of the fine control that Swain has over the kitchen and the ingredients, and Romeo’s dynamic and highly organised presence on the floor. So how will that continue when the second venture opens?

Swain says the pair have developed strong relationships with staff over the eight years they’ve been running Fino, and some of those staff are ripe to take more control. The pair will still be very hands-on, however.

“They understand our philosophy of food and they’ve matured to be at the peak of their game,” he said.

“Sharon and I will work between the two businesses and will have a full management team to run the Seppeltsfield restaurant for us. We’ll be there for five days a week between us – we’ll sort of tag-team.”

Fino Seppeltsfield will be open every day for lunch, and dinner from Thursday to Saturday.

Fine food at the Show

The Steiny’s stand in the TasteSA pavilion. Photo courtesy Royal Adelaide Show

It’s the showbag for cooks and fans of South Australian food and wine.

The new food and wine trail is the gastronomic version of the Yellow Brick Road, and is a new addition at this year’s Royal Adelaide Show.

At the start of the trail, which costs $40, you’ll receive a cooler bag and a recipe by chef Rosa Matto.

As you wind your way along the trail, you’ll fill your cooler bag with the ingredients to cook Rosa’s recipe and locally produced wine to accompany it.

After your day at the Show, you’ll know that dinner is in hand.

Don’t be put off by the rather unwieldy name “Premium food and wine from our clean environment” – keen readers will remember that this is one of Premier Jay Weatherill’s “seven strategic priorities” (the trail is supported by the State Government).

Pick  up the cooler bag in the TasteSA pavilion or at the IGA stand in the Goyder Pavilion.

Band of brothers

A third generation of brothers from the famous Clare Valley Barry family have launched their own wine venture.

Tom, 26, and Sam, 23,  have released a 2012 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend under their own label – Barry Bros.

The lads are the sons of current Jim Barry Wines managing director Peter Barry and grandsons of the Clare Valley legend, Jim, who started the wine company in the 1950s.

Tom is the winemaker and Sam the commercial manager. After studying and travelling, they had decided to return to the family business.

“Last year Dad gave us the challenge of creating a wine of our own,” Tom said.

“It’s a bit of a rite of passage, making a wine that will suit our generation of Australian wine drinkers.

“Ironically, we didn’t choose something trendy like a Sangiovese or a Tempranillo; we decided to take a modern approach to a classic Australian blend – Shiraz-Cabernet.  This is a contemporary, fresh style made from our two favourite varieties, which is ready to drink now or can be cellared for a few years.”

The Forager can vouch for the slurpable nature of their drop, which will retail for under $20.

It’s also a good excuse to publish some great old photographs which have been dusted off for the marketing campaign.

Tom, Peter and Sam Barry at last week’s launch.

Tom and Sam in 1991

John, Peter, Jim and Mark Barry in 1984