In this week’s column: Elbio’s cake empire expands; a new restaurant and bar for Waymouth Street; Kangarilla Creamery back churning the curds at McLaren Vale, and a few fancy Festival bites.
It’s all about Elbio
Elbio Luis Perez is the king of wholesale patisserie in Adelaide and at the end of this month he’s opening the doors of his new castle, complete with signature crown at the front.
Elbio Patisserie & Café will open on Norwood Parade in a former Baptist church that was more recently home to the Mary Martin Bookshop.
It’s an enormous space with lofty ornate ceilings, soaring stained-glass windows and the original organ at the back. It will seat 122 people in four separate areas – indoors and outdoors – for high tea, tapas and Argentinian grills.
Elbio Perez outside his new Norwood Parade cafe. Photo Nat Rogers/InDaily
“I always wanted to buy a church,” says Perez. “I cannot believe I am starting a business in a church – advantage is the point of difference this building will give me.”
It seems a bold undertaking to venture into the retail world after almost 40 years supplying other cafes and restaurants. Perez migrated from Uruguay in 1974 to escape the militant government at that time; he was a medical student, but spoke no English, so he did what he could to make a living.
“Australia is a land of opportunity,” says Perez. “If you’re entrepreneurial, you can do anything.”
In 1976, he began making cakes. Perez and three other South Americans started a business called Emporium Cakes at Bowden.
In 2002, after stints in publishing and insurance sales, Perez started a new brand, “elbio – all about sweets” – a wholesale patisserie specialising in Latin American pastries with Italian, French and Spanish influences “and some Aussie classics”. He currently employs 38 people in his factory at Newton and supplies more than 300 customers in Adelaide and Melbourne.
Baby empanadas. Photo supplied
“We will increase our range at the new café, with an emphasis on savoury pastries such as empanadas,” he says. “Elite patisseries in Adelaide are weak at savouries.”
Perez says the café will also serve dishes such as paella, schnitzel, chivitos (Uruguayan steak sandwiches) and choripan (Argentinian hot dogs). It will be fully licensed and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“I want to achieve significance,” he adds. “Once I have achieved something of significance, then I will feel satisfaction.”
Street change
Vietnamese stuffed squid with tom yum sauce. Photo: Adam Huddleston/Red Earth
Also set to open at the end of this month are two new Waymouth Street establishments: Kangkong and Gypsy Dragon. The adjoining restaurant and bar venues are owned by Rob Parsons (Treasury on King William) and Ron Kohli (Chocolatree, Holy Guacamoly and Coffylosophy).
Sydney’s Mr Wong and Melbourne’s Chin Chin are the inspiration, says Parsons. “It will be modern Asian street food, shared, fun, noisy and energetic – Adelaide is ready for something new.”
Roasted banana panna cotta with pandan leaf meringue, dragon fruit and aloe vera gel. Photo: Adam Huddleston/Red Earth
The Kangkong kitchen is headed up by chef Matt Miles (ex-Gaucho’s) and the menu will have Korean and Filipino influences, which he says is unusual for Adelaide. Expect dishes such as umami crusted salmon; chicken satay with galangal, coriander root and cucumber pickle; beef tataki with daikon radish and white sesame mayonnaise; crispy pork hocks; Vietnamese stuffed squid with tom yum sauce; and roasted banana panna cotta with pandan leaf meringue, dragon fruit and aloe vera gel.
Gypsy Dragon will be the home of “medicinal cocktails” and graffiti art, with a resident artist and a mixologist creating drinks inspired by ancient herbal ingredients such as bitter gourd tea, liquorice, crysthanthum powder and aloe vera.
Cheese and wine match
Kangarilla Creamery cheesemaker Alison Paxton with McLaren Vale Winemakers’ Steve Grimely. Photo supplied
After a short hiatus, the Willunga region is excited that Kangarilla Creamery has found a new home with McLaren Vale Winemakers and their new Five O’Clock Somewhere wine bar.
Cheesemaker Alison Paxton is busy churning the curds again in readiness to produce her range of cow and goat milk cheeses at the winery, as well as for local restaurants The Salopian Inn, Elbow Room and Currant Shed, and for sale at the Willunga Farmers’ Market in around six weeks’ time.
Kangarilla Creamery is trialling a new sheep haloumi. Photo supplied
“I have also been working to start a sheep dairy, so I will also have sheep cheeses coming in,” she says.
You can taste Paxton’s cheese with small-batch wines at the Five O’Clock Somewhere “Harvest Bar” on Friday nights from 4pm to 9pm, on weekends from 12pm to 4pm, or by appointment at 200 Chalk Hill Road, McLaren Vale. Ph 8323 8623.
Festival eats
Hutton Vale Farm lamb shoulder at Riverside Restaurant. Photo supplied
The InterContinental has fully activated its bars and restaurants in readiness for the thirsty and hungry festival crowds.
The Riverside Restaurant’s pre-theatre menu is two courses for $55 or three for $65 per person, including a glass of Paracombe wine or Coopers beer, until March 15.
The outdoor Riverview Bar, with views over the river and Festival Theatre, will operate on weekday evenings before transforming on weekends to become Surrender.
And just across the footbridge, Hill of Grace Restaurant at Adelaide Oval is offering Festival-goers a fine-dining experience – three courses from the a la carte menu for $85 per person – if bookings are made for between 5.30pm and 7pm.
The unnamed cafe
Look out for the café on Wellington Square with no name. It’s a tiny place in the former Wellington Square Cellars near the corner of Jeffcott Street, with great coffee and a lovely view of the serene and green square. Owner Roland Hall has been open for almost two years now, roasting his own beans, and he has a reputation for making great coffee, but he hasn’t yet decided on a name for the place.
CEO Cookoff
Three South Australians cooked for a cause in Sydney last week – Jo Collins, Maggie Beer and Jo Schneider. Photo supplied
Two South Australian business leaders paired with celebrity chefs in Sydney this week in the annual OzHarvest CEO Cookoff to feed more than 1000 people in need.
Jo Collins (owner of A Touch Of Beauty) cooked alongside Mark Best (Pei Modern and Marque), and Jo Schneider (Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year SA winner) was paired with Maggie Beer to cook restaurant-quality meals in a Sydney warehouse.
“The event raised over $900,000 with every dollar rescuing two meals for people in need, which means more food getting rescued from landfill and being delivered into the hands of people who need it,” says OzHarvest.
The national leaderboard for fundraising is still open for donations.
What’s on…
Waymouth Street Party – Friday, March 6
Waymouth Street transforms into a party destination on Friday from 4pm to 10pm, with food, wine, music and roaming theatre. Look out for street eats from George’s on Waymouth, Press* Food & Wine, Delicatessen Kitchen & Bar, The Gallery, Bistro Dom, Melt, Barrio Uno and Union Hotel. More information here.
The Starting Gate – Monday, March 9
Street food hits the turf at The Starting Gate. Photo supplied
The Morphettville Racecourse will be breaking with tradition on Adelaide Cup Day (Monday, March 9) and having some pop-up food and wine fun with racing.
The Starting Gate is a new ticketed event for the Adelaide Cup and other major race days throughout the year which will create a members’ bar-like environment, but aims to get people out of the stands and down next to the track where the action is.
Guests will enter through a set of restored racing gates where there will be entertainment, food and bars with a racing theme.
Inside The Starting Gate will be The Yellowglen Terrace, a double-storey sparkling wines bar; Whoa Nellies, a cocktail bar; The Weigh In, a food stall serving pulled-pork sliders, cheese plattters, cake in a jar, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and more; and The Mounting Yard, a big space where you can relax and enjoy it all on saddle seats and hay bales.
Bookies and tote boards will be on site for any last-minute bets or to show the uninitiated how the system works.
The Starting Gate is licensed for 1000 guests and tickets are $40 per person.
