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The Forager: Luxury bars, new chef for Olea

Sep 02, 2015
Business consultant Leigh Morgan in the Electra House Chamber Bar. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily

Business consultant Leigh Morgan in the Electra House Chamber Bar. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily

In this week’s column: Electra House gets a revamp, Olea chef moves on, Adelaide’s first champagne bar opens, a honey cellar door in the Adelaide Hills, single-origin flour and a chance to create your own food event for Tasting Australia.

Changes for Electra House

Just six months after it opened following a $13.5 million renovation, Electra House is already preparing to make changes – including revamping its Chamber Bar and introducing a fresh flavour in the fine-dining Olea restaurant.

Young entrepreneurs Leigh Morgan, VinoMofo founder, and Sam O’Leary, The Lion Hotel operations manager, took over about three months ago as managers of the King William Street heritage venue, which also incorporates functions spaces, a beer garden and a gaming room.

They are planning to revamp the Chamber Bar to create what they say will be a world-class nightclub experience comparable to New York’s LAVO, London’s Soho House and Sydney’s Ivy.

The changes include introducing raised booths (to enable both seated and standing patrons to be at eye level) , a “premium service” package with “first-class hosts”, a chauffeured town car for VIPs, and Sunday live music sessions.

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The Chamber Bar at Electra House. Photo: supplied

“The premium service will be an all-inclusive upfront cost for the reserved seating area,” says Morgan.

“We’ve also bought a black statesman and hired a driver to pick up regular clients and clients who book the premium service. Sydney and Melbourne clubs do it already, but this is new for Adelaide.”

The Lion Hotel has long had a following as the place to go on a Sunday afternoon. “Sam created that and we are planning Electra House’s first Sunday session for the October long weekend,” says Morgan. “We’re going to do summer – Sunday will be our biggest day.”

Morgan and O’Leary are also looking for a new head chef to replace Alfonso Alea at Olea, but Morgan insists this has nothing to do with John Lethlean’s recent scathing restaurant review in The Australian Magazine.

“Alfonso is leaving in two weeks to have a baby,” says Morgan. “We are in the process of recruiting a new chef to replace him.

“Olea will become more Mediterranean than Greek.”

POP, another new bar

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Champagne, cut glass and mirrors at POP. Photo: supplied

The Adelaide Casino has beaten The Stag in the race to open Adelaide’s first champagne bar.

POP opened on the first floor of the casino last week, with cut glass carafes fashioned into a lighting installation, and French and Australian bubbles by the bottle and the glass.

POP has a champagne and sparkling list featuring locals The Lane Lois Blanc de Blancs and Alpha Box & Dice Zaptung Prosecco, among offerings from Veuve Clicquot, Piper-Heidsieck, Billecart-Salmon, Moet & Chandon, Bollinger and Louis Roederer.

There are also champagne cocktails, classic cocktails, and a great list of boutique SA wines and beers.

The food includes Coffin Bay oysters served by the half-dozen and by shot glass in various incarnations including natural, Champagne and Avruga caviar, chilli, lemongrass and lime, and minted cucumber. There is also a fairly straightforward tapas and sliders menu.

POP is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 4pm until late and encourages patrons to dress well.

China comes to the Royal Adelaide Show

If the crash in China’s stocks are preventing you from visiting the country this year, a trip to the Royal Adelaide Show can offer an insight into the culture of its Shandong province.

A special display covering 144sqm will showcase Shandong’s culture, produce, trade and tourism to help South Australians further understand the modern Chinese commercial market and to highlight opportunities to export the state’s premium products, such as food and wine.

Showbag for foodies

Also at the Royal Adelaide Show, the Gourmet Goodie Bag is celebrating five years with a record $70 worth of products and vouchers for just $20.

Brought together by Tucker’s Natural managing director Sam Tucker, the Gourmet Goodie Bag this year includes samples and offers from many iconic local brands including Tucker’s Natural, Robern Menz, Beerenberg, Lauke Flour Mills, Haigh’s Chocolates, Golden North Ice Cream, Nippy’s, Farmer’s Union, Jonny’s Popcorn Delights, Rainbow Fresh and T Bar Tea Salon. The Gourmet Goodie Bags are available at stand 5 in the Showbag Hall.

A hive of activity

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One of the Buzz Honey hives. Photo: supplied

One of South Australia’s first branded honey producers, Buzz Honey, is opening a honey cellar door in the Adelaide Hills on Friday.

Previously located at Ding Dong Road, Dawesley, Buzz Honey has shifted operations to Totness (between Hahndorf, Littlehampton and Mt Barker) so the business can “spread its wings”.

“The new location has allowed us to achieve three goals we’ve been honing in on for a while,” says managing director Annette Ferris.

“To expand production facilities, share our love of bees with a hive door open for honey tastings, education and sales, and to open a small café so human ‘worker bees’ can buzz in for a break.”

Celebrating Indonesian culture in Adelaide

Indonesian food and culture will again be the focus of INDOfest, which will be held for the eighth year running on the Monday of the October long weekend.

INDOfest will have plenty of food stalls and cooking demonstrations of traditional Indonesian dishes, as well as a showcase of dance and music in the indoor and outdoor spaces of the Migration Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the SA Museum and the State Library of SA.

Free parking at the Central Market

The Adelaide Central Market is offering free parking between 3pm and 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays during spring to provide people with an opportunity to shop and eat on their way home from work or after picking up children from school.

“We will pilot the concept on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout September, October and November on a trial basis and assess its impact on Market trade at the end of the period,” said general manager Aaron Brumby.

The Market will also drop the Sunday flat fee from $6.50 to $5.

“This is one of the many announcements that will be made to benefit shoppers in the coming months,” Brumby added.

This week at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market – coriander

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Fresh coriander leaves. Photo: supplied

Coriander is considered a member of the carrot family and has been used for thousands of years – it is even mentioned in the Old Testament of The Bible.

Nearly every part of the plant can be consumed. Fresh coriander seeds can have a slightly unpleasant smell, but this disappears after drying. The leaves and stems have a distinct flavour and aroma that is a mix of lemon and sage. These are best added at the end of cooking or as a garnish, as heat can reduce their potency. Coriander pairs well with many foods including chicken, beef, fish and mussels.

A great way to eat and preserve the herb is by making a pesto. Combine ½ cup of toasted almonds, 2 loosely packed cups of coriander, the juice of half a lemon and/or lime, ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes (or more if you enjoy spice), 2 garlic cloves, and ¼ to ½ cup of olive oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add more oil and season with salt as needed.

Due to the Royal Adelaide Show, the Sunday Showground Market will be closed until Sunday, September 20, but you can purchase fresh locally grown coriander and South Australian almonds from stallholders Salad Greens and Herbs and The Almond Block at the Prospect Farmers’ Market.

Prospect Farmers’ Market is held on Thursdays from 3pm-6.30pm, next to Prospect Town Hall on the corner of Vine Street Plaza and Prospect Road.

Create your own event for Tasting Australia

South Australian restaurants and food producers are invited to take part in the 2016 Tasting Australia Associated Events Program by creating their own event.

The theme for 2016 is “landscape” and Tourism Minister Leon Bignell says Tasting Australia will be looking for events that “reflect how the landscape has shaped the product or experience”.

Tasting Australia 2016 will be held from May 1 to 8 and registrations for 2016 have already opened. More information can be found here.

Single-origin flour

Kangaroo Island grain is being put on the map with the production of single-origin flour produced from the island’s clean air, water, soils and pristine seed stocks and milled locally by Laucke Flour Mills.

Two new products, Single Origin Kangaroo Flours ‘Classic’ and ‘Rising’ are both milled from grain traceable to its Kangaroo Island origins.

“We are enormously proud to be partnering with the farmers of Kangaroo Island, who have grasped the opportunity and developed the sophistication to produce and supply us with grain that is identifiable, certified, tracked, and documented,” said Laucke Flour Mills managing director Mark Lauke.

What’s on?

Foodies Book Club – September 3
The Adelaide Hills Foodies Book Club is hosting a special author dinner event featuring Beata Zatorska and Simon Target and food from their award-winning book Rose Petal Jam and its sequel Sugared Orange, with the students from Heathfield High School’s hospitality training program (under the guidance of chef Beverley Millott) preparing and serving food made or inspired by the recipes. Tickets are $60 per person. Books will be available for purchase and signing on the night through Matilda Bookshop. For bookings or more information, email Gillian Copping here. 

The Artist, The Chef and The Entrepreneurs – September 7 – Postponed
Unfortunately the OzHarvest event – The Artist, The Chef and The Entrepreneurs – has been postponed. A new date is yet to be set for the event that will bring together artist Emma Hack, co-head chef of Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, entrepreneur and community leader Genevieve Theseira-Haese, founder and CEO of OzHarvest Ronni Kahn and philanthropist and OzHarvest ambassador Jo Collins in celebration of inspirational women and their experiences with the international community, creativity, philanthropy. Contact OzHarvest on 8162 9553 for information.

David Ridge tutored tasting at East End Cellars – September 8
Taste wines from Le Marche, Abruzzo, Puglia, Campania and Lazio with Italian wine expert David Ridge. Sample rich and food-friendly Verdicchio, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Primitivo, Negroamaro, Greco, Falanghina, Fiano and Aglianico.  Tickets are $95 per person. Bookings and more information here.

Venetian Cuisine with Connie and Carlo – September 18
Enjoy a three-hour cooking demonstration at Bottega Rotolo inspired by the food and culture of the Veneto region in Italy with a focus on the three main areas – the coast, the plains and the mountains. Held on September 18 between noon and 3pm at the Norwood store, the class costs $100 per person. Bookings can be made here.

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Night Noodle Markets dumplings. Photo: Good Food Month

OzAsia Night Noodle Markets – September 24 to October 4
Presented by the Adelaide Festival Centre over two weeks each year, the OzAsia Festival connects audiences with arts, festivities, traditions and foods from across Asia. The Night Noodle Markets are new to the festival this year and have been brought to Adelaide by Good Food Month. Producers from all over Australia will participate, including Adelaide’s Kopi & Kitchen, The Satay Hut and Tammy’s Meat Rolls, who will be showcasing their specialties. There will also be themed bars and music in a fun festival atmosphere from 5pm until late on week days and 12pm until late on weekends. Entry will be free. More information can be found here.

Fabulous Ladies High Tea – September 25
Enjoy a sumptuous spread and wine at the Fabulous Ladies High Tea hosted by Paracombe Wines in partnership with the Country Women’s Association (CWA). Paracombe Wines owner Kathy Drogemuller will also introduce guests to the Tanzania Maasai Women Art jewellery project, supported by their beautiful creations. Tickets are $75 per person, and bookings can be made by calling 8350 5058, or emailing [email protected]

Asiafest – October 2 to 11
Food and cultural festival Asiafest will return to Rymill Park for 10 days this year, showcasing more than 20 of Adelaide’s restaurateurs in pop-up food stalls reflecting an Asian street market ambiance and the culinary delights of countries such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Japan. 

Classic Adelaide Rally Fleurieu Leg – October 16
Watch the cars racing by while you sit back and enjoy lunch at Leonards Mill designed to showcase the produce of the Fleurieu Peninsula. There will be live entertainment by Garry Isaacs, and local artisan craft and food stalls to browse. Lunch is $65 per person (including food and entertainment). To book your table, email [email protected]

Vale Cru annual tasting – October 18
Discover more than 50 premium small-batch wines from 15 McLaren Vale winemakers at The Victory Hotel, Sellicks Beach. Enjoy tasting, cocktail food and a presentation by SALA South Australian Artist of the Year Giles Bettison. Tickets ($20 for members or $40 at the door) and further information can be found here.

With additional reporting from Eden Harris.

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