Cafe Salsa ~ Review

When I was a lad, young impressionable and infinitely naïve I remember my first visit to Café Salsa. Some of those images are as clear as ever, with the height of summer nearing and the day washing slowly into the evening, the sun was slicing through the palm fronds that drape above head. The interior is slick; retro cool is embellished with a few additions of chromatic colour. The food has rarely faltered, with a clear emphasis on rustic simplicity. Dishes with little confusion over the contents or their description, I feel the Cafe Salsa magic is a balanced mix of location, the season and smart food.
The menu resembles a 12” jazz album, the reverse side lists the evenings fare. Not much has changed on the menu, and for the most part I am pleased about this. The specials have hardly moved, Meatballs, Cockles and some other stuff...but first ‘Please kind sir may I have a Campari soda and lime?’

Veal Carpaccio ($13) with a crumble of parmesan and a grind of S and P is clean tasting and finely textured. I would like to see a dash of juice on top to mix with the protein and cheese, I do have wine and a sip certainly makes it sing.
White wine poached mushrooms char grilled to serve ($11.5) seemed very lonely on the large plate, it mattered little as they were devoured with a little more cracked pepper. There are other equally interesting selections and understated pizza’s to start.

From the specials list: Spaghetti with Pork and Veal Meatballs (E: $17.5 M:$19.5) Those who know this dish could profess their unrequited love, affairs and secret visits. Sweet and unctuous; the sauce and meatballs hits every note and pasta is cooked to al dente. I confess I was seduced by the Meatballs again (perhaps just to see if they still had it) and I was satisfied in all the ways I could reminisce.
The Gorgonzola Gnocchi (E$17.5 / M$19.5) is clearly homemade and the rich sauce containing every flavour of a grassy alpine slope. Walnuts, apple and has the creamy knockout of rich cheese. The gnocchi often plays second fiddle to such a major flavour but the power of the cheese would not carry this dish if the gnocchi was not top notch.
 A strongly flavoured Tiramisu ($9) was lusciously soft, the coffee gave us back the freshly sea rinsed zing. Although a tiramisu is better a few days after it is made, I am cautious of ‘slice and serve’ deserts, but how could I fault a soaked Savoiardi biscuit that never had a chance. In the airy front porch atmosphere it as much about seeing and being seen, true to form the low slung and short shorted slouch upon the slate fence waiting for their tardy friends. Salsa has made the generational leap as the understated cool now attracts those obviously seeking a venue with a little panache.
Cafe Salsa needs only to tip its cap to make its point while the rest work overtime for nil effect. I feel the warmth of a serene experience diffuse into the glowing sky as the sun glazes the deco facade: it dips into the sea.

Giles

Silly Season!

The country air is full of dust from harvesters working overtime to fill field bins before impending storms stop progress.  The ample front lawn of the family farm house is the site of the first course in what is to be memorable evening.  A French themed evening for no other reason than to enjoy some good wine with good food and hopefully the party of six is equal to the challenge. A nifty little Moet on the lawn with grilled bread with fennel, artichoke and almond dip. Perfection if only for a short while until the bubbles run out.

Sunset and the second course is served up with a little fanfare, welcome and a sneak round the table with the decanted red.  A short savoury pastry crust barely containing a caramelised onion and shallot tart with a creamy egg / cheesy surround, sided with some spinach and more parmesan atop.  The wine is from somewhere in Bordeaux, it is singular in its focus and only really gains any praise when sipped with the tart.

After a debrief of the years significant changes within the family it is on to the third course and some exciting combinations.  A beef and shallot casserole that was so aromatic and rich it requires boisterous flavours to match and support.  The starch you can clearly recognise is a puree of well cooked spuds worked into a frenzy with butter sauteed garlic and hot milk.  Not to be out done the resident wine afficianad-o casually measure out a Grand Cru Classification Chateau Dauzac Margaux '03 , tremendous in some very different aspects that my little spoilt brat of a tongue was asking for mercy.  The almost peasant origins of the dish and the earthy beginnings of the majority of the dish seemed to bolster the singular potency of the wine.  A daringly simple way to go about food and wine; no over sweetness, no gratuitous culinary showing off. Just elemental flavours of earthiness and protein, manipulated in texture to a dazzling experience.

Fourth and final dish of this rather refined New Years Eve dinner is served.  A creme caramel served with botrytis poached pears and yoghurt.  Here is the show stopper, a little bottle of Chateau d'Yquem '02 Sauternes.  Mind blowing power in such a refined wine - no wonder older vintages have earned tremendous praise I would tend to agree it is something serious and the wine world is truelly in awe of this wine.  I took a long time to enjoy this dish with wine which I will remember.

Tres` Bon!!

Giles

Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende - Review

Sunday evening in Adelaide two days after Christmas is probably the worst night of the year to try and book a table for dinner. The amount of restaurants open and the number of willing punters wishing to dine out seems sadly disproportionate. After much searching we rested on the Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende. This venue used to be Charlick's Feed Store of Maggie Beer fame, Beer was the focus then and it still is today. Upon arrival we indulge in a selection of Certified Trappist Ale’s. Belgian Trappist Ale is serious beer that has significant warmth, perfect to rapidly build an appetite. The menu is extensive and could be more concise, the Belgian style Mussels or Moules dominate the starting pages so we go with the Moules Meuniere ($29.5). The Meuniere are the Belgian standard mussels steamed in white wine, butter and stock. The mix had loads of fresh herbs which added great aroma to the really salty liquid - I think 'salty' would have been ok but 'really salty' was definitely incorrect.

After a few ales there is an apparent need to provide small ballast to the rollicking. There are several Belgian themed options on the menu which could help, one of which is a Traditional Flemish Beef Stew, the Carbonade a` la Flamande`($25.9). Its tired contents included grainy mustard with cruelly treated beef in ‘claggy’ gravy. The wild mushrooms alongside were superb and took my mind off the completely unnecessary puff pastry lid of the "stew".

The Pork Rib Eye ($28.9) was well received and the cut of pork satisfied both texture and taste. The very sweet beetroot and raspberry jus was a happy thought but out of balance. The cauliflower puree was consistent in texture but had no discernable truffle aroma. The beetroot and truffle could carry this dish to far more interesting conclusions with its earthiness and aroma, but they were present in name only.

My adjacent guest had the Roast Duck Shanks ($29.9). The accompanying sweet potato puree and the coriander and ginger glaze were not complimentary. Their sweetness like the Pork dish did not favour the richness of the duck legs.

The Waterzooi - Fruits de Mer ($26.9) is a Traditional Belgian Seafood Stew. It has cream added to a similar stock as the Moules Meuniere, it was far less salty and subsequently more balanced. The salmon portions and mussels provided plenty of texture contrast to small potatoes. It was free of head scratching moves of sweet sauces and silly pastry lids, just simple produce in fresh creamy bisque.

Themed restaurants are rarely held accountable for their culinary sins and fail dismally in the final countdown of value for money. Luckily for the Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende their restaurant trade seems merely a value adding process to the beer that really steals the show. The menu suggests a beer to have with each dish which is a worthy attempt at matching their product from the kitchen to the beer. If the Belgian Beer Cafe could create individual dishes with balance and character such as the recommended beers I am positive the food experience would be far more memorable. Until such time as things improve I will be adhering to a liquid diet at the Belgian Beer Cafe Oostende.

Giles