My Tasty Tea

Mmmmm. I came home from work with a migrane, The boy cooked a tasty tea in the slowcooker and I woke up to wonderful food. mmmmmmm

A surprise package

Photo from Amazon

I found a parcel from Amazon.co.uk in my postbox this week. It was so exciting, I spend far too much time lusting after pretty things on Amazon.co.uk. I couldn't remeber ordering anything (I'm usually quite good and only order gifts for me when I'm ordering someone elses Birthday present) but when I opened the wrapper I found Diane Mott Davidson's Catering to Nobody.

I heard about Diane Mott Davidson on Erin Cooks she reviewed her newest book Fatally Flaky It sounded like a wonderful series and I added the first book Catering to Nobody to my wishlist.

After a lot of pondering and discusions with my Sister in the UK I discovered it was my Mum who had bought me a book from my wishlist. Thanks Mum It was such a lovely surprise!! I can't wait to read it, I've just got to finish my current book on China.

Ohhh I forgot. Our China Visas came through Yesterday, we fly out in 3 weeks and almost have organised everything, Flights Visas Vaccines. Now all we need is not to get Quaranined in Hong Kong or we miss the eclipse

Himalayan Kitchen

I worked a six day week this week and we decided to celebrate my only night off with a nice dinner out in North Adelaide.

It was a lovely little place, very homely. with beutiful photos of Nepal on the wall and some interesting wall ornaments.



After a long look at the many options on the Menu (Sorry it's such a bad photo)


We started with a bottle of Tasmanian Pinot,



And picked 2 mains and a handful of sides instead of starters.

There was a bit of a delay in the kitchen so these Pakora arrived at our table with a spicy potato dip in the centre,

They were very taty in a chickpea batter, with a tasty little salad to go with.



Our mains arrived and looked and smelled wonderful.


The Boy chose the Goat from the main menu "Slow cooked Tender Goat in traditional Tibetan manner enriched with mustard oil and fenugreek" $21.90


I chose the Organic Spinach Chicken Curry "Oven cooked with ginger, garlic and tomato, in spinach puree, with optional chilli" $22.95


For our sides we chose Aloo Achar "Spicy potato salad, made with peas,onion, lemon juice, red chilli and a mustard oil dressing $7.00


and Pickle "Hot tomato and garlic" $2.00 Not at all what we were expecting but really tasty.


And of course Dal "Traditional red lentals simmered with cumin and garlic $7.50
I think dal is a great way to judge the quality of the kitchen, If the dal is so good you'd be happy to just have it for your meal you know the rest of the food is going to be good.

Dinner was fantastic, Probably not the best Nepalese in Adelaide that title still belongs to Namaste in Parkside but really tasty food in a place we would't usually hang out.

We had an Entertainment voucher $20 off our bill. It was still expensive but nice for a special night out.


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Open Tue,Sun 5pm-10pm;
Wed-Thu 5pm-10:30pm;
Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm

66 Melbourne St
North Adelaide SA 5006
(08) 8267 3037

Cork Wine Bar

To make up for a disapoiting dinner at Maya we went to Cork wine bar on Gouger Street.

Cork is a wonderful wine bar (mentioned here) I had a Giant glass of NZ Maude Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006 $10.50 and the boy had an Itallian Monte Schiavo 'Sassailo' (Sangiovase Monte Pulciano Rosso Pireno, DOC) marche 2004 $8.50.



A lovely setting and just what we needed to pick up our confidence in Adelaides food scene.


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Gouger Street Just Opposite the Markets
Tel (08) 8410 0645
Open Tues- Thurs 7:45 am - 12:00 am
Fri - Sat: 7:45 am - 1:00 am

Maya Masala Restaurant

Me and the Boy were in town on Friday night and decided to treat ourselves to Maya. Let me start by saying I've been to this restaurant before and had wonderful service, great food and rolled away from the experience with a full tummy and happy memories. Unfortunately this visit did not live up to our expectations.

Firstly the restaurant was not busy, but we were seated at the worst table in the house, It rocked whenever you put your glass down and was next to the Toilets with a cold draft from the street door whenever anyone came or went. I'm not the most assertive of people so we didn't ask to change tables. We did ask for napkins to put under the table to stop it rocking and spilling our drinks but they never appeared.

Secondly the staff have always been relaxed and created a lovely environment to settle in with a bottle of wine. Not tonight, our waiter was pushy and insistent. I felt like I was in a fast food joint and they were trying to get us out the door. Whilst we were browsing the wine list and discussing the menu, the waiter asked us 4 times if we were ready to order and If we wold like poppadoms to start, REALLY pushing the poppadoms. (we probably would have had poppadoms if he hadn't been so insistent). we were trying to chat about the menu, They had dishes that my southern Indian work colleagues used to tell me about and The boy has traveled through India but the Waiter kept interrupting whenever we mentioned a dish and asked if we wanted it for starter.

Our wine for the evening was a Skillogalee Take Two Shiraz Cabernet, Quite a nice drop.

We decided on 2 different thalis then we would share, a non vegetarian thali and a Punjabi thali, The waiter then tried to up sell us to both getting the Punjabi thali as it turned out the non-vegetarian thali was just the Punjabi thali without the chicken tandoori. SO a quick change of plan and I went for the seafood thali.


The Punjabi Thali had; Tandoori Chicken, Riata (a bit too sour for me, I didn't like it), Dal (Not as nice as I remember the first time we were here, Quite bland and watery), Mild Paneer curry. Goat curry (The tastiest dish we had), Butter Chicken served with Rice, naan pickle and a poppadom a sweet pudding dish with a creamy rice and nuts. $19.50


The Seafood Thali had the same Riatta, Dhal and pudding, also fried fish (a little chewy), a fish curry and a prawn curry, The prawn curry contained 1 prawn! Disapointing. $19.50

I'm hoping we just hit it on a bad night and it has not come under new management or anything?


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Maya Masala Restaurant
10 Market Street (just off Gouger St)
Adelaide
08 8231 1177

The Rob Roy Hotel

Tuesday night is half price Pizza night at The Rob Roy Hotel,

Me and a group of Friends decided to catch up with fantastic pizza at this great little Pub in the City. Me and the boy have been on several occasions and have decided the best plan is to take as many people as you can get a hold off and order one large Pizza each (it's only large pizzas that are half price)


This trip there were 5 of us hungry meat eaters so we went (clockwise from bottom left):
Chicken -spicy lillydale free range chicken, house roasted red Capsicum, Spanish onion, bocconcini & fresh basil. small $11.0 large $16.5
Salami - sopressa salami, house roasted red capsicum, kalamata olives & fresh basil. small $10.5 large $15.5
Avocado - smoked French leg ham, avocado & bocconcini. small $10.0 large $15.0
Prosciutto - marinated artichokes & roasted field mushrooms topped with Fresh basil & prosciutto. small $9.5 large $14.0
and Rob Roy Royale - smoked French leg ham, sopressa salami, spanish onion, roasted field mushrooms & kalamata olives. small $11.0 large $16.5

The menu also has delicious Vegetarian pizza - (Roasted field mushrooms, house roasted red capsicum, marinated Artichokes, marinated eggplant & kalamata olives. Small $9.5 Large $14.0) which we have had before and really enjoyed.

The pizzas have a thin crispy base with quality fresh toppings, The Avocado was a big hit, simple but tasty, as was the Salami for a bigger flavour, but my personal favorite is the Rob Roy Royal, light and tasty it all works well together.

Our dinner worked out to around $7-$8 per person, plus they have a nice beer selection, fine wine list and a wonderful whisky menu to keep everyone happy.


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The Rob Roy Hotel
106 Halifax Street, Adelaide SA 5000
PH (08) 8223 5391 FAX (08) 8232 0071
www.robroyhotel.com.au
enquiries@robroyhotel.com.au

The Earl of Leicester

I used to live very close to the Earl of Leicester. This is one of my favorite pubs in Adelaide and definatly my favorite place for a schnitzel!!

We tend to eat in the front bar the Liars Bar, The menu has a choice of sizes Liar (LGE) or Liarette (SM). "Choose between our famous tender beef Schnitzel or Succulent Chicken Breast all served with Chips" Oh How can you refuse!!!!

The Schnitzels all have wonderful names

we ended up going with a
Bulls Bollocks - with Napoli Sauce, Ham, Salami and Mozzarella Liarette $16 Liar $19

and a
Majic Mushrooms - with mushrooms and mozzarella Liarette $14.50 Liar $17.50


A Token 50c extra for a side salad is worth while if you fancy that healthy side of green stuff, The dressing was a little sharp but to be fair we wernt there for the salad.


I have never managed a Liar, I'm afraid I'll always be a Liarette, even then I struggle.








I was always tempted by the Earl's Beer chalange, They have 86 different beers avaliable and once you've tried them all you get your name on the wall and a free T-shirt. The Boy had had his name on the board for a while now.

This is great pub with a pool table and Big Buck Hunter Safari, Tasty Schnitzels and a Happy hour on fridays from 5-6.30.

What more could you ask for


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85 Leicester St
Parkside SA 5063
(08) 8271 5700‎
earl.com.au

Bird in the Hand winery

My friend Helen visited from the U.K. a few weeks ago and we spent a lovely day out in the Adelaide Hills.

We stopped along the Bird in the Hand Winery in Woodside, It's a Beautiful cellar door that does a marvelous selection of wine but also olive oil, olives and dukka


Unfortunatly I was driving (and I'm still on my P's so I couldn't enjoy any of the Alcohol) but Helen Tasted and Tested and decided upon a lovely 2007 Shiraz (which me and the boy enjoyed with a beautiful rack of lamb last week, thank you!)



This is my second trip to this wonderful little winery just a short drive from adelaide

View Bird in Hand in a larger map

Cellar door open daily
Monday to Friday: 10am to 5pm
Weekends & Public Holidays: 11am to 5pm
Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day

Phone +61 8 8389 9488
Fax +61 8 8389 9511

www.birdinhand.com.au
info@birdinhand.com.au

Ahhh

A cold wet bank Holiday Monday. The Queens Birthday weekend.

I've spent today Learning how to make link buttons along the top of my blog. I've been wanting to do this for ages and it wasn't hard. the hardest bit was stopping them from being Lime Green.

Just a quick post as Im going to sort out my photos now.

having a bit of a winge!!

I have a cold and I'm feeling rubbish! I dosed myself up with sudafed and slept from 8pm last night to 3pm this afternoon, 19hrs, that aint bad,

I put leek and potato soup in slowcooker before going to work yesterday and it was great to come home to soup!!! Unfortunatly I forgot that water wouldn't magically appear from potatos as it does from meat so it was quite thick.

We have booked flights to China, Fly out on 16th July for the Eclipse on the 22nd July, I really hope it's not cloudy.

off to heat up more soup.

s.x