The Treasury has a reputation for being a fine dining establishment that is almost as old as the state. The architecture, both internally and externally, is something you don’t see anymore. The solid stone work, the magnificent high ceilings, the wide stair cases and the intricate cornices are some of the features that caught my eye. Upon entering, you have the fine dining restaurant to the left, the bar to the right, and to the centre, a passage to an extremely spacious and well designed internal courtyard.

The bar, to me, is the least impressive part of the venue. All the walls are painted red which seemed quirky and yet monotonous. The walls are colour coordinated with the red leather benches, so I’ll give them that. The lights were very dim and it almost felt kind of depressing. It’s almost as though they’ve tried to blend the old with the new, but without success.

First up was the Braised Lamb Shoulder with Creamy Mash. The meals came out 20 minutes after ordering and all meals arrived at the same time. The presentation of my meal was good, although the meat was compressed into a rectangular slice which seemed rather odd. In this case, looks were rather deceiving as my meal was delicious. The lamb was lean, tender and perfectly cooked. The exterior of the meat slice was slightly more firm but was still acceptable. The meat was so delicate that it just fell apart when you touched it. The lamb was perfectly seasoned and the flavours were well balanced. The mash was soft and creamy, and combined with the gravy, I felt there was yin and yang in my mouth.

Next on the menu was the Beef Stroganoff. The meal was well presented and was probably the best Beef Stroganoff I’ve ever had. The strips of beef were lean and beautifully cooked. The mushrooms were soft and delicate, and you could taste the mushroom flavour in the gravy. The potatoes were firm, and yet soft and fluffy on the inside. You could easily cut a potato with a knife and all the gravy would soak into the meat of the potato. Absolutely divine! The gravy was slightly watery which indicated they didn’t use much plain flour to thicken the sauce. The flavour was also more subtle which indicated they went easy on the Worcestershire sauce. Either way, it was an excellent dish.

The clientele at this place seems to be aimed at busy older professionals. I felt the service at times was very slow, even though we were one of the first customers. I’m not sure whether the dim lighting at the bar was supposed to set some sort of mood, but for some reason, I just didn’t feel it. The quality of the food is top notch and the chefs here really know how to cook.

WHERE: 144 King William St, Adelaide